On Monday, May 6th, on Carnival Liberty ship, the air resonated with the sound of trumpets as CCL-Carnival Cruise Line commemorated its 30th year of homeporting operations in New Orleans.
Present were community dignitaries and Emeril Lagasse (CCL's Chief Culinary Officer) renowned for his New Orleans cuisine, marking this significant occasion just after the ship's inaugural arrival at Port NOLA (Louisiana).
Chris Chiames (CCL's Chief Communications Officer) and Arnold Donald (former CEO of Carnival Corporation and a native of New Orleans) expressed gratitude to local leaders for their enduring collaboration.
Carnival stands as the leading cruise operator in New Orleans and remains the sole ocean cruise line with year-round homeporting in the city. Since initiating the port's inaugural year-round service in 1994, ~7 million guests have embarked on Carnival cruises from Port NOLA.
In celebration of the 30-year milestone, the company donated US$30,000 to the Emeril Lagasse Foundation supporting educational and culinary initiatives for the city's youth. Lagasse later guided a tour of the ship's main galley for students from Belle Chasse Academy, a local partner of Emeril's Culinary Garden & Teaching Kitchen, following the ceremonial cutting of a special anniversary cake crafted by the Carnival Liberty’s culinary team.
Carnival Liberty's arrival solidifies Carnival's two-ship, year-round deployment in New Orleans. The ship offers diverse sailing options, primarily week-long cruises to sought-after destinations in the Bahamas, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Additionally, two exclusive 14-day Panama Canal cruises are available for booking, and next year, Carnival Liberty will feature several voyages to Celebration Key, Carnival’s newly established destination on Grand Bahama Island.
Sharing the port with Carnival Valor, which also offers a range of 4- to 7-day cruises, Carnival Liberty continues to enrich the cruise experience departing from New Orleans.
Guests embarking on Monday afternoon set sail on a 6-day Western Caribbean roundtrip itinerary visiting Mexico's Costa Maya and Cozumel, along with Belize City.