Carnival Receives Top Honors

TRAVEL WEEKLY READERS GIVE TOP HONORS TO CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES 

Line Earns ‘Best Sales and Service,’ ‘Best Rookie Cruise Ship’ in Publication’s 2005 ‘Readers’ Choice Awards’ 

MIAMI (Jan. 3, 2006) – Travel agents selected Carnival Cruise Lines for providing the “Best Sales and Service” and named the new Carnival Liberty as the “Best Rookie Cruise Ship” in a poll conducted by a leading trade publication, Travel Weekly, in its 2005 Readers’ Choice Awards.

The awards were based on an on-line survey of thousands of Travel Weekly readers who were asked to name their top choices in a broad range of product- and service-related categories. 

“Travel Weekly readers are experienced and knowledgeable about all facets of the travel industry. Receiving these awards is a gratifying endorsement of the high level of service provided by our talented sales personnel, as well as the wide-ranging facilities and features of our spectacular new ‘Fun Ship,’ Carnival Liberty,” said Vicki Freed, Carnival’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. 

The new 110,000-ton Carnival Liberty launched the line’s first Mediterranean cruise program this summer then repositioned to Fort Lauderdale to operate six- and eight-day cruises beginning Nov. 12. The 2,974-passenger vessel will then return to Europe to operate an extended program of Med cruises in summer 2006. 

Its many on-board features include a 270-square-foot LED screen poolside on Lido deck that displays movies, concerts and other programming, as well as 22 lounges and bars, four restaurants, and expansive children and teens facilities. Carnival Liberty is also the first Carnival ship to feature the new “Georges Blanc Signature Selection” menu items which were created by the world-renowned French master chef and scheduled to be rolled out fleetwide next year. 

Carnival’s 84-member field sales force works with more than 25,000 travel agents throughout the U.S. and Canada in developing new business opportunities. In addition to assistance in organizing cruise nights and other sales functions, Carnival’s “business development managers” conduct in-agency training sessions that help travel agents hone their selling and closing skills. BDMs are supported by a team of 50 back-office personnel at Carnival’s Miami headquarters who work with travel agents in servicing their day-to-day needs.

Carnival is the largest and most popular cruise line in the world, with a fleet of 21 “Fun Ships” operating three- to 16-day voyages to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Bermuda and Europe. 

The line will expand its fleet with the launch of three new SuperLiners – the 110,000-ton Carnival Freedom in February 2007 and an as-yet-unnamed 112,000-ton vessel and an as-yet-unnamed 130,000-ton ship – the largest “Fun Ship” ever constructed – in spring 2008 and fall 2009, respectively. 

For additional information and reservations, contact Lighthouse Travel at 800-719-9917.