Celebrations were in full swing for Carnival Cruise Line as its newest vessel Carnival Freedom pulled into the homeport of Galveston, Texas on Saturday (February 14th 2015).
The event took place in partnership with Operation Homefront, a national non-profit organisation that supports military families and saw service members and their relatives treated to an overnight extravaganza filled with a selection of daytime activities and evening entertainment.
In honour of US military personnel and their families, Carnival presented Operation Homefront with a generous $100,000 (£65,000) donation.
Following this, country music superstar Martina McBride wowed the crowd with a special outdoor Carnival LIVE performance. Guests then indulged in a complementary dinner, filled with a mouthwatering selection of dishes.
Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said: “We’re excited to kick off Carnival Freedom’s year-round deployment from Galveston with a donation to an organisation that touches so many lives and a special event for the brave men and women who serve our country.”
Ms McBride added: “Performing for these military families was an incredible honour. And everyone really enjoyed the outdoor setting on the ship’s deck.
“I hope that everyone who was there had a special Valentine’s Day experience; I’m so glad I was asked to be part of it.”
Galveston is set to be Carnival’s new year-round port, with Carnival Freedom kick-starting the departures with an exclusive six-day voyage to Mexico. Other excursions involve a series of four to seven-day cruises throughout the Caribbean, Bahamas and Florida, departing from February 21st.
Carnival Freedom is the third vessel in the fleet to join the Galveston port, after Carnival Triumph and Carnival Magic. Over the course of a year, these ships will collectively carry over 60,000 passengers from Texas.
Will you be joining Carnival Freedom at Galveston?
