The seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruise departed Port Canaveral July 31
As part of Carnival Cruise Line’s highly anticipated return to guest operations, the line’s newest and most innovative ship, Mardi Gras, arrived in Nassau, Bahamas, today, marking the ship’s third port of call on its maiden voyage. This is the first time Carnival Cruise Line has called on Nassau in 16 months.
Mardi Gras pulled into port flying the Bahamian flag, a symbol of Carnival’s commitment to The Bahamas. The seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruise departed Port Canaveral on July 31. Mardi Gras is the first cruise ship in the Americas to be powered by eco-friendly Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
Considered the marine industry’s most advanced fuel technology, LNG is among the cleanest fuels in the world, significantly reducing emissions with cleaner exhaust. The ship also features BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea.
“We are excited to make this inaugural call in Nassau and we are delighted to bring a new level of environmental sustainability to the many ports in The Bahamas and Caribbean,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “The restart of our cruising operations in The Bahamas calling on five different Bahamian ports has such wide-reaching economic impact and on behalf of Carnival, I would like to personally thank our partners in Nassau and The Bahamas for their hospitality in welcoming our guests.”
“Carnival has enjoyed a very close relationship with The Bahamas for nearly half a century,” said Domenico Rognoni, Carnival’s senior vice president, ethics, and compliance officer who also serves as the Deputy Chair of The Bahamas Shipowner Association. “Our first-ever ship was the original Mardi Gras, and its maiden voyage was to the Bahamas, so we believe that rekindling history in this way and registering the new Mardi Gras with the Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA), is a fitting demonstration of both the value of this relationship for Carnival and our ongoing commitment to the country.”
“We are proud of our close collaboration and relationship with Carnival Cruise Line, and we thank them for making the Bahamas its flag of choice for this innovative vessel,” said Captain Dwain Hutchinson, BMA managing director, and CEO. “As the world’s largest flag for passenger ships, we have a deep understanding and extensive knowledge of this sector, and we continue to take a proactive stance and advocacy on passenger ship matters on the international regulatory stage.”
