The biggest ship Carnival Cruise Line has ever built has arrived in Port Canaveral, Florida on Friday!
The following written content by Richard Tribou
PORT CANAVERAL — The biggest ship Carnival Cruise Line has ever built arrived Friday at its year-round home in Port Canaveral, even though it doesn’t have its first sailing date with passengers nailed down.
Waiting just off the coast at 6 a.m. as the sun began to rise under a crescent moon, the 1,130-foot-long, 180,800-gross-ton vessel named Mardi Gras finally made it to Central Florida after a series of delays brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thousands of onlookers were on hand to watch the ship’s arrival from Jetty Park before making its way to its new terminal home, the $155 million project that’s been ready and waiting for Mardi Gras’ arrival since last summer.
“We got up at 3,” said Brenda Lambert, who drove down from Jacksonville early Friday. She said she has a cruise booked next year on Mardi Gras. “Can’t wait to get on it. Makes the other ones look like babies.”
The ship’s arrival was celebrated by cruise line and port officials including Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy. Also on site were Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald and Chairman Micky Arison.
Speaking to a crowded terminal mostly of travel agents to welcome the ship, Duffy thanked them for their patience.
“We thank you for all of your support, your patience — the bookings, the cancels, the rebookings, the cancels. We know. We feel your pain,” she said. “But I know that that’s what makes today more exciting, not only to see the ship, but what today represents, which really is all about getting back cruising.”
The ship was escorted into the port by two of the line’s older, and much smaller ships, Carnival Freedom and Carnival Liberty.
But Mardi Gras led the way, sounding its horn to cheers from the crowd awaiting from the Cruise Terminal 3 parking garage. The Victory Casino boat that docks adjacent welcomed the ship as well with the two vessels trading horn blasts. Read more from Orlando Sentinel.
