Carnival Mardi Gras Gets Its Groove On And Raises Record Amount For St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

The celebrations on the inaugural cruise for Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras continued today while at sea, as the ship’s Godmother Kimberly Jiménez, along with Miss Universe Andrea Meza and other Miss Universe titleholders, joined Cruise Director Mike Pack and Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy for the Groove for St. Jude, an onboard fundraiser for Carnival’s longtime partner, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Thanks to the generous donations of guests on board they broke the ship’s record and raised $21,600 for St. Jude.

“Along with welcoming our guests back on board, our restart allows us to get back to meeting our goal of raising $30 million by 2025 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We are proud to support such a worthy cause and even more proud of guests for opening their hearts and raising close to $22,000 for St. Jude in one day.”

Mardi Gras was christened during a “Universe of Fun” celebration on Oct. 23 in Port Canaveral, Fla. and has been sailing a celebratory inaugural cruise throughout the Caribbean this week.

Mardi Gras is the first cruise ship in the Americas to be powered by eco-friendly Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and features BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea. The ship is sailing year-round from Port Canaveral, offering seven-day itineraries to the eastern and western Caribbean.

For additional information on Carnival Cruise Line and to book a cruise vacation, call 1-800-CARNIVAL, visit www.carnival.com, or contact your favorite travel advisor or online travel site.