British Celebrity Myleeene Klass Chosen as the Godmother of Carnival Splendor

June 21, 2008 - PRLog -- MIAMI-British celebrity Myleene Klass, a chart-topping musican, singer and television personality, is to be godmother of the new Carnival Splendor and officially name the newest “Fun Ship” of the world’s largest cruise line in Dover, England on July 10, 2008. At 113,300 tons and carrying up to 4,914 passengers, the Carnival Splendor will be the largest passenger ship ever to sail from the Kent port chosen for this summer’s UK inaugural voyage departures.

The naming ceremony will also mark another first with Carnival emphasizing its choice of Britain to launch the Carnival Splendor by dispensing with, for the first time ever, the traditional champagne and using the highly acclaimed Nyetimber English Sparkling wine to smash against the hull.

Myleene Klass is a classically trained musician and singer who has achieved enormous success on both the pop and classical charts in the U.K.  She is also a tremendously popular TV presenter who has hosted numerous high profile British TV shows and currently hosts “The Screening Room” on CNN International, as well as the British radio program Classic FM Breakfast Show.  Additionally, in 2007 she became the face of renowned British retailer Marks & Spencer and is currently featured in billboards, retail displays and television advertising throughout Britain.

Myleene Klass said, “I am very excited, and a little nervous, at becoming a ship’s godmother for the first time, especially when it involves naming a ship the size of the Carnival Splendor. But my family is very connected with ships as my father served in the Merchant Navy.”  

Carnival Cruise Lines President and CEO Gerry Cahill said, “Myleene is the perfect godmother to name Carnival Splendor, with her many talents complementing the many features of the ship, which is already attracting a broad passenger base -- from families to couples to groups of friends – all with a common desire to enjoy a fun, casual and memorable vacation. The British cruising market is growing fast, with over 1.3 million taking cruises from the UK last year, and this is why we have chosen Britain for our inaugural summer season for Carnival Splendor.”

Nyetimber owner Eric Heerema said, “We are honoured that Carnival should choose Nyetimber 1994 Blanc de Blancs in preference to champagne for such a traditional occasion. The only problem is that we have such limited stocks of the 1994 vintage left that we were loath to lose even a bottle, but this is further important international recognition of the quality of our sparkling wine produced in West Sussex.” Nyetimber is served at leading restaurants including Le Gavroche, Gordon Ramsey’s Petrus, Chewton Glen and The Dorchester, and has been served at 10 Downing Street and by Her Majesty The Queen at many state occasions.

Carnival Splendor offers a comprehensive selection of restaurants, show-stopping entertainment, four swimming pools, a 5,500-square-foot children’s play area and Carnival’s largest-ever floating spa featuring a thalassotherapy pool, thermal suite and 17 treatment rooms.

Following the naming ceremony, the Carnival Splendor sets sail for a three-day mini preview cruise to Amsterdam, returning to Dover on July 13, when it will depart the same day for its official inaugural 12-day cruise to the Baltic countries, visiting Copenhagen, Warnemunde (for Berlin), Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallinn and Amsterdam. At the conclusion of its European program, which also includes a series of Mediterranean voyages, the Carnival Splendor will reposition to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for seven-day Caribbean departures. Following a series of 14- to 18-day South America voyages, Carnival Splendor begins year-round seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises from Long Beach, Calif., March 29, 2009.

For additional information and reservations on Carnival Splendor’s various European, Caribbean, South American and Mexican Riviera cruises, contact your certified and accredited cruise counsellor, Kenneth Chow of Cruise Planners at 1-800-839-7135 or www.nycvaluecruise.com

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