By
Laura Hyde |
Carnival Cruise Line has officially christened its new flagship, Carnival Jubilee, at a ceremony in Texas on 24 February. The ship is the first cruise vessel to be christened at the Port of Galveston, according to the cruise line.
Christine Duffy, Carnival Cruise Line president, was joined by Port of Galveston officials, as well as local dignitaries including Craig Brown, the mayor of the City of Galveston, at the event. Grammy-award-winning singer Gwen Stefani performed her godmother duties, using a lasso to pull the lever to smash the ceremonial bottle of champagne against the ship, which entered service in December 2023. Stefani also performed a selection of her songs, including 'Just a Girl', 'The Sweet Escape' and 'Hollaback Girl' for guests.
Ship godmother Gwen Stefani christens Carnival Jubilee in Texas
The ceremony, which was hosted by Carnival Jubilee cruise director Kyndall Fire, was livestreamed online and included a rope trick performance, as well as a performance of the USA’s national anthem, Star Spangled Banner. Mayor Brown presented Duffy with the keys to the city and declared 24 February as ‘Carnival Jubilee Day’. The day would also have been the 100th birthday of Carnival Cruise Line founder, Ted Arison.
Carnival Jubilee was constructed in Bremerhaven, Germany, by shipbuilder Meyer Werft
The ship, which boasts a Texas star on its bow, will honour its homeport by hosting a three-hour Lone Star Tailgate party, celebrating all things Texas, on the ship’s Lido during each cruise.
“Texas is her forever home,” said Duffy. “We’re fixing to be here for a long, long time.”
Watch highlights from the naming ceremony on the Carnival Cruise Line website.