Carnival Cruise Line gave a warm welcome and big applause to the Litteral family as they stepped onto Carnival Valor on October 1, 2024.
Turns out the family, traveling from the homeport of New Orleans on a 5-night journey to the Caribbean, included the 2,980-passenger ship’s 7th million guests since Carnival began sailing year-round from the Louisiana port in 1994.
It was a significant moment as Carnival Cruise Line is now the first cruise line in New Orleans to achieve this peak.
The family, comprised of Thomas and Julie Litteral and their children Zachary and Zoey, were welcomed on board by Carnival Valor’s Captain Antonio Modaffari and the ship’s crew, who celebrated the occasion with an impromptu ceremony.
The Litteral family are loyal Carnival cruisers and celebrated one more momentous occasion when 12-year-old Zachary achieved Diamond VIFP status on the voyage, joining his parents at the cruise line’s top loyalty level.
Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy shared her excitement about the milestone, saying, “Sharing this landmark embarkation in New Orleans with loyal guests, a family that clearly loves the fun they fund when they sail with us, makes this moment truly special.”
In May 2024, Carnival Cruise Line marked 30 years of year-round service from the Port of New Orleans with the arrival of the Carnival Liberty, a 2,974-passenger vessel.
At that time, Carnival Liberty was greeted by iconic New Orleans Chef Emeril Lagasse, who also serves as Carnival’s Chief Culinary Officer.
“Just after celebrating 30 years of year-round service here this spring, we’re proud to continue building on our important partnership with the New Orleans community,” said Duffy.
She added, “Seven million guests cruising with us from Port NOLA signifies our unwavering commitment as the market leader in this vibrant city.”
Carnival’s commitment currently includes keeping both the 110,000-gross-ton Carnival Valor and Carnival Liberty in New Orleans, operating a series of 4- to 10-day cruises to destinations in the Caribbean and the Panama Canal.
Combined, the cruise line carries approximately 400,000 passengers annually from New Orleans, contributing to the city’s vibrant tourism industry.
Port New Orleans Sees Strong Comeback and Cruise Commitments
The Port of New Orleans is having its moment, having finished 2023 with nearly 1.2 million cruise passengers, reflecting a strong recovery from the pandemic and renewed confidence in the city’s cruise market.
“The cruise business has rebounded in New Orleans and cruise line partners are confident in our Port NOLA cruise market,” said the port’s President and CEO Brandy D. Christian.
Photo Courtesy: Port NOLA
With 90 percent of cruise guests coming from out of state, New Orleans is a top pre- and post-cruise destination. It generates more than 300,000 hotel room nights and contributes over $125 million to the local economy each year.
Read Also: New Orleans Cruise Port – Terminals, Piers and Getting Around
Christian continued, “We want to thank all our cruise line and hospitality partners as we work together to make cruising out of New Orleans two vacations in one.”
Besides Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line has a commitment to the city through 2028 with Norwegian Getaway, which can accommodate 3,963 guests, set to replace sister ship Norwegian Breakaway this month.
Disney Cruise Line also has a presence with Disney Magic, which returned to the city in January 2024, and Royal Caribbean’s 2,543-passenger Brilliance of the Seas, which is making its debut in November 2024.
Source: Cruisehive.com
