Back in 2012, a 9-year-old kid by the name of Darian Lipscomb, a self-proclaimed Carnival Cruise Line “super fan,” created a Snapchat account with the handle “CarnivalCruise.” His Snapchat story featured snippets of his vacations on Carnival cruise ships.
Fast forward to 2018 when Carnival showed up in Lipscomb’s hometown of Prospect, VA (which also happens to be the hometown of Carnivals’ Chief Fun Officer Shaquille O’Neal) and put up signs that read “Hey Prospect, does anyone know Darian?”
Representatives from the line also made a stop at Lipscomb’s home, making him an offer he couldn’t refuse…. a free cruise for him and his family on the just delivered Carnival Horizon. Of course, a $5,000 vacation, flights, hotels, and a bunch of extras were enough for the teen to gracefully turn over the Shapchat account and get ready to take the inaugural cruise on the Horizon which leaves Barcelona on March 31st.
Not a bad deal for snap-squatting!
Lipscomb told Fox News he’ll have to think up a new name to use on Snapchat now, saying “maybe another company name.”
Go for it, kid… and enjoy that cruise!