Carnival Cruise Line has announced that actress Cassidy Gifford will serve as godmother to its newest ship, Carnival Celebration, at the ship’s naming ceremony taking place on November 20, 2022, in Miami. The news was revealed in a video where Cassidy was surprised by her mother, Kathie Lee Gifford, who was also godmother to Carnival Celebration’s namesake, M/S Celebration, which was christened in 1987.
Kathie Lee served as Carnival’s spokesperson for nearly 20 years starting in 1984 and was a four-time Emmy Award-winning television personality. She and her family, including Cassidy, have many memories of sailing on Carnival ships, with Cassidy first setting foot on a Carnival ship as an infant.
Cassidy, who has been acting from a young age and is best known for her work in the box office hits God’s Not Dead and Warner Brothers’ The Gallows, expressed her excitement about being named the godmother of the new Carnival Celebration. “Carnival Cruise Line has been a huge part of our family, and now to be asked to be Godmother of the namesake ship to the one my mom christened is truly an honor and a blessing,” she said.
Carnival Cruise Line President, Christine Duffy, expressed her excitement about extending the relationship with the Gifford family and honored that Cassidy would be serving as the ship’s godmother. “Since our founding in 1972, Carnival Cruise Line has carried generations of guests and has helped millions of families make lasting vacation memories,” she said. “As we cap off our 50th Birthday festivities with the arrival of Carnival Celebration, we are so pleased to also extend our relationship with another generation of the Gifford family.”
Carnival Celebration will be the line’s ultimate 50th Birthday gift and will debut from the redesigned Terminal F at PortMiami in November. The ship will feature six themed zones and the line’s second BOLT roller coaster.
Cassidy Gifford’s appointment as godmother of Carnival Celebration marks the continuation of a long-standing relationship between the Gifford family and Carnival Cruise Line. The ship’s naming ceremony in November promises to be a celebration of all things Carnival.