Coinciding with Mother’s Day weekend festivities, Carnival Cruise Line celebrated more than 150 military women aboard the 110,000-gross-ton Carnival Conquest during Miami’s first-ever Fleet Week.
The ceremony included presentations and the distribution of commemorative coins to the servicewomen of the United States Armed Forces, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard.
“As America’s cruise line, we carry more active military members and veterans than any other cruise line, so it’s our honor to host this special salute to military women as part of Fleet Week in Miami, where we’re headquartered and sail five of our beautiful ships,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
She added, “We want all members of the military to know that we greatly appreciate their service and their sacrifice.”
During the tribute, Vera Lannek, a U.S. Naval Academy alumna and vice president of strategic sourcing for Carnival Corporation, expressed her gratitude towards the women who have served in the military. The event was part of a broader initiative to honor the contributions of military personnel.
Carnival Cruise Line’s engagement in Miami’s inaugural Fleet Week, formerly held in Fort Lauderdale for more than three decades, was one of many ceremonies taking place during the week-long event.
Beginning on May 5 and concluding on May 12, Fleet Week serves as a platform for various community outreach initiatives and events to honor the United States Armed Forces.
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Throughout the week, attendees had the opportunity to participate in activities, including concerts performed by the Navy and Marine Corps bands, guided tours of active military ships, military demonstrations, and airshows.
Military ships in port available for tours include the naval aircraft carrier USS Bataan, guided missile cruisers USS Normandy and USS Leyte Gulf, and Coast Guard cutter USCGS Seneca.
Carnival’s Year-Round Military Appreciation
Carnival Cruise Line’s military appreciation extends beyond Fleet Week. In 2023 alone, Carnival Cruise Line hosted over 1,500 military appreciation gatherings, expanding most events to encompass a Military Appreciate Day across the fleet during North American sailings.
Initiated in July 2023 and held on sailings taking place the week of July 24, the day-long commemorations are an extension of the previously held veterans’ gatherings. On Military Appreciation Day, guests aboard the ships can experience a variety of tributes, including the display of unique messages about military service on the Seaside Theater screens and a ceremonial raising of the American flag in the atrium for voyages lasting at least four nights.
In a bid to honor veterans more permanently, several ships in the Carnival fleet, including Carnival Celebration, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Glory, Carnival Panorama, Carnival Pride, Carnival Radiance, Carnival Sunrise, Carnival Venezia, Carnival Vista, Mardi Gras, and the new Carnival Jubilee and Carnival Firenze, feature the Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge. The bar will soon be added to Carnival Legend.
Moreover, Carnival Cruise Line maintains a partnership with Operation Homefront, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting military families in the U.S. Through the partnership, veterans and their families receive proceeds from group photos taken at military appreciation events, along with sales of souvenir glasses sold at Heroes Tribute Bar and the exclusively brewed onboard “Heroes American Pale Ale.”
The pale ale created from Veterans Blend Hops, also introduced in 2023, is available on Carnival ships with breweries, including Carnival Celebration, Carnival Horizon, Mardi Gras, Carnival Panorama, and Carnival Vista.