Carnival Crusie Line has announced who will be the godmother for its newest cruise ship, Carnival Celebration. Continuing a family tradition, the daughter of Kathie Lee Gifford, actress Cassidy Gifford has been given the honor.
Kathie Lee Gifford served as godmother for the original Carnival Celebration and was the one who broke the news to her daughter, which can be seen in a video released by Carnival Cruise Line.
Carnival Continues Family Tradition
By naming Cassidy Gifford as Godmother for Carnival Celebration, the cruise line continues a family tradition for the Giffords. The family ties with Carnival Cruise Line go back to the 1980s when her mother served as Carnival’s spokesperson in the company’s groundbreaking television campaigns and, at the same time, served as Godmother for the original Carnival Celebration.
It was Kathie Lee Gifford herself who asked her daughter to take on the honor of becoming godmother to Carnival Cruise Line’s new 180,000 gross tons cruise ship:
“Carnival Cruise Line has been a huge part of our family with my earliest memories taking family trips on Carnival ships,” said Cassidy Gifford. “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. There was no hesitation when my mom asked me, and I can’t wait to see this amazing ship in Miami in November.”
Cassidy Gifford is no stranger to Carnival Cruise Line. Ever since she was an infant, she has sailed on many cruises with her mom and with her dad, the late Frank Gifford, who was an NFL and sports broadcasting legend.
“I was Carnival’s spokesperson for nearly 20 years starting in 1984, a time when I got married and had my children. They joined me on many television shoots on Carnival ships, so we have so many great memories,” said Kathie Lee Gifford.
“To be able to pass the torch to my daughter Cassidy as she is named Godmother of the new Carnival Celebration makes me so happy, I almost cried!”
Cassidy 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. She has appeared in many other television and film roles. She currently lives with her husband in Nashville, Tennessee.
Naming Ceremony to Take Place November 20
The naming ceremony, in which Cassidy Gifford will play an important role, will take place on November 20 in Miami. The ship’s maiden voyage will take place two weeks before, on November 6. Setting sail from Southampton in the UK, she will visit several ports in Spain and Portugal before arriving at her new homeport.
Carnival has been celebrating its 50th birthday all year, and the arrival of its newest cruise ship will be the culmination of those celebrations. Carnival Celebration is the cruise line’s ultimate birthday gift when she debuts from the redesigned Terminal F on November 21.
Christine Duffy, Carnival Cruise Line’s President: “Since our founding in 1972, Carnival Cruise Line has carried generations of guests and has helped millions of families make lasting vacation memories, 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 and honored that Cassidy will serve as the ship’s Godmother.
I can’t wait to welcome Cassidy and Kathie Lee on board and show off this beautiful new ship. So much has changed in our industry and our company over the past 50 years – it gives new meaning to those words Kathie Lee sang for Carnival – ‘if they could see us now!’”
Guests sailing onboard Carnival Celebration can enjoy six different themed zones and the line’s second BOLT roller coaster. The Excellence-class LNG-powered cruise ship will accommodate 5,282 guests at double occupancy and cost around 1 billion US dollars to build. She is the sister ship to Mardi Gras.
Carnival Celebration will homeport at Terminal F in Miami, sailing on 5-, 6-, 7,- and 8-night cruises to the eastern and western Caribbean.
