Baptized after $200 million renewal

Updated from bow to stern, with new hull paint and under a new name, Carnival Radiance, formerly the Carnival Victory, of Carnival Cruise Line presented itself for its christening in Long Beach, California, near Los Angeles.

The American shipping company spent $200 million on a complete renovation of the ship, designed for about 3,000 passengers. It will be used in the future with Long Beach as the main port for three- and four-day cruises along the West Coast of the United States. Destinations are Catalina Island and Ensenada in Mexico in Baja California.

Lucille O’Neal, mother of basketball legend and Shaquille O’Neal, Carnival’s chief fun officer, served as the godmother at the Radiance Carnival’s christening. He was then allowed to officially open Big Chicken, the second restaurant in the fleet that inspired him and where dishes are served according to his family’s recipes.

Other gastronomic offerings include Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse, the family Italian restaurant Cucina del Capitano or Bonsai-Sushi, where mouthwatering Asian dishes await guests. There are drinks, for example, at Heroes Tribute Bar or RedFrog Pub.

The complete redesign of the Carnival Radiance also included all public sectors of the ship, including the water park, spa, wellness area and Liquid Lounge, where award-winning performances are presented.

Like the recently commissioned flagship Mardi Gras, the Radiance also features a new red, white and blue exterior paint that will adorn all Carnival Cruise Line’s future ships.

www.carnivalcruiseline.at