Carnival Cruises celebrated a christening ceremony on 12DEC for the re-imagined Carnival Radiance. The ship underwent a $200 million makeover, and is Carnival’s third ship sailing year-round from Long Beach, joining Carnival Panorama and Carnival Miracle.
In attendance were Arnold Donald, CEO Carnival Corp & plc, Carnival Cruises President Christine Duffy, Carnival Radiance’s Godmother Dr. Lucille O’Neal, and her son, Carnival’s Chief Fun Officer Shaquille O’Neal. Prior to the naming ceremony, the mother and son duo began the festivities with a ribbon-cutting to officially open Big Chicken, the second seagoing restaurant created by O'Neal, which debuted on Mardi Gras earlier in 2021.
“Carnival Radiance features all of Carnival’s fan favorites and more, so we are beyond excited to finally welcome her to the West Coast and to our fleet,” said Duffy.
The official naming ceremony began with a “We Are Family” video of Carnival Radiance crew members preparing the ship for guests. The festivities culminated with Dr. Lucille and O'Neal officially naming Carnival Radiance by initiating the traditional breaking of the champagne bottle atop of the ship’s bell. The City of Refuge Sanctuary Choir from Gardena, California, performed a gospel rendition of "We Are Family."
"What a special evening it was to celebrate the debut of Carnival Radiance with my son by my side in what truly felt like a 'We Are Family' event," said Lucille.
Left to right: Shaquille O’Neal, Christine Duffy, Captain Stefano Bonica, Dr. Lucille O’Neal, Arnold Donald
In addition, Duffy presented Lucille with a $25,000 donation to the Odessa Chambliss Quality of Life Fund that honors Lucille’s mother who worked in the medical field as a nurse. The fund’s primary mission is to provide financial contributions to help support students seeking a career in nursing and education.
On 12DE, Carnival Radiance also set off on its inaugural four-day cruise, officially kicking off its West Coast-based itineraries, which include three-day sailings to Ensenada and four-day sailings calling at Ensenada and Catalina Island.
In addition to Big Chicken, new offerings added to Carnival Radiance include Guy Fieri’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse; Heroes Tribute Bar; Cucina del Capitano family-style Italian restaurant; Bonsai Sushi; and the Caribbean-inspired RedFrog Pub.
The ship’s public spaces have also been renovated, including the water park, youth facilities, retail shops, Cloud 9 Spa and a new Liquid Lounge home to Carnival’s Playlist Productions shows.
The exterior of the ship has also been adorned with the line’s new red, white and blue hull livery fashioned after its flagship, Mardi Gras.
For more information, visit Carnival Cruises web site.
