| Carnival celebrates 49 years

CARNIVAL Cruise Line is today marking its 49th birthday, commemorating the 1972 departure of Mardi Gras from PortMiami on its inaugural cruise.

That milestone ushered in a “new style of fun, affordable vacations once reserved for the very rich,” the company said.

Over the last 49 years Carnival Cruise Line has carried more than 90 million guests, and served as the flagship of Carnival Corporation’s nine-strong global brand portfolio.

This time next year, Carnival will be commemorating its 50th anniversary with a series of special sailings featuring at-sea meet-ups off the coast of Australia, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and Mexico.

Mardi Gras (pictured with her original namesake) is fittingly set to debut as the company’s first North American LNG ship, and will feature the first rollercoaster at sea.