New Orleans-Based Carnival Conquest Departs For Multi-Million-Dollar Refurbishment in the Bahamas

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Jennifer de la Cruz
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New Orleans-Based Carnival Conquest Departs For Multi-Million-Dollar Refurbishment in the Bahamas

To Celebrate Ship's New Innovations, Carnival Is Hosting an Online Contest Awarding Free Seven-Day Caribbean Cruise for Two

MIAMI (October 15, 2012) - The rollout of Carnival's $500 million "Fun Ship 2.0" fleetwide enhancement program continues with  New Orleans' largest year-round cruise ship, Carnival Conquest, departing for a two-week dry dock in Freeport, The Bahamas.

The ship, which left New Orleans yesterday, will undergo a major multi-million-dollar refurbishment to receive dramatic upgrades in dining, bar and entertainment. Among the many highlights are Guy's Burger Joint, developed in tandem with Food Network personality Guy Fieri, an EA SPORTS Bar, and the poolside RedFrog Rum Bar and BlueIguana Tequila Bar.

To celebrate, Carnival is hosting a sweepstakes via its Web site awarding one lucky winner a free Carnival Conquest cruise for two to the Caribbean.  Entering the contest is easy - participants simply complete an on-line registration form at http://www.carnival.com/ between Oct. 15-28, 2012, and they are automatically entered into a random drawing for the seven-day cruise. Consumers can also view a series of fun videos documenting Carnival Conquest's refurbishment progress on the web site throughout the two-week period.

When Carnival Conquest returns to service at the Port of New Orleans October 28, 2012, the ship will feature a host of enhancements, including:

• RedFrog Rum Bar, an open-air Caribbean-themed watering hole offering refreshing rum-based frozen drinks and beers, including Carnival's private label draft brew, ThirstyFrog Red, all enjoyed in a laid-back island-infused atmosphere.
• BlueIguana Tequila Bar, a friendly rival just across the deck from the RedFrog Rum Bar, this Mexican-themed poolside bar specializes in frozen cocktails and Mexican beers.
• Alchemy Bar, a vintage-themed cocktail "pharmacy" featuring interesting drink flavors, and ingredients, with expert mixologists who "prescribe" concoctions from different fun categories. Guests can also try their hand at creating their own custom cocktails.
• EA SPORTS Bar, the ultimate hangout for sports fanatics where patrons can view live sporting events on large-screen televisions, play popular EA SPORTS video games and keep up with the latest scores on a 24/7 sports ticker.
• Guy's Burger Joint, created in partnership with Food Network personality and chef Guy Fieri, this complimentary poolside venue serves the best burgers at sea and hand-cut fries with innovative toppings and condiments.
• BlueIguana Cantina, a free-of-charge Mexican cantina offering a variety of fresh tacos and burritos that can be personalized by diners at an extensive salsa and toppings bar.
• The Punchliner Comedy Club & The Punchliner Comedy Brunch presented by George Lopez brings even more laughs with a lineup of comedic talent, curated by the popular comedian and TV personality, along with a humorous twist on brunch.
• Cherry on Top celebrates the joys of simple indulgences with bins of bulk candy, fun-and-fanciful gifts, just-because novelties, colorful custom apparel and more.

New Entertainment Offerings

By early December, Carnival Conquest will also feature Hasbro, The Game Show and Playlist Productions. Hasbro, The Game Show makes guests the stars of the show through larger-than-life adaptations of the company's iconic board games, while Playlist Productions is a dramatic retooling of Carnival's legendary revues that combines captivating live performances with high-tech LED staging and special effects that set a new standard in seagoing productions.

"The refurbishment of Carnival Conquest is the latest example of our continued investment in our New Orleans-based cruise program," said Gerry Cahill, Carnival's president and CEO. "Carnival is New Orleans' largest cruise operator with two year-round ships carrying nearly 340,000 passengers a year."

In addition to Carnival Conquest, which operates seven-day Caribbean cruises, Carnival Elation offers four- and five-day cruises from New Orleans to Mexico.

For additional information and reservations on Carnival's "Fun Ship" cruises, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.

Carnival can also be found on:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/carnivalcruise 
Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/carnival 
Flickr:  www.flickr.com/photos/carnivalcruiselines/ 

Journalists also can visit Carnival's media site, http://www.carnivalpressroom.com/ or follow the line's PR department on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CarnivalPR 

About Carnival Cruise Lines
Carnival is "The World's Most Popular Cruise Line®" with 24 ships operating a wide array of voyages to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska and a variety of international destinations. Carnival is New Orleans' number one cruise line and has two ships based in New Orleans year-round, the Carnival Elation which offers four and five-day Mexico cruises, and the Carnival Conquest which offers seven-day Caribbean voyages. 

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