Carnival Cruise Line named its newest ship, the Carnival Firenze, at the Long Beach Cruise Terminal on Wednesday, April 24, with actor Jonathan Bennett serving as the ship’s godfather.
The event featured various highlights including a performance of Puccini’s “Nessun Dorma” by Carnival’s Playlist Productions cast, an Italian blessing by Father Charbel Grbavac, and a performance by Leslie Kritzer, Bennett’s co-star from the Broadway revival of “Spamalot.”
Carnival’s President Christine Duffy emphasized the ship’s capacity to accommodate more passengers: “We carry more guests than any other cruise line from California, and now this ship is giving us the opportunity to offer more fun to more people sailing from Long Beach. The recipe combining this ship’s beautiful Italian theming with the familiarity of our friendly team’s hospitality is, in a word, perfecto.”
With a capacity for 5,000 guests, the Carnival Firenze operates year-round itineraries departing from Carnival’s private cruise terminal in Long Beach, providing enhanced fun opportunities for more passengers sailing from the port.
