Carnival Cruise Lines' On-Line Marketing Initiatives Enjoying Unprecedented Success.

Carnival Freedom Senior Cruise Director's Blog, FunShipIsland.com, CarnivalConnections.com Each Achieve One Million Visitor Mark

MIAMI, Nov. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As a testament to the growing reach and popularity of Carnival Cruise Lines' on-line marketing channels, the blog of Carnival Freedom Senior Cruise Director John Heald, FunShipIsland.com and CarnivalConnections.com continue to achieve unprecedented success, with each surpassing the one million visitor mark in recent months.

A pioneer in the on-line marketing arena, Carnival's new Web-based initiatives are designed to provide a highly effective and innovative means for reaching out to consumers and travel agents, who can access the various channels on a convenient 24/7 basis.

"Cruising is still an unfamiliar experience to many and these new Web- based efforts boldly take the promotion of the 'Fun Ship' cruise experience to new levels, one that provides visitors with a unique look at our company and products while offering helpful tools for researching and planning their vacations," said Vicki Freed, Carnival's senior vice president of sales and guest services.

   Carnival's new Web-based marketing efforts include:     *  John Heald's Blog: Originally introduced as part of a Web site for        Carnival Freedom's inaugural European season, Heald's blog        (accessible via carnival.com or johnhealdsblog.com) has taken on a        life of its own and is now one of the most popular travel-related        blogs on the Internet, consistently ranking in the top 25 of the 1.6        million blogs of Wordpress, a leading blog-hosting service. Through        his blog, Heald offers candid and colorful commentary on daily        shipboard life, sharing interesting and often poignant tales of the        guests and crewmembers he comes into contact with on a daily basis,        all with his trademark brand of humor.      *  FunShipIsland.com: A first-of-its-kind online destination where        visitors can explore, play and experience a "Fun Ship" cruise from        the convenience of their computer. FunShipIsland.com provides a        comprehensive, visual overview of the various aspects of the Carnival        cruise experience, offering an immersive world where visitors can        play in a virtual casino, experience the line's iconic Twister        waterslide, embark on a Rhino 4x4 Jeep ride, and tour the "Camp        Carnival" play area, among other experiences. Guests can also tour        Carnival's various stateroom categories to preview their desired        accommodations. In the near future, FunShipIsland.com will be        expanded to allow travel agents to customize the site, link to their        agency's Web site and forward to their client base.      *  CarnivalConnections.com: An on-line community specifically created to        bring family and friends together by helping them plan and manage        their "Fun Ship" cruise vacations, the site features an "e-invite"        electronic invitation tool that can be tailored family reunions,        girlfriend getaways and other groups.  CarnivalConnections.com's        interactive features can also be used by travel agents as an        electronic group-marketing tool to attract or retain their client        base.   

Carnival is the largest and most popular cruise line in the world, with 22 "Fun Ships" operating voyages ranging from three to 18 days in length to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, New England, Canada, Bermuda, Europe, the Greek Isles and South America.

The line currently has three new ships on order, including the 113,300-ton Carnival Splendor, set to launch Carnival's first Northern European cruise program July 13, 2008, and the 130,000-ton Carnival Dream and Carnival Magic - to be the largest "Fun Ships" ever constructed when they enter service in June 2009 and October 2011, respectively.

For additional information on the "Fun Ship" vacation experience, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.

Carnival Cruise Lines, a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is a proud member of the exclusive World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises, and The Yachts of Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest, and a commitment to quality and value, our member lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets. Together, we offer exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.

CONTACT: Jennifer de la Cruz or Tim Gallagher, +1-800-438-6744, or +1-305-599-2600 ext. 16000, both for Carnival Cruise Lines

Web site: http://www.carnival.com/ http://funshipisland.com/ http://www.carnivalconnections.com/ http://www.carnivalcorp.com/ http://www.johnhealdsblog.com/