Carnival Cruise Line hosts America’s 250th anniversary celebration in Jacksonville
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- Carnival Cruise Line hosts America’s 250th anniversary celebration in Jacksonville
CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE (July 2, 2026) – Carnival Cruise Line, an official America250 partner, hosted a patriotic celebration today honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary aboard Carnival Elation at the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal. As America’s cruise line, sailing from more U.S. homeports than any other line, the event was held as part of Carnival’s America250 homeport community celebrations.
Carnival welcomed local community partners, veterans, business leaders and government officials to commemorate the historic milestone and reinforce Carnival’s deep connection to the Jacksonville community.
“As America’s cruise line, we’re proud to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary in our homeport cities,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We’re bringing people together to honor our nation, celebrate the local community and thank those who protect our freedom.”
Guests were greeted with a spectacular 40-foot-tall inflatable patriotic bald eagle prominently displayed on the top deck of Carnival Elation during the embarkation process.
Grounded in Carnival’s long-standing tradition of honoring military personnel, the celebration included a dedicated military tribute recognizing active-duty service members, local veterans and first responders in attendance.
Pictured: Jacksonville City Councilman and U.S. Army veteran Chris Miller
Each member of the military was presented with a specially designed, limited-edition America250 challenge coin.
Adding to the fun, Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat made a special appearance, donning a patriotic outfit to celebrate the anniversary.
The Jacksonville event is one of Carnival’s America250 patriotic events throughout the summer, which include homeport community celebrations in Long Beach, Tampa and Baltimore. Guests across the fleet will experience special onboard activities and several ships will meet up to watch spectacular fireworks shows on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
For additional information on Carnival Cruise Line and to book a cruise vacation, call 1-800-CARNIVAL, visit carnival.com, or contact your favorite travel advisor or online travel site.
ABOUT CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE
Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation (NYSE: CCL), the world’s largest cruise company with a portfolio of cruise lines operating in over 800 ports & destinations worldwide – and is proud to be known as America’s Cruise Line and for carrying more Americans and serving more U.S. homeports than any other. Carnival sails more than six million guests annually and in 2023 was the first cruise line to sail more than 100 million guests in total. Operating from 13 U.S. and two Australian homeports, as well as seasonally from Europe, Carnival hosts more than 95,000 guests on its ships every day of the year and employs more than 50,000 team members, representing 120 nationalities.
Since its founding in 1972, Carnival has continually revolutionized the cruise industry and popularized the cruise vacation as an affordable and fun travel option. Carnival’s fleet of 29 ships reflects an exciting period of growth that continues with the addition of five ships through 2033: a fourth and fifth Excel class ship scheduled for 2027 and 2028 respectively; followed by three additional new ships from an innovative new class currently under development. Carnival’s newest guest offering is its all-new exclusive destination, Celebration Key on Grand Bahama, which debuted in 2025 to join the company’s Paradise Collection of Caribbean gems.
