Carnival Sails Into Charleston

with Year-Round Fun

On Saturday, March 27, Carnival Cruise Lines helped thousands of Cooper River Bridge Run runners and walkers (see photo above*) in Charleston, SC, have even more fun – thanks to a gigantic 40-foot-high inflatable slide at Cooper River Bridge Run Finish Festival. It was the largest outdoor attraction ever featured at this event.

Carnival also committed to donate $1 to the MUSC Children’s Hospital for every rider who went down the slide. Thanks to the support of thousands of riders and participants, $5,000 will be donated to the MUSC Children’s Hospital.

“We are pleased to be a part of the 33rd Annual Cooper River Bridge Run and a part of the Charleston area community,” said Jim Berra, chief marketing officer, Carnival Cruise Lines. “We know that giving back and having fun is so important to the Lowcountry – and it’s just as important to Carnival.

Carnival begins year-round service from the port on May 18 with the recently refurbished Carnival Fantasy. The ship's five-day cruises depart Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and will call at Nassau and Freeport, the Bahamas.

Six-day voyages depart Saturdays and will visit Freeport, Nassau and Key West, FL. Seven-day voyages depart Saturdays and will feature Grand Turk, the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay, and Nassau.

Sliders, participants and the community helped to make the giant slide and the MUSC Children’s Hospital tie-in a big hit.”Jumbo-sized slides are a signature element of Carnival’s “Fun Ships,” so bringing one to the Cooper River Bridge Run was a perfect way to promote Carnival Fantasy’s new year-round service from Charleston.

In addition to the gargantuan slide, Carnival’s beloved mascot, “Fun Ship” Freddy (shown zipping down the slide in the photo at right*), was on hand for the festivities.

Freddy greeted runners and walkers at the Kids Fun Run in Hampton Park on Friday, March 26, as well as all participants and spectators on Saturday, March 27 in Marion Square. Carnival ambassadors sporting branded wind breakers and T-shirts also handed out glow-in-the-dark horns to Kids Run participants and spectators.

During the Bridge Run Finish Festival, thousands of sliders and attendees had their photo taken while venturing down the slide as well as with Fun Ship Freddy.

With the line's partnership with AAA Carolinas, some lucky person will win a free cruise. Hopefuls signed up during the Bridge Run Expo at the Galliard Auditorium on Thursday and Friday, and during the Race Festival on Saturday.

Check out our first-hand report, Evolutions of Fun Update to Carnival Fantasy, on this site. We sailed on the ship just a year ago.

For additional information from Carnival Cruise Lines, visit www.carnival.com.

*Photos are owned, copyrighted and used courtesy of Carnival Cruise Lines. All rights reserved. Please do not link to nor copy these photos. Thank you.