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Gwen Stefani Christens Carnival's Biggest Cruise Ship

Stefani
Stefani used a lasso to release the champagne bottle for the christening (Carnival)

Published Feb 25, 2024 9:54 PM by The Maritime Executive

On Saturday, 1990s pop star Gwen Stefani christened Carnival's latest cruise ship in a ceremony in Galveston, the ship's long-term homeport.

Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy and Galveston Mayor Craig Brown attended the festivities for the newly-built Carnival Jubilee. To cap off the live-streamed ceremony, Stefani pulled on a Texas-style lasso to release a champagne bottle to swing against the hull. 

"We are absolutely thrilled to be welcoming Gwen Stefani onto Carnival Jubilee so we can honor her as the ship's godmother," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, in a statement earlier this month. "She has demonstrated her commitment to our Carnival values, including promoting diversity and inclusion, supporting charitable causes, being a leader in her field, and of course, having fun."

Stefani also performed for attendees in an invite-only concert, which audience members recorded and (partially) released on social media. 

Carnival Jubilee is a 6,500-passenger cruise ship fueled by LNG, and it is the first Texas-based vessel to carry an onboard roller coaster. It is permanently assigned to the state's cruise market, and carries the "Lone Star" logo emblazoned on the bow.

“The Texas star on her bow isn’t just decoration, it’s a symbol of our gratitude to our guests sailing from Texas who’ve made us the number one cruise line in Galveston, and our commitment to the future of cruising from this great city and state,” said Duffy in a statement. 

The Jubilee's design is intended to harken back to Carnival vessels of the 1980s-90s, and Stefani's selection as godmother aligns with this trend: her breakout album with band No Doubt debuted in 1995. The ceremony was also scheduled to honor a major Carnival milestone, as February 24 would have been the 100th birthday of Carnival founder Ted Arison (1924-1999).   

Carnival Jubilee is the line's latest and largest ship, and the company thoroughly renovated its Galveston terminal in preparation for Jubilee's debut. The facility has a new roof, new dock and new interior, according to the port.