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Carnival Corp. creates original programming for Saturday morning TV lineup

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'Ocean Treks with Jeff Corwin' is one of the three programs
Carnival Corp. created three original television programs that will air Saturday mornings on major networks beginning Oct. 1. All aim to show why traveling by ocean is one of the best ways to see and learn about the world and other cultures.

The programs focus on adventure, culture and foods, and people.

'We have taken great care to develop TV shows that we believe families and people of all ages will truly enjoy watching, with interesting stories, charismatic hosts and spectacular video, showing how much fun people have traveling the world by ocean on our fleet of more than 100 cruise ships,' Carnival Corp. ceo Arnold Donald said.

The shows, he added, will help 'dispel outdated myths about cruising and expose a much broader consumer audience to why cruising is the fastest growing segment of the vacation industry.'

The series initially will air on ABC, NBC and The CW, reaching viewers during the large family-oriented programming blocks. With almost 80 original episodes that will rotate over a span of the next 12 months, the experiential series will use compelling and authentic storytelling to share the powerful way travel by sea connects people, places and cultures.

The content is designed to engage viewers by showcasing adventures, exotic cultures and popular global destinations. Ships from all 10 of the company's brands serve as the platform, and each brand will be featured in at least one of the episodes during the inaugural season.

'Ocean Treks with Jeff Corwin' will air as part of the sixth season of the Daytime Emmy-winning block Weekend Adventure, a three-hour programming block airing Saturday mornings on 98% of the country's ABC affiliate channels. The show follows Emmy-winning host Corwin as he embarks on adventures such as rapelling down cliffs, flight-seeing to glacier landings, mountain climbing in a national park and zip lining through a rainforest.

'The Voyager with Josh Garcia' follows video journalist and world-traveler Garcia as he goes off the beaten path to meet locals who share their rich history, life stories and exotic foods, and introduces viewers to the hidden beauty, cultural diversity and flavors native to each destination. The program will air as part of NBC's all-new, three-hour programming block that extends the network's 'The More You Know' brand with inspiring stories on NBC stations throughout the country.

'Vacation Creation,' featuring 'In Living Color' star and comedian Tommy Davidson and YouTube celebrity Andrea Feczko as hosts, personalizes vacations of a lifetime for couples, individuals and families facing hardship, in need of hope or seeking time together. From bringing three generations of women together to visit Russia for the first time since their grandmother escaped a war to giving a father whose life was threatened by illness a trip to remember, the show follows Davidson and Feczko as they tell inspiring stories and surprise guests with a dream vacation. The series will air as part of The CW's 'One Magnificent Morning' Saturday morning block.

All three programs run for 30 minutes. 'Ocean Treks' and 'The Voyager' are scheduled to air at 9 a.m. local time and 'Vacation Creation' at 10:30 a.m. local time. Exact times are subject to change.

Carnival's original TV programming initially will be distributed across major broadcast and cable networks and extended to major digital Over-The-Top platforms to maximize audience exposure. The three initial series are distributed by Litton Entertainment.

Carnival also has produced a fourth series that is expected to air on a mid-week evening on cable in early 2017.