Carnival Jubilee to be named Feb. 24, special boots auction to support military families

That will change Feb. 24, when Carnival Cruise Line's third Excel-class vessel is scheduled to be named at the Port of Galveston.

The festivities will take place at Terminal 25, Carnival Jubilee's year-round home.

Boots auction to benefit Operation Homefront

In related news, Carnival President Christine Duffy is inviting passengers to support military families by participating in an auction for a special pair of Carnival Jubilee boots like the handcrafted pair she wore when welcoming the ship's first passengers.

The red, white and blue custom boots were handmade by Houston-based Parker Boot Co. and designed by Carnival's Petu Kummala. Soon, the boots worn by Duffy will be on permanent display aboard the ship, one of many nods to its Texas homeport.

The second pair of Carnival Jubilee boots will be commissioned by Carnival for the person who makes the highest pledge donation to the line's charitable partner, Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit organization assisting military families.

Typical cost $8,000

The boots would typically cost about $8,000, but 100% of the donations will go to Operation Homefront and if the winning bid exceeds $10,000, Carnival will add a seven-day cruise in a balcony stateroom on Carnival Jubilee to the mix.

'These cowboy boots are an ultimate piece of Carnival regalia, and such a fun way to celebrate the arrival of our new Carnival Jubilee,' Duffy said, adding that the auction benefits 'a cause we’re all passionate about here at Carnival.'

How to bid

To bid for the boots, passengers can email [email protected] with the amount pledged and their name, phone number and Carnival Cruise Line VIFP number, if available. The auction will run for three weeks, and Carnival will post updates daily on a special blog.

Carnival will announce the highest pledged donation to Operation Homefront and the winner of the boots, at Carnival Jubilee’s naming.