Carnival reflags Mardi Gras to Bahamas, plans June 4 US arrival

Citing 'more hopeful signs of a return to guest operations and constructive discussions between the industry and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,' Carnival is sending the ship to Florida to get ready. Mardi Gras is scheduled to depart from Barcelona May 21.

Reflagged from Panama

Carnival President Christine Duffy thanked the Panama Maritime Authority for their support during the ship’s construction and registration process and said the move to the Bahamas Maritime Authority made business sense for a number of reasons.

'The Bahamas will be a frequent destination for Mardi Gras, and we are pleased to bring this new level of environmental sustainability to the many ports in the Bahamas and the Caribbean that the ship and our guests and crew will be visiting,' Duffy said.

Crewing up at Canaveral

Upon arrival to its year-round base, Port Canaveral, Mardi Gras will continue to bring crew members aboard, train them on new equipment, technology and procedures, and get ready for the ship's inaugural sailing.

'We’ve been planning for this for several years, and are pretty excited to finally see her sail into our port,' Port Canaveral CEO Capt. John Murray said. 'Without question, the Mardi Gras will be a game-changer for cruises and we can’t wait to begin welcoming guests to her new home at our new Cruise Terminal 3.'

On Sunday evening during the 'Miss Universe' competition, Carnival named Miss Dominican Republic Kimberly Jimenez as Mardi Gras' godmother. The Dominican Republic's Amber Cove will be among the destinations the ship will regularly visit on seven-day cruises.