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Carnival salutes military in Panorama’s new Heroes Tribute Bar

When Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy saw the expanded Sky Box space on the newly delivered Carnival Panorama a few weeks back, inspiration struck.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

December 12, 2019

2 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

Instead of sports memorabilia, why not deck the bar in military regalia as a salute to veterans? Duffy challenged her team and 39 days later as Panorama debuted in Long Beach, California, the Heroes Tribute Bar was shipshape.

Builds on Carnival's military tributes every sailing

Carnival carries more active and retired military personnel than any other cruise line and has a years-long relationship with the nonprofit Operation Homefront, so the bar’s new theme fits neatly with the Fun Ship brand.

‘The Heroes Tribute Bar is a project that is very near and dear to my heart and one that everyone at Carnival is extremely proud of. We’re always looking for new ways to honor our military heroes,' Duffy said. She added the new outlet is a tribute to the sacrifices of armed services personnel and their families, and complements the extremely popular military tributes held on every Carnival sailing.

As Carnival Panorama cast off from Long Beach Wednesday evening on its inaugural cruise, Duffy was joined by military personnel and veterans in the bar for a grand opening celebration and toast.

Portion of proceeds to support Operation Homefront

She announced a portion of the proceeds from specialty cocktails served in a custom pint glass will benefit Operation Homefront. The creatively named drinks range from 'Green Beret' and 'Blue Angel' to 'Shore Leave' and 'At Ease,' among others.

The bar's all-American décor includes logos of the five branches of the US military, uniforms, photos and messages centering on three themes: ‘Welcome Home,’ ‘Thank You for Your Service’ and ‘America’s Heroes.’

Uniforms of John Pray and Bill Burke

Duffy said retired Brig. Gen. John Pray Jr., president and CEO of Operation Homefront, gave some tips for the venue and donated his own Air Force flight suit for display. Bill Burke, a retired Navy vice admiral who serves as chief maritime officer for Carnival Corp. & plc, plans to lend his uniform, as well.

About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

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