Today Carnival capped Fleet Week Miami activities and kicked off Mother's Day weekend by saluting more than 150 women military members aboard Carnival Conquest.
The service members were also given roses to kick off Mother's Day weekend
US Naval Academy graduate Vera Lannek, VP strategic sourcing at Carnival Corp., expressed appreciation to the women for their service, and Carnival Conquest Cruise Director Stjepan Neral led recognition of the military branches. Personnel across each branch were individually presented a commemorative challenge coin. The program also included special recognition for military teams that assist in rescues at sea.
Vera Lannek presents a challenge coin to a service member
Fleet Week Miami, May 5-12, honors the contributions made by the men and women of the US armed forces.
Carnival Cruise Line claims to carry more active military members and veterans than any other line, and President Christine Duffy said: 'We want all members of the military to know that we greatly appreciate their service and their sacrifice.'
Carnival honors the military on every cruise with a military appreciation gathering; in 2023, the line hosted more than 1,500 of these gatherings attended by tens of thousands of passengers across the fleet. At Duffy's instigation, Carnival also created a dedicated Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge which is expanding across the fleet
Norwegian Cruise Line
NCL is serving as the lead partner of Fleet Week Miami and participating in initiatives including the Coca-Cola 600, the annual 600-mile NASCAR Cup Series race, with continued support for Honor and Remember, an organization recognizing America’s fallen service members.
For Fleet Week the Navy flagship USS Bataan pulled into NCL's PortMiami cruise terminal the evening of May 5. NCL has actively participated in daily Fleet Week events through its Veteran Task Force, a group of shoreside employees who are veterans or have a close family connection to an active or former US military service member.
NCL's Matthew Lewis kicked off the company’s Fleet Week activities by speaking at the mayoral welcome press conference at the line's PortMiami terminal, here with Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, fourth from left, US Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, center, PortiMiami Director Hydi Webb first row, far left, and other officials and NCL employees
'Throughout Military Appreciation Month and every day on board our ships, it is our privilege to recognize and honor the brave men and women who have served in the US military and their families for their sacrifice,' said NCL President David Herrera, who served in the Army National Guard.
Herrera shepherds NCL's efforts alongside former US Navy SEAL Matthew Lewis, SVP and chief security officer, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, who are co-sponsors of NCL’s Veteran Task Force and military appreciation program, instigated in 2022.
NCL's Matthew Lewis, right, presents a ceremonial plaque with the NCL challenge coin to US Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro
Lewis kicked off the company’s Fleet Week activities by speaking at the mayoral welcome press conference on May 6 at NCL's terminal, where he also presented a ceremonial plaque with the NCL challenge coin to US Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro. Herrera and Lewis hosted Adm. Daryl Caudle and Lt. Gen. Brian Cavanaugh and other Navy officials aboard Norwegian Breakaway on May 8.
Later this month, NCL will team up with Coca-Cola for the second consecutive year to honor Gold Star Families, a designation given to the family of an active service member who died in the line of service, at the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 26. At the race, Gold Star families will be honored with a lunch supported by Herrera, among other surprises.
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