Carnival Donates $300,000 in Celebration of Veterans Day
In celebration of Veterans Day today, Carnival Cruise Line is donating $300,000 to support military members, veterans, and their families across seven U.S. homeport communities.
The line’s commitment includes a special celebration with longtime partner Operation Homefront in Norfolk, Virginia, along with contributions to organizations that serve veterans and military families.
Carnival kicked off Veterans Day week by sponsoring Operation Homefront’s “Homefront Celebration” on Sunday, November 8, which brought 150 military families to Norfolk for a day focused on connection, appreciation, and support.
As part of the celebration, Carnival welcomed 50 new and expectant military couples aboard Carnival Sunshine while the ship was docked. Attendees enjoyed photos with Dr. Seuss characters, a military appreciation program, lunch prepared by Carnival’s culinary team, and a special military-themed Build-A-Bear experience.
To further support the organization’s fundraising efforts, Carnival is also offering a $50,000 match for Operation Homefront’s annual year-end holiday mail campaign.
“The military community has always had a special connection to Carnival. We are proud to welcome more active-duty military members and veterans than any other cruise line, and military families are an important part of so many of the communities we sail from,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Honoring those who serve is part of who we are, on every ship and every sailing. Veterans Day gives us another opportunity to say thank you and extend that commitment into the communities we’re proud to call home.”
In addition to its support of Operation Homefront, Carnival is making contributions to several organizations serving veterans and military families across seven homeport cities, including:
- National Medal of Honor Museum
- Gary Sinise Foundation
- K9s For Warriors
- Military Family Advisory Network
- Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare Systems serving Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville/North Florida, New Orleans, Long Beach, and Houston/Galveston
Across its fleet, Carnival holds a Military Appreciation Day on every North American sailing, recognizing service members throughout the day-long program. Its support of veterans in homeport communities has also included donations of passenger vans to local Veteran Affairs facilities to help veterans attend appointments, as well as and Veterans Day celebrations to honor local service members.
