Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines was named “Best Domestic Cruise Line” at Travel Weekly’s annual Readers Choice awards, receiving more votes than any other cruise line in this category.

            Carnival was recognized for its wide-ranging cruise offerings aboard its 22-vessel fleet which operates three- to eight-day voyages to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, and New England from 18 North American departure points. That number will expand to 19 when line launches Baltimore’s first year-round cruise program aboard the Carnival Pride in April 2009.

            The line’s newest and largest ship, the 130,000-ton Carnival Dream, launches year-round service from Port Canaveral, Fla., in December 2009 following a series of 12-day European voyages.

        Carnival Cruise Lines was named the “top contemporary cruise line” at the recent WAVE (Western Agents Votes of Excellence) Awards presented by TravelAge West Magazine.           

         The annual awards, which recognize travel companies in a wide range of product- and service-related categories, are based on feedback from TravelAge West readers, which include travel agents from 14 western U.S. states, as well as information gleaned from the publication’s editors.

            Carnival – the West Coast’s number one cruise line with four ships based within the region on a year-round or seasonal basis – was recognized for providing guests with memorable, high quality vacations at affordable prices.  Its “Fun Ship” fleet offers guests a variety of on-board facilities and features – a diversity of full-service and casual dining options, expansive spa and children’s facilities, spacious accommodations, and fun-filled activities for guests of all ages. 

            Pictured here at the WAVE awards ceremony held earlier this week in Beverly Hills, Calif., are (from left):  Carnival’s Vice President of Sales – Western Region Vicki Tomasino; TravelAge West Editor Michele Rosenberg; and Carnival’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Guest Services Lynn C. Torrent, and Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships Edie Bornstein.

            Carnival’s West Coast-based ships include the Carnival Pride and Carnival Paradise based in Long Beach, Calif., and Carnival Elation and Carnival Spirit in San Diego.  In March 2009, Carnival will continue is West Coast expansion when the 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor – the largest “Fun Ship” to date – replaces the Carnival Pride on year-round seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises from Long Beach.

            These four ships are part of the line’s 22-vessel fleet which operates three- to 18-day voyages to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Alaska, Europe and other popular destinations.

Carnival Corporation & plc Chairman and CEO Micky Arison is shown here being interviewed by Carnival Cruise Lines Senior Vice President of Sales and Guest Services Lynn C. Torrent during the taping of a webisode that is currently airing on the line’s travel agent portal, www.BookCCL.com

Arison’s interview is the latest in a series of webisodes – entitled “Onboard with Carnival” – that feature a different member of Carnival’s management team, all in a relaxed talk show-like setting.  Arison is profiled in a two-part interview with the second webisode debuting Monday, June 2.

In the first webisode, Arison recalls the “early days” of Carnival, while in the second he offers his insight into the company’s current goals, as well as his perspective on the future of Carnival and the cruise industry as a whole. He also details his own relationships with travel agents, which includes a stint as a Carnival field sales representative early in his career.

In addition to the interview with Arison, the “Onboard with Carnival” series has featured Carnival President and CEO Gerry Cahill.  Upcoming interviews include Carnival’s Executive Vice President of Marketing and Guest Experience Ruben Rodriguez, Senior Vice President of Marketing Planning Terry Thornton, and Vice President of Group Sales and Administration Cherie Weinstein.

Cruise industry veteran Lynn C. Torrent has been named senior vice president of sales and guest services at Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines, the world’s largest cruise operator.  She will take on her new role on March 3.  

In this capacity, Torrent has overall responsibility for Carnival’s various sales activities, particularly as they relate to supporting our travel agent partners, who account for the vast majority of the company’s bookings.  

In addition to overseeing the line’s award-winning sales force comprised of business development managers throughout the U.S. and Canada, Torrent is responsible for Carnival’s call centers in Florida and Colorado Springs, Colo., as well as embarkation teams in the line’s 20 different homeports.

She is also responsible for Carnival’s CARE Team, which provides assistance and support to guests and their families should medical incidents or other emergency situations arise during their vacation.

“Travel agents are the key component of our distribution system and we’re very happy to have someone of Lynn’s caliber leading this effort.  She is a highly talented and respected executive with wide-ranging knowledge and experience.  I have tremendous confidence in her ability to lead the industry’s top sales team,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival’s president and CEO.  “I’ve known Lynn a long time and I have seen her excel in a number of different roles, including most recently leading Costa Cruises’ North American operations where she did a fantastic job,” he added.

Commented Torrent, “I have thoroughly enjoyed the last six years with Carnival Corporation & plc, particularly the last three years at Costa, and I am happy to be staying within our Carnival family.   I’m very excited about this opportunity and look forward to working with what is, unquestionably, the best sales force in the travel industry.” 

 A 13-year cruise industry veteran, Torrent most recently served as president and CEO – North America of Costa Cruises, a sister company to Carnival Cruise Lines, where she was responsible for the company’s operations in North and Central America.  Prior to that, she served for three years as vice president of marketing for Carnival’s parent company, Carnival Corporation & plc.  She began her career in the cruise industry in 1995 as executive vice president of sales, marketing and passenger services for Renaissance Cruises.

Early in her professional career, Torrent was a senior auditor with Arthur Anderson in New York and later served as chief financial officer with Safecard Services, where she worked for Gerry Cahill who was then Safecard’s chief operating officer.

Torrent earned a bachelor’s degree from CW Post in New York and her MBA from Florida Atlantic University.

Carnival is the largest and most popular cruise line in the world, with 22 “Fun Ships” operating voyages ranging from three to 18 days in length to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, New England, Canada, the Panama Canal, Europe, Bermuda, and South America.  The line currently has three new ships scheduled for delivery between now and 2011.

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Carnival Cruise Lines, a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:  CCL; NYSE:  CUK), is a proud member of the exclusive World’s Leading Cruise Lines.  Our exclusive alliance also includes Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises, and The Yachts of Seabourn.  Sharing a passion to please each guest, and a commitment to quality and value, our member lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets.  Together, we offer exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world’s most desirable destinations.