Carnival Cruise Line's newest ship, Mardi Gras, will be registered in The Bahamas instead of Panama and later this week will begin sailing for Florida.
The new ship will depart Barcelona on May 21 and arrive in Port Canaveral on June 4.
"With more and more hopeful signs of a return to guest operations and constructive discussions between the industry and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Carnival is moving the ship to Port Canaveral to get her ready for sailing," the company said in a press release.
Mardi Gras is the first ship in North America to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), said to be more environmentally friendly.
Carnival President Christine Duffy thanked the Panama Maritime Authority for its support during the ship's construction and registration process but said that 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," she said.
Upon arrival to Port Canaveral, Mardi Gras will continue to bring crew members on board, train them on new equipment, technology and procedures, and get ready to welcome guests for her inaugural sailing.
Carnival earlier named Miss Dominican Republic Kimberly Jimenez as the Mardi Gras godmother. The Dominican Republic destination of Amber Cove will be among the destinations the ship will regularly visit on seven-day itineraries. Along with the new LNG technology, Mardi Gras will boast many other firsts, including the first cruise ship with a roller coaster.
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