The celebrations on the inaugural cruise for Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras continued  in Nassau as Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy and Captain Vincenzo Alcaras welcomed Bahamas Prime Minister The Honourable Philip Brave Davis, members of his cabinet and local officials aboard for a tour and luncheon meeting. The ship, flying the Bahamian flag, is a symbol of Carnival’s commitment to The Bahamas, and is carrying more than 4,300 guests who enjoyed various shore excursions and activities during the day-long visit.

“We are thrilled to be visiting Nassau with our flagship Mardi Gras and welcoming Prime Minister Davis and his leadership team aboard,” said Duffy. “Carnival has a longstanding relationship with The Bahamas and we look forward to working closely with the Prime Minister and his cabinet as we continue to restart ships in our fleet, bring more guests to The Bahamas, and demonstrate our commitment to the health, safety and well-being of our guests, crew and the destinations we visit.”

Carnival also announced today that it has reflagged two additional vessels, Carnival Legend and Carnival Spirit, to Bahamian registry, bringing the total number of vessels registered in the country to six.

“We value our business relationships across The Bahamas whether our investments in destinations and facilities such as the Grand Bahamas Shipyard, the local tourism and excursion partners that employ many Bahamian citizens, or the Bahamas Maritime Administration that shares our commitment to safety and environmental protection. We’re proud and honored to continue to expand the number of ships we have registered here,” said Domenico Rognoni, senior vice president of compliance for Carnival Cruise Line. “The Bahamas’ insight, cooperation and professionalism in all aspects of our business play a key role in our maritime operations.”

Carnival Legend is scheduled to replace Carnival Pride in Baltimore resuming year-round operations Nov. 14, 2021, while Carnival Spirit, based in Australia, is on a pause in guest operations through February 2022. Mardi Gras, Carnival Sunrise, Carnival Sensation and Carnival Sunshine are the other Carnival ships registered in The Bahamas.

Mardi Gras was christened during a “Universe of Fun” celebration on Oct. 23 in Port Canaveral, Fla. The celebration marked the first ship naming ceremony held in the U.S. since the cruise industry’s restart this summer.

Mardi Gras is the first cruise ship in the Americas to be powered by eco-friendly Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and features BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea. Mardi Gras is sailing year-round from Port Canaveral, offering seven-day itineraries to the eastern and western Caribbean, stopping in Nassau every other week.