Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Freedom made its inaugural call to Gibraltar on Tuesday 20 October, the cruise operator’s third inaugural call this year, following Carnival Dream in February and Carnival Glory in March.

The vessel arrived at 07:00hrs carrying 2,785 passengers and 1,126 crew, and was scheduled to depart at 16:00hrs to continue its voyage to Celebration Key in the Bahamas.

To mark the occasion, the traditional plaque exchange took place on board between Captain Mario Epifani and Audisa Rodriguez, Senior Executive Officer at the Gibraltar Tourist Board, who welcomed the vessel to Gibraltar. Douglas Robles of the Gibraltar Tourist Board and representatives of the ship’s local agent, Turner Shipping, also attended.

The Minister for Equality, Employment, Culture and Tourism, the Hon. Christian Santos GMD MP, said:

“We were delighted to welcome Carnival Freedom to Gibraltar for the first time. Three inaugural calls from Carnival Cruise Line in a single year reflect Gibraltar’s continued appeal as a cruise destination and our strong relationship with one of the world’s leading cruise operators.

“Each inaugural call introduces Gibraltar to new visitors, showcases our unique attractions and supports our local tourism industry. I would like to thank Captain Epifani and Carnival Cruise Line for including Gibraltar in their itinerary, and we look forward to welcoming Carnival Freedom back in the future.”