Black Meetings and Tourism

Black Meetings & Tourism February/March 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 19 fuel. Effective since December, guests making new bookings for sailings that depart on or after January 1, 2009, will not be charged the fuel supplement. Guests already booked on sailings that depart on or after January 1, 2009, will receive a refund of any fuel supplement paid, as follows: Guests with existing bookings for sailings that departed on or after January 1, 2009, and who were paid in full, had the supplement automatically refunded to them in the form of an onboard credit during their sailing. Guests with existing bookings for sailings and who are not yet paid in full, will have the supplement automatically removed from their outstanding balance. The company reserves the right to reinstate fuel supple- ment charges if the price of West Texas Intermediate fuel exceeded $65 per barrel, on the quarterly milestone dates mentioned in the company's October 24, 2008, press release. CARNIVAL'S NEW 130,000-TON CARNIVAL DREAM TO HOST TWO 'JOHN HEALD BLOGGERS CRUISES' IN 2009 Unique Theme Cruises To Feature Variety of Special Activities and Events Carnival Cruise Lines' immensely popular senior cruise director and 'blogger extraordinaire' John Heald will host two Bloggers Cruises aboard the new 130,000-ton Carnival Dream in 2009. The first, an eight-day voyage operating round-trip from New York November 15-23, 2009, will call at Port Canaveral, FL, and Nassau and Freeport, The Bahamas. A second nine-day voyage sailing round-trip from Port Canaveral, FL December 3-12, 2009, will feature stops at Antigua; Tortola; St. Thomas/St. John; San Juan; and Grand Turk. These voyages will follow on the heels of two other Bloggers Cruises hosted by Heald in 2008 and early 2009. The popular theme cruises provide fans of Heald and read- ers of his blog the opportunity to interact with him and par- ticipate in a number of exclusive activities and events. Heald's blog (accessible via carnival.com and johnhealds- blog.com) has attracted more than 3 million visitors who enjoy his unique, behind-the-scenes look at shipboard life, with humorous anecdotes and observations focusing on the people and places he comes in contact with on a daily basis. He also features insightful interviews with colleagues in a wide variety of job positions both at Carnival and among the cruise line's many sister cruise brands. Special 'Bloggers Cruise' Events During both cruises, Heald will host a number of exclusive events, including a welcome aboard reception, trivia contests, question-and-answer sessions and private tea time with John among many other activities. A variety of keepsakes and logo items will be provided to all Bloggers Cruise partici- pants, and Heald will be blogging daily throughout both voy- ages. The Carnival Dream With a basis-two capacity of 3,646 passengers and span- ning 1,004 ft. in length, Carnival Dream is the largest "Fun Ship" ever constructed. The Carnival Dream will not only introduce a new class of vessel for the line, but also usher in a new era of "Fun Ship" cruising when it debuts September 21, 2009. The vessel, which offers a new layout, sleek hull and dis- tinctive profile, will introduce many unique features and amenities, including a new concept in entertainment called Ocean Plaza, a stunning indoor/outdoor café and live music venue; the most elaborate children's facilities at sea, includ- ing expansive play areas and a huge Carnival WaterWorks aqua park; "scenic whirlpools" that extend over the ship's beam, and a variety of new stateroom categories, including those specifically catering to families. Also available will be a number of themed lounges, an expansive 23,750-sq. ft. Cloud 9 Spa, full casino gambling and a variety of dining options. For additional information call (800) CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com. Participants must request fare code PBL to be included in the November and December 2009 Bloggers Cruise events. RECORD PORT OF MIAMI CRUISE PASSENGERS The latest figures released by the Port of Miami indicate that cruise passenger traffic for eleven months (January - November 2008) was a record 3.8 million passengers, an increase of 10.5% over last year. The month of November alone revealed a 16.4% increase over last year's figure – also a record. Sustained growth is due in part to the arrival of new, larger vessels and the variety of cruise options offered by the Port of Miami. Port of Miami Passengers – January through November 2008 2007 % Change 3,807,865 3,444,838 +10.5% Port of Miami Passengers – November 2008 2007 % Change 394,861 339,361 +16.4% CARNIVAL DREAM RENDERING

• Cover