MIAMI, August 21, 2020 – With the help of celebrity partners past and present, Carnival Cruise Line today announced that its next Excel-class ship arriving in 2022 to coincide with its 50th birthday celebration will be named “Carnival Celebration.”

A full roster of Carnival partners, including Kathie Lee Gifford, Guy Fieri and Shaquille O’Neal, unwrapped boxes that revealed the letters of the Celebration name, which is both a throwback to one of the popular early ships in the Carnival fleet, as well as a recognition of Carnival’s 50th birthday celebration that will take place in 2022 when the new Carnival Celebration will join the fleet.  The video announcement was made across Carnival’s social media channels and can be viewed here.

Carnival Celebration will debut from PortMiami in November 2022, and will be a sister ship to Mardi Gras, the first in the Excel series scheduled to enter service on Feb. 6, 2021 from Port Canaveral, Fla. The addition of Carnival Celebration to Miami will maintain PortMiami's position as the top embarkation port for Carnival Cruise Line.

“The name Carnival Celebration couldn’t be more perfect for a ship that will be a key component of our 50th Birthday festivities,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.  “Many thanks to our celebrity partners who helped us officially ‘unbox the fun’ and reveal the name of a ship that promises to be a spectacular addition to our fleet. Carnival Celebration is our 50th Birthday present to our guests!”
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Carnival Celebration will include many of the features that have made Mardi Gras one of the most anticipated ships in cruising, including BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea, along with some unique design features created specifically for this vessel.  

Carnival’s 50th Birthday  celebration kicks off in March 2022 – the company’s birthday month – with a series of commemorative sailings that will feature special entertainment and itineraries then continue all year long, culminating with the arrival of Carnival Celebration to Miami in November 2022.  Additional information on the March 2022 sailings is available at www.carnival.com/sailabration.
Carnival Celebration’s itineraries will be announced over the coming weeks and the ship will be opening up for sale in October.

Guests can register to be the “first to know” about the ship’s itineraries and special sale promotions at www.carnival.com/ship2022.
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For additional information on Carnival Celebration or any other of Carnival Cruise Line’s ships, contact any travel agent, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or visit carnival.com.

LOS ANGELES, CA (August 24, 2020) – Do you live in SoCal and worry you're going to miss out on Halloween entertainment this year?  Well, not if the producers of the annual Los Angeles Haunted Hayride have anything to say about it.  This year, they’re taking the hayride off the trail and bringing it to you!

Announcing Los Angeles Haunted Hayride: Live Drive Up Experience.  A first of its kind haunted experience from the "safety" of your vehicle.  An immersive and interactive experience from the creators of LA's favorite Halloween event!  Don't call it a drive thru, and don't call it a drive in, it's a combination of the best parts of both, with a unique spin.  This is a one of a kind live “Drive Up” experience!  Guests will venture down a dark stretch of “All Hallows Lane” that will feature some of the awesomely creepy scenic environments you've come to love at the hayride. Then drive into horror where you will experience a haunted show featuring an original multimedia story displayed on a 40' screen, accompanied by horrifying sets, lighting, sound, effects, and most importantly live characters from the town of Midnight Falls!

“With all of the other heritage Halloween events cancelling in Southern California, it drove us to find a way to bring a safe and unique experience to Halloween fans,” says Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group CEO, Chris Stafford, whose company produces the annual event, “I’m so excited to show our fans what we’ve created for them, and that this reimagined hayride experience will be entertaining people this season.”

Another change this year is a new temporary location for the event.  Los Angeles Haunted Hayride: Live Drive Up Experience will take place at Bonelli Regional Park, in San Dimas next to Raging Waters.  “There was just no way to bring cars into the hayride location at Griffith Park.  We had to find the right spot, one where we could implement the new drive up experience and an outdoor environment that gives you the right fall feeling,” says Jon Cooke, Creative Director. “When I saw the space we’re using at Bonelli, I knew that it would be perfect,” Cooke continued, “the hayride has become a Halloween tradition for people, and although it may be a little different this year, I think people are really going to love it.  As a huge fan of the fall season in SoCal, I couldn’t be happier to be able to share this experience with everyone.”

Los Angeles Haunted Hayride: Live Drive Up Experience will take place select nights from September 25th through November 1st.  Tickets will go on sale Tuesday, August 25th at noon Pacific.  Don’t wait!  Capacity is very limited for this event, much lower than hayride has had in the past, and tickets are expected to sell out nightly.  Complete details can be found at losangeleshauntedhayride.com
 
ABOUT THIRTEENTH FLOOR ENTERTAINMENT GROUP
Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group produces haunted houses, year-round attractions and touring events on a national scale with locations in Austin, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Green Bay, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, Nashville, New Orleans, Phoenix and San Antonio.  Designed by world-renowned haunted house designers and featuring makeup and effects from Hollywood special effects artists, their attractions take fright to a whole new level.  For more information visit thirteenthfloor.com.

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SeaWorld San Diego announced today the launch of a NEW park experience – Zoo Days: Bayside BBQ & Brews. This limited capacity, ticketed and reservation required experience will provide guests with the opportunity to not only delight their taste buds with an exciting variety of refreshing craft brews and mouthwatering BBQ, but also explore 40 acres of the park's expansive property to enjoy outdoor animal exhibits and fan-favorite marine life animal presentations with physical distancing measures in place. 
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Each ticket for this limited time experience includes park entry, access to all outdoor animal exhibits and presentations as well as a tasting lanyard to experience our chef created BBQ and paired craft beer offerings and select wines. The tasting lanyard will include six food or drink items (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) of each guest's choice to indulge in new offerings throughout the day, while exploring the vast park grounds. Additional lanyards will also be available for purchase. 

Zoo Days: Bayside BBQ & Brews will run Fridays through Sundays, August 28-September 27, plus Labor Day, from 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.

In compliance with state safety guidelines for zoos, SeaWorld, a licensed, permitted and accredited zoo, will operate with enhanced health and safety protocols for cleaning and sanitizing, physical distancing, face covering requirements, and temperature screenings. In addition to enhancing the park's already strict health and safety measures, capacity will be significantly limited to create even more open space for a visit that provides ample opportunity to be physically distant. Date-specific tickets for this experience must be purchased online in advance to help manage capacity. The number of tickets available each day is limited and can be purchased starting Monday, August 24 at 9:00 A.M. PT.

Get Your Appetite Ready

• Guests can embark on a food journey across the park's expansive grounds to enjoy an unbeatable mix of craft brews and delicious BBQ fare from limited-time, specialty menus designed by our talented culinary team.
• With plenty of outdoor seating, parks guests are in for a treat with a wide variety of chef designed food items like specialty beer-infused BBQ Brisket Sliders, Shrimp Tacos, Grilled Fish, Impossible Burgers, German Bratwurst and more, that will surely delight palates.
• To cool down after a fun-filled day, beer lovers can choose a cold brew from a new expansive, curated selection of craft beers, including many SoCal favorites, available throughout the park.

Learn About Fascinating Animals

• Guests can safely roam SeaWorld's spacious park grounds to enjoy our incredible open-air, outdoor animal viewing exhibits with animals including Orcas, Bamboo Sharks, Stingrays, Sea Lions, Otters, Penguins, Dolphins (including Magellanic Penguins), Flamingos, and more!
• They can also attend SeaWorld's world-famous Dolphin, Sea Lion and Orca Encounter live educational presentations with physically distant seating.
• And for those guests who are excited about an even more interactive experience, they can purchase additional tickets for Dolphin Encounter (reservations required), Sea Lion Feeding, and Ray Feeding.

"We want to thank our guests for their continued patience and support, and are beyond excited to announce the launch of this unique zoo experience, in a limited capacity format, as we safely welcome everyone back to the park for Zoo Days: Bayside BBQ & Brews," said Marilyn Hannes, president of SeaWorld San Diego. "We have enhanced our already strict health and safety measures to implement best practices in health and safety protocols that will promote an outdoor experience for families and friends that is fun, memorable and safe."
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SeaWorld San Diego has launched a new safety website with detailed information about the measures that guests can expect when they arrive at the park, including key operational changes. Specific information can be found by visiting seaworldsandiego.com/safety.

All guests, including Fun Card holders and Pass Members must purchase a date-specific ticket online to this limited time experience. Each ticket for this experience includes park entry, animal presentations and outdoor exhibits as well as a tasting lanyard to experience our chef created BBQ and paired craft beer offerings. Tickets are available for $74.99 for adults and $64.99 for children (ages 3-9).

Pass Members and Fun Card Holders may purchase online and make a reservation for over 50% OFF at the special price of $30 for adults and $20 for children (ages 3-9).

As reservations will be limited to this experience, guests are strongly encouraged to purchase their tickets starting Monday, August 24 at 9:00 A.M. PT. Please visit seaworldsandiego.com/tickets for more details.
Guests can receive the latest information on hours of operation for SeaWorld San Diego by visiting, www.seaworldsandiego.com or https://www.facebook.com/seaworldsandiego.  

About SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.
SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: SEAS) is a leading theme park and entertainment company providing experiences that matter, and inspiring guests to protect animals and the wild wonders of our world. The Company is one of the world's foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal welfare, training, husbandry and veterinary care. The Company collectively cares for one of the largest zoological collections in the world and has helped lead advances in the care of animals. The Company also rescues and rehabilitates marine and terrestrial animals that are ill, injured, orphaned or abandoned, with the goal of returning them to the wild. The SeaWorld® rescue team has helped more than 37,000 animals in need over the Company's history.  SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. owns or licenses a portfolio of recognized brands including SeaWorld®, Busch Gardens®, Aquatica®, Sesame Place® and Sea Rescue®. Over its more than 60-year history, the Company has built a diversified portfolio of 12 destination and regional theme parks that are grouped in key markets across the United States, many of which showcase its one-of-a-kind zoological collection. The Company's theme parks feature a diverse array of rides, shows and other attractions with broad demographic appeal which deliver memorable experiences and a strong value proposition for its guests.

MIAMI, Aug. 5, 2020 – Consistent with the decision announced today by the members of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) to voluntarily extend the pause in U.S. cruise embarkations until Oct. 31, 2020, Carnival Cruise Line has informed guests and travel advisors that we have cancelled all cruises scheduled to embark between Oct. 1 and Oct. 31.

          Guests are being offered an enhanced value package of a future cruise credit and onboard credit, or a full refund.

          If conditions in the U.S. change and short and modified sailings are possible, the industry may consider an earlier restart, and we would consider that as well.  In the meantime, we will continue to work with public health and government officials to finalize enhanced health and sanitation protocols and procedures that will guide our eventual return to service.

          We thank our guests for their continued patience and support as we work through these difficult decisions.  When the time is right, our terrific onboard team will be waiting to welcome our guests back to give them the great vacation they deserve.
 

This morning, SeaWorld held their quarterly investor release, which of course had some rough news for the parks due to COVID and other things. Instead of just posting all of the information, here are some highlights as it relates directly to theme park fans such as us. 

If you'd like to read the entire release, you can check it out here. - Gregg 

So what does this mean? Quite simply, any rides SeaWorld parks were set to debut in 2020 will not be opening until 2021. This includes Iron Gwazi, Emperor, Pantheon and Ice Breaker. 

Texas Stingray at SeaWorld San Antonio already opened for 2020. 

While this is a pretty big blow to theme park fans, it's not entirely unexpected. In 2020 the parks are trying to do the best they can just to stay open, which includes reducing capacity. Opening a new ride to bring in guests really doesn't make a whole lot of business sense. 

It's been widely reported for months that SeaWorld has "defaulted" on payments to RMC for Iron Gwazi, this is a part of that. It doesn't mean that it won't open, it just means they've been working with them to defer costs that aren't directly related to the parks operating in 2020. 

You can find the rest of the COVID-19 response steps the parks have made below. 

COVID-19 Response
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Since the global COVID-19 pandemic has begun, the Company has taken proactive measures for the safety of its guests, employees and animals, to appropriately manage costs and expenditures, and to provide liquidity in response to the temporary park closures related to COVID-19. Some of these measures included, but are not limited to the following: 

• increased its revolving credit commitments on March 10th and subsequently borrowed the remaining available amount;
• issued $227.5 million of first-priority senior secured notes to obtain additional liquidity;
• amended its existing senior secured credit facilities to amend its financial covenants;
• initially furloughed approximately 95% of its employees upon closing all of its parks;
• obtained payroll tax credits and deferred social security payroll taxes under the CARES act;
• reduced executive officers' base salary by 20% until the theme parks substantially resume normal operations;
• eliminated and/or deferred all non-essential operating expenses at all of its parks and corporate headquarters while the parks were closed;
• eliminated substantially all advertising and marketing spend while the parks were closed;
• substantially reduced or deferred all capital expenditures starting in March 2020 (other than minimal essential capital expenditures);
• postponed to 2021 the opening of rides that were still under construction and originally scheduled to open in 2020;
• worked with its vendors and other business partners to manage, defer, and/or abate certain costs and payables during the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; and
• implemented a rigorous and strict formal review and approval process for payments and cash disbursements.

​MIAMI, July 23, 2020 – Carnival Cruise Line today announced new plans for its fleet that will generate tremendous guest excitement once it resumes sailing, with a confirmed date for an additional Excel-class, LNG-powered ship arriving in November 2022, four ships either sold or put on long term lay-up status, and other ships redeployed to new homeports, as it seeks to leverage its strong network of year-round and seasonal homeports in the U.S. with upgraded offerings. 

​The highlights of the plan include:

• As part of Carnival’s 50th birthday in 2022, a November 2022 delivery date for the unnamed, second Excel-class ship has been confirmed from the Meyer Turku shipyard. The sister ship to Mardi Gras will showcase many of her features, including BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea, and sail out of PortMiami as previously announced. Carnival said it will open the ship for sale this fall and guests can register to be the “first to know” about the ship’s itineraries and special open for sale promotions at www.carnival.com/ship2022.
• As part of Carnival Corporation’s recent announcement to reduce its overall capacity and focus on ships with upgraded features, Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Inspiration have been sold.  Carnival Fascination and Carnival Imagination will move to a long term lay-up status, with no specific timeline identified for a return to operation.
• Carnival Sensation will move from Miami to Mobile and take up itineraries previously assigned to Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Fascination, with guests on those two ships being re-accommodated on Carnival Sensation.  
• Carnival Sunrise will move from Port Everglades to PortMiami and assume the itineraries previously operated by Carnival Sensation, providing a larger, upgraded ship for short itineraries with the many new features installed during Carnival Sunrise’s $200 million transformation completed in 2019.  Guests booked on the Sunrise 4- and 5-day itineraries from Port Everglades will be automatically moved to sailings from PortMiami.
• Carnival Sunrise is part of Carnival’s 50th birthday celebration and there will be no changes to her birthday sailing, which is scheduled for March 5, 2022.  These special sailings have been in high demand and will feature special entertainment, at-sea ship rendezvous and onboard activities and offerings.  For more information on this special group of itineraries in March 2022, please visit www.carnival.com/sailabration.
• Carnival Fascination itineraries from San Juan and Barbados have been cancelled for 2020-2021 as the cruise line focuses its return to operations on mainland drive markets in the U.S.
• Itineraries for Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration from Long Beach have been cancelled through Apr. 19, 2021.  Carnival Panorama will continue to operate 7-day cruises from Long Beach while Carnival Miracle will operate shorter itineraries from San Diego to Baja Mexico. 
• Carnival Radiance will now move directly from Europe after its $200 million transformation and homeport in Long Beach in April of 2021, where it will assume the short Baja Mexico itineraries previously served by Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration.  Guests booked on Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration after April 22, 2021 will be re-accommodated on Carnival Radiance, where they will experience the host of upgrades and new features including Shaq’s Big Chicken Restaurant and an expanded waterpark popular with families sailing with children. 
• Separately, Carnival also notified its Australian guests that it has extended its pause of operations in that country, and has cancelled six cruises scheduled to operate between Sept. 25 and Oct. 29, 2020.

“We have used this pause in operations to think carefully about our fleet and to build a plan that gives our guests new choices and upgrades to current ship offerings,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “We have a great variety of ships across the Carnival Cruise Line fleet and we are thrilled to have been able to confirm a delivery date ahead of what we had anticipated for our second Excel ship, which is exciting news for guests interested in sailing from PortMiami on the sister ship to Mardi Gras!  At the same time, we will continue to invest in the four remaining Fantasy class ships that we are keeping in the fleet.  We have many guests who prefer our Fantasy class ships which work so well for shorter itineraries from smaller ports that cannot accommodate our larger ships.  With a fleet that gives guests lots of choices in ships, homeports, destinations and features including a multitude of dining, entertainment and accommodation choices, we are very excited about the future for Carnival Cruise Line.”
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Guests and travel agents are being notified directly about impacted sailings, guest re-accommodations and cancellations. Duffy thanked guests and travel agent partners alike for their continued patience, loyalty and support during this unprecedented time for the cruise industry. “With our future fleet plan resolved, we are focused on ensuring we are ready to return to operations once it is determined that the time is right to resume cruising in the U.S.,” she said.  ​