Carnival Freedom makes inaugural call to Gibraltar

Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Freedom made its inaugural call to Gibraltar on Tuesday last week, the cruise operator’s third first visit to the Rock this year.

The vessel arrived at 7am carrying 2,785 passengers and 1,126 crew and was scheduled to depart at 4pm to continue its voyage to Celebration Key in the Bahamas.

The call followed inaugural visits by Carnival Dream in February and Carnival Glory in March.

A traditional plaque exchange took place on board between Captain Mario Epifani and Audisa Rodriguez, Senior Executive Officer at the Gibraltar Tourist Board.

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, Christian Santos, 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.”