First-Ever Presidential Wine Club Cruise to be Held Aboard Carnival Liberty Dec. 4-10

First-Ever Presidential Wine Club Cruise to be Held Aboard Carnival Liberty Dec. 4-10, 2005

05/26/2005

Carnival Cruise Lines and the new Presidential Wine Club – the cruise industry’s first affinity group for wine enthusiasts – will host a “Carnival Wine Cruise” aboard the Carnival Liberty in December 2005.

The six-day cruise will operate round-trip from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Dec. 4-10, 2005, calling at Freeport, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.

The event will be hosted by Carnival President and CEO Bob Dickinson, a noted wine collector and connoisseur who is the namesake behind the Presidential Wine Club.

The inaugural Presidential Wine Club Cruise will feature a number of exclusive events, including gala wine tastings, informative seminars with wine experts, and wine-themed parties. All attendees will also receive a gift bag of wine-related accessories from Wine Spectator magazine.

Activities planned for the six-day voyage include:

Opening Reception – Sponsored by Allied Domecq, this event features many fine wines, including Clos du Bois from California, Brancott from New Zealand, Campo Viejo from Spain and Mumm’s Champagne from France.

Wine Events – Throughout the cruise, participants will have ample opportunity to do what every wine lover enjoys most: taste fine wines. Two different wine tasting seminars -- featuring not just the wines but also the winemakers -- will be featured.

Nightly Food Pairings – Dickinson will personally suggest wines for guests to purchase to accompany their meals in the Golden or Silver dining room.

Farewell Reception – Wines from well-respected wineries highlight this event, which will feature presentations by noted wine experts.

Although guests need not be members of the Presidential Wine Club to participate in the cruise, club members will receive more than $200 in free merchandise and discounts, as well as access to several members-only events during the voyage.

Among the exclusive members-only events is a seminar hosted by Riedel Crystal, a leading manufacturer of crystal stemware and wine accessories, which will provide insight on the effect that different glasses have on wine and why it is important to use the proper stemware when drinking fine wine. Attendees will receive a free Riedel stemware gift set valued at $120.

Launched earlier this year, the Presidential Wine Club provides members with two bottles of select boutique wines each month from small wineries located in the world’s great wine regions of California, France, Italy, Spain, Chile, Argentina and Australia. The cost is $39.99 per month plus $9.99 shipping and handling.

Members also have access to a Web site that serves as an on-line wine information and communication resource featuring interactive message boards and a monthly "Ask Bob" column by the cruise line’s president. Members also qualify for discounts on special wine purchases and wine-related products and accessories sold through the Web site.

Presidential Wine Club membership is available by visiting http://www.presidentialwineclub.com or calling toll-free 1-888-292-2582.

In addition to these events, participants can enjoy Carnival Liberty’s many on-board amenities and facilities -- a 13,300-square-foot spa, a duty-free shopping mall, and 22 lounges and bars, including, of course, a wine bar featuring Presidential Wine Club selections.

Currently under construction in Monfalcone, Italy, the ship will house an Internet café, four swimming pools, and expansive facilities and supervised activities for children and teens. Sixty percent of Carnival Liberty’s 1,487 staterooms offer either an ocean view or balcony.

Prices for the “Carnival Wine Cruise” begin at $504 per person based on double occupancy. Participants must request fare code CPWC when making the reservation. Members of the Presidential Wine Club will receive a $50 per stateroom discount by requesting fare code CPW2 and providing their wine club membership number.

Anyone can join the club prior to booking and receive the $50 per stateroom discount, as well as invitations to the members-only events during the cruise.

For additional information on the “Carnival Wine Cruise,” visit http://www.presidentialwineclub.com. For reservations, call 1-866-299-5862 or visit carnival.com.

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I bet people will be trying to bring cases of wine on that cruise.