Carnival Cruise Line has announced that Kathie Lee Gifford's daughter, actress Cassidy Gifford, will serve as godmother of its newest ship, Carnival Celebration. Kathie was surprised by the news from her mother, who was the godmother of Carnival Celebration's namesake, the MS Celebration, christened in 1987. Her mother has been a spokesperson for Carnival in the company's TV campaigns since the 80s, which were the first such networks to broadcast commercials for the cruise industry. Kathie Lee is also a four-time Emmy Award-winning television personality.
Cassidy first sailed on Carnival as a baby and has many childhood memories of vacationing on liners with her mother and father, the late Frank Gifford, who was an NFL and sports broadcasting legend.
"Carnival Cruise Line has been a big part of our family with my earliest memories being family cruises on Carnival ships," said Cassidy Gifford. "And now to be asked to be the godmother of the ship of the same name, the one that my mom christened, is truly an honor and a blessing." There was no hesitation when my mom asked me, and I can't wait to see this amazing ship in Miami in November.
"I was the spokesman for Carnival for almost 20 years, starting in 1984, when I got married and had children." They joined me on many of the television shoots on the carnival boats, so we have so many great memories,” said Kathie Lee Gifford. "Being able to pass the torch to my daughter Cassidy as she is named godmother of the new carnival celebration makes me so happy I almost cried!"
Cassidy has been acting since she was young and is best known for her work on the box office hits God's Not Dead and Warner Brothers' The Gloves. She has appeared in many other television and film roles, even winning the Outstanding Emerging Artist Award at the 2018 Hollywood Film Festival. She currently lives with her husband in Nashville, Tennessee.
"I can't wait to welcome Cassidy and Kathie Lee aboard and show off this beautiful new ship," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "So much has changed in our industry and our company in the past 50 years - it gives new meaning to those words Kathie Lee sang at the carnival - 'if only they could see us now!'"
The Carnival Celebration is set to debut this November at Port Miami's redesigned Terminal F. Cassidy will officially name and christen the vessel during a ceremony on November 20 at the port.
