MIAMI (June 23, 2006) – The NBA definitely has global appeal. That will never
be more evident than when the Miami HEAT’s National Basketball Association
(NBA) Larry O’Brien Championship trophy embarks on an international
cruise-ship tour beginning this weekend.
Micky Arison, the Miami HEAT’s managing general partner and chairman and CEO
of global cruise operator Miami-based Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:
CCL; NYSE: CUK), will personally escort the coveted trophy to cruise ships
operating from ports in South Florida, Italy and China.
The tour kicks off Sunday, June 25, when Arison will display the trophy to
guests, officers and crew aboard Carnival Cruise Lines’ 2,794-passenger
Carnival Valor while it is docked at the Port of Miami.
On Monday, June 26, Arison and the trophy will board a transatlantic flight
from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Genoa, Italy, to tour Costa Cruises’ new
3,000-passenger Costa Serena and Costa Concordia, and Carnival Cruise Lines’
3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor, all in various stages of construction at
the Fincantieri shipyard in nearby Sestri, Italy.
The next stop is Hong Kong for a two-day cruise to Shanghai aboard the
1,000-passenger Costa Allegra departing June 30, marking the debut of Carnival
Corporation & plc’s new Asian cruise venture, Costa Asia.
Arison and the trophy then return to Italy for Costa Concordia’s inaugural
celebration which begins with a special one-night cruise from Genoa to Rome,
July 4-5. The trophy will then be on display during a special benefit concert
on board featuring world-renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli, as well as during the
ship’s gala naming ceremony July 7 with international supermodel Eva Herzigova
serving as godmother.
The whirlwind tour will continue to a number of other cruise-ship destinations
to be determined. Eventually, the trophy will be placed on permanent display
at the AmericanAirlines Arena in downtown Miami.
On the first leg of this globetrotting tour, Arison and the Larry O’Brien
Championship Trophy will have traveled more than 18,000 miles across three
continents.
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