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Welcome aboard! The self-proclaimed “Golden Boys of Carnival cruising,” Trevor Shelby and Tom Kennedy, kick off the whole voyage with dueling top-10 tip lists for first-time cruisers — and an intro that takes four tries to land. Then it’s full steam back to 1972 for the wild origin story of Carnival’s very first ship, the Mardi Gras: a founder who didn’t even like basketball, a maiden voyage stuck on a sandbar, and the first-ever “drink of the day” born out of pure chaos. Buckle up (but not at the muster station — that’s not a condiment).
What they covered
Topics on deck
First-timer top-10 tips
Meet Trevor & Tom
Jubilee & the XL class
The 1972 Mardi Gras
Founder Ted Arison
#CCPtoJubilee
Muster-station basics
John Heald
Don’t miss
Moments worth the wait
- Four takes to say hello — the guys can’t even agree on the tagline before the show’s begun.
“You said everything cruising. I thought we said it was going to be everything carnival cruising.”
- Tom introduces himself — setting the tone for the whole series.
“You can call me Buddha, TK, whatever you want. Just don’t call me late for dinner.”
- The #CCPtoJubilee campaign is born — a quest to get invited to the Jubilee’s inaugural sailing, with a logo of bold letters on red and a partially eaten Guy’s burger.
“Not the Chinese Communist Party… we really need to rethink this.”
- The first drink of the day — Carnival’s very first cruise ran aground on a sandbar leaving Miami, so they opened the bars and christened the moment.
“Mardi Gras on the Rocks.”
- Ted Arison, reluctant sports mogul — he brought the Miami Heat to town, then laughed in the elevator after the press conference.
“I don’t even like basketball.”
- A public-service reminder — on what the muster station is not.
“This is not a condiment. You’re not putting it on your Guy’s burger.”
Golden nuggets
Running bits & lore born here
- “Golden Boys of Carnival cruising” — the self-nickname that names the whole two-host era, coined in the very first minutes.
- #CCPtoJubilee — the flagship campaign to score an invite to the Jubilee inaugural. It half-pays-off later in the season.
- The old-news disclaimer — “our news is old by the time you hear it” becomes a standing bit thanks to their recording schedule.
- Trevor eats like a hobbit — the 15-meals-a-day legend gets its first mention and never leaves.
- John Heald is tip #1 — the Carnival Brand Ambassador becomes the show’s north star from minute one (follow him on Facebook).