CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE PRESIDENT SET TO SKYDIVE TO RAISE MONEY FOR HURRICANE HELENE RELIEF
Fundraising Goal of $50,000 to Benefit the Gary Sinise Foundation, Supporting Active Military, Veterans, First Responders and Their Families
MIAMI, Oct. 7, 2024 – As part of the celebration of the first-ever Special Forces Legacy Initiatives (SFLI) cruise, Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy has accepted the challenge to tandem skydive on Oct. 19 with the Round Canopy Parachute Team, a non-profit that honors the history of Allied Airborne Forces, as well as members of the USSOCOM Para-Commandos, the U.S. Special Operations Command's premier aerial parachute demonstration team, when Carnival Paradise departs from Port Tampa Bay.
Duffy has set a goal of raising $50,000 to benefit hurricane relief efforts through the Gary Sinise Foundation, established in 2011 by award-winning actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise, who has been an advocate of the country’s defenders for over 40 years to honor veterans, first responders, their families and those in need. The foundation’s hurricane relief efforts are supporting first responders and military on the ground, working tirelessly around the clock to bring relief to communities devastated by Hurricane Helene. Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band, which has performed more than 40 concerts around the globe to uplift communities, will perform on embarkation day.
“I’ve never jumped from an airplane before, so I think this effort is worth at least $50,000 for the Gary Sinise Foundation and their efforts to support military and first responders assisting with hurricane relief,” said Duffy. “Saying that Carnival is America’s Cruise Line and the favorite cruise line for active-duty military and military veterans is one thing, showing it is another story, and I’m always ready to jump at the chance to prove it!”
She will jump from the “Tico Belle,” a World War II veteran C-47 aircraft flown during the Normandy D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. To watch a video of Duffy talking about the jump, click here. To donate and help Duffy and Carnival reach the goal of $50,000 for the Gary Sinise Foundation, click here.
As a first of its kind, the Special Forces Legacy Initiatives has chartered Carnival Paradise to ensure special forces alumni, their families, Gold Star families and friends can enjoy a five-day cruise to The Bahamas and strengthen the bonds within their community. This Special Forces cruise will bring together Green Berets that have served from the Korean War to present times together to enjoy a reunion at sea.
In addition to Carnival, SFLI has partnered with Dream Vacations, the Gary Sinise Foundation, USSOCOM Para-Commandos Parachute Demonstration Team and the Round Canopy Parachute Team to ensure an epic experience for all cruise guests.
For additional information on Carnival Cruise Line and to book a cruise vacation, call 1-800-CARNIVAL, visit www.carnival.com, or contact your favorite travel advisor or online travel site. For more information on the Gary Sinise Foundation, visit www.garysinisefoundation.org.
# # #
ABOUT CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE
Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is the first cruise line to sail over 100 million guests and is proud to be known as America's Cruise Line, for carrying more Americans and serving more U.S. homeports than any other. Since its founding in 1972, Carnival has continually revolutionized the cruise industry and popularized the cruise vacation as an affordable and fun travel option. Carnival operates from 14 U.S. and two Australian homeports, as well as seasonally from Europe and employs more than 48,000 team members representing 120 nationalities.
Carnival’s fleet of 27 ships reflects an exciting period of growth that continues with the addition of seven ships through 2033: two ships joining in February 2025 when P&O Cruises Australia integrates into Carnival; a fourth and fifth Excel class ship scheduled for 2027 and 2028 respectively; followed by three additional new ships from an innovative new class currently under development. Carnival’s next new guest offering will be the all-new exclusive destination, Celebration Key, set to debut on Grand Bahama next summer.
CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE MEDIA CONTACT:
media@carnival.com
ABOUT THE GARY SINISE FOUNDATION
Gary Sinise is an award-winning actor and humanitarian, best known for his roles in CSI:NY, Apollo 13, and his Oscar-nominated performance in the film Forrest Gump as the wounded Vietnam veteran Lt. Dan Taylor. An advocate for our nation’s defenders since the 1980s, after 9/11 Sinise began a tireless crusade to support America’s military and first responders around the world with handshake tours and concerts with his band, the Lt. Dan Band. In 2011, he established the Gary Sinise Foundation as an extension of those efforts. Today, the Foundation is building custom homes for severely wounded heroes, honoring and supporting the families of our fallen, providing essential equipment and training for first responders, improving the mental wellness of our defenders, and so much more. For more information and to support, visit www.garysinisefoundation.org.
GARY SINISE FOUNDATION MEDIA CONTACTS:
Josh Knoller, josh@nicholaslence.com
Maria Cray, maria@nicholaslence.com
