Mariah Carey Helps Christen New Disney Ship In NYC
NEW YORK (CBSMiami/AP) — The brand new Disney Fantasy, Disney Cruise Line's newest ship, was christened by singer Mariah Carey at a Hudson River pier in Manhattan Thursday night before it sails for its home part in Florida next week.
"I christen thee Disney Fantasy. May God bless this ship and all who sail on it," said Carey as she stood with Disney's CEO Bob Iger, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs, and of course Mickey Mouse.
The ceremony was held inside the ship's atrium with a fake larger-than-life bottle of Champagne that sprayed the room with shiny confetti while Carey's husband Nick Cannon stood on deck with a real bottle in the company of Minnie Mouse.
Earlier Carey got a cheer from the crowd as she sang the line "I'm a native New Yorker," adding, "I'm going to love bringing my new babies here." Her twins were born less than a year ago.
The 4,000-passenger, 14-deck ship with its distinctive mouse ears logo arrived in New York on Tuesday after traveling nearly 3,800 miles across the Atlantic Ocean from Bremerhaven, Germany. The ship, which was built in Papenburg, Germany, will sail on seven-night Caribbean cruises starting March 31 from Port Canaveral. It's expected to arrive in Florida on March 6th.
The ship is a near-twin to Disney Dream, which launched a year ago. Both ships offer a water coaster ride called AquaDuck that consists of a flume wrapped around the vessel, virtual portholes that stream footage from exterior video cameras to inside staterooms, and pictures in hallways that become animated as guests walk by. In addition to pools, water play areas, gigantic screens, sports, a theater and other activities for the whole family, age-specific amenities range from a nursery to clubs for tweens and teens and adult-only dining and bars.
Motifs from Disney stories and characters turn up all over the ship, from a French restaurant inspired by the movie "Ratatouille," to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, named for the song from "Cinderella," where little girls can get princess makeovers. The ship's Europa area offers five adult nightspots themed on different European countries, including a Champagne bar, Ooh La La, and an Irish pub, O'Gills.
Fantasy is the first of several major Disney projects to launch in 2012. The first phase of an expanded Fantasyland opens at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom theme park near Orlando this spring. Cars Land, based on the Disney-Pixar movie "Cars," opens at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, Calif., this summer.
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