MIAMI (11/13/03) – Carnival once again was the big winner in Porthole Cruise Magazine's annual “Readers' Choice Awards,” taking top honors in 11 different categories - the most awards of any cruise line for the fifth consecutive year. Since the awards were introduced in 1999, Carnival has won more than 50 Porthole “Readers’ Choice” honors - more than any other cruise line during this period.

The awards were determined from on-line and mail-in surveys from thousands of Porthole readers, who rated cruise lines' various amenities, programs and activities. Carnival's 11 “Readers’ Choice” awards for 2003 include:

· Best Value For the Money Line

· Best Moderately Priced Line

· Best Alternative Dining Cuisine

· Most Spacious Average Cabin

· Best Children's Program

· Best Entertainment

· Best On-Board Activities

· Best Discos

· Best Short-Duration Cruise

· Best Mega Ship – Carnival Conquest

· Best Party Ship – Fascination

“It’s truly an honor for Carnival to be recognized in so many different categories for so many years by Porthole readers, who are experienced and knowledgeable cruisers,” said Bob Dickinson, Carnival president and CEO. “We strive to provide an unforgettable and quality cruise vacation for our guests and these awards clearly prove the success of our efforts.”

He added, “We’re particularly pleased that Porthole readers recognized Carnival Conquest as ‘Best Mega Ship.’ The Conquest- and Destiny-class vessels, in particular, offer a preeminent selection of on-board amenities and state-of-the-art facilities to provide the ultimate Caribbean cruise experience for our guests. This distinction reaffirms Carnival as the Number One Choice for Caribbean Cruising, carrying more guests in the region than any other line by far.”

Commented Bill Panoff, Porthole Cruise Magazine’s editor-in-chief, “Our readers’ recognition of Carnival’s outstanding programs and ships demonstrates that Carnival has created the right formula for an exceptional cruise vacation.”

Carnival is the largest and most popular cruise line in the world, with 19 “Fun Ships” operating voyages ranging from three to 16 days in length to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, the Panama Canal, Canada, New England and Bermuda. The line currently has three new ships with an estimated value of $1.3 billion scheduled to enter service between now and 2005. 

Porthole Cruise Magazine is one of several publications currently under The PPI Group umbrella. The publication is distributed through Warner Publishing Services, a division of the media giant Time Warner, and is available in specialty bookstores such as Barnes and Noble, and Borders nationwide. In addition to its regular distribution, Porthole Cruise Magazine is also available in all seat backs of every Spirit Airlines flight serving U.S. and Caribbean destinations. The publication is also available through subscription.