Deshuana Barber will join singer Carrie Underwood and other guests at the naming ceremony
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Deshauna Barber, the first woman serving in the US military to win the title of Miss USA earlier this year, is serve as godmother of Carnival Cruise Line’s largest ship, Carnival Vista.
This November, Barber will officially name the 133,500gt vessel in New York, US during a shipboard ceremony that is part of an overnight gala event honouring Operation Homefront. The ceremony will include an exclusive invitation-only concert by seven-time Grammy-award winning singer Carrie Underwood, as well as overnight accommodation, meals, activities and entertainment for hundreds of military families.
"Deshauna is the ideal candidate to serve as Carnival Vista's godmother, embodying the spirit of commitment and sacrifice to those who protect our freedom each and every day," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "Carnival is a longtime supporter of the military carrying more active and retired Armed Forces personnel than any other cruise line so it's our honour and privilege to have Deshauna serve as the godmother to our newest and largest ship."
Barber joined the Army Reserve as a quartermaster officer in 2011 and is currently serving as a logistics commander for the 988th Quartermaster Detachment Unit in Rockville, Maryland.
"It is truly an honour to be named the godmother of Carnival Vista and I'm very excited to represent the U.S. military and be a part of the ship's official naming ceremony next month," said Barber. "I love that Carnival carries more families, including military families, than any other cruise line and I'm looking forward to checking out all of the ship's many innovative features when I'm onboard next month."
Currently sailing her inaugural season in Europe, Carnival Vista will reposition to the US in November to operate a pair of 11-day sailings from New York before launching year-round six- and eight-day Caribbean service from Miami later that month.