Carnival Cruise Lines Encourages Children to Dream Big with the Virtual Book of Dreams Contest

In celebration of Carnival Cruise Lines’ newest and largest ship, the 130,000-ton Carnival Dream, the company has announced the Virtual Book of Dreams™ contest, inviting residents in the U.S. and Canada to participate in a call for entries. Children between the ages of 7 to 12 have the opportunity to share their awesome dreams online at carnivalbookofdreams.com for a chance to become the world’s first-ever cruise ship waterslide Godchild, and travel to New York City to christen the spectacular Carnival WaterWorks aqua park on the Carnival Dream (pictured here). The winning family will also receive a cruise on the Carnival Dream when the ship makes its North American debut in November.

“At Carnival we value dreams and fun, and we know that no one excels at dreaming and having fun more than kids,” said Carnival Cruise Lines Chief Marketing Officer Jim Berra. “The Virtual Book of Dreams is a terrific way to capture and share the fantastic dreams of children as we introduce the Carnival Dream--our most spectacular ‘Fun Ship’ yet.”

In an effort to remind people why it’s important to dream, Carnival Cruise Lines also announced it will make a $2 donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for every entry received and $1 for each vote on the Virtual Book of Dreams web site carnivalbookofdreams.com, with a maximum contribution of $25,000 donated to St. Jude. St. Jude is one of the world’s premier centers for the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other catastrophic diseases.

Dream Big, Win Big: To enter the Virtual Book of Dreams™ contest, children must complete the thought “I’m always dreaming up fun stuff. Wouldn’t it be awesome if…” in 250 words or less. From Aug 17, 2009 until Sept 18, 2009, parents or legal guardians of children between the ages of 7 to 12 can submit their child’s written dream entry and corresponding hand-drawn illustration online at carnivalbookofdreams.com. Dream submissions will be judged upon creativity and originality of the dream, expression, and emotional content. In late Sept 2009, Carnival will announce four finalists chosen by a panel of judges, in addition to one Wild Card finalist who will be selected via public online voting at carnivalbookofdreams.com. Each of the finalists will be featured in a final round of public online voting that will run through the beginning of October.

The Virtual Book of Dreams Grand Prize Winner will be chosen via the voting process in mid-October, named the Godchild of the Carnival WaterWorks water slide aboard the Carnival Dream and invited to participate in a ship christening ceremony in New York City in mid-Nov 2009. The winning family will also receive a two-night cruise aboard Carnival Dream. All other finalists will receive digital cameras and other prizes from Carnival. No purchase is necessary to enter or win. Rules and details can be found at carnivalbookofdreams.com. Remember, even if you are too old to enter, you can still vote and your participation will add to the contribution Carnival makes to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

About Carnival Dream: Carnival Cruise Lines’ newest and largest ship, the 130,000-ton Carnival Dream, is a new class of vessel for the line and ushers in an exciting new era in “Fun Ship” cruising. The 3,646-passenger Carnival Dream will offer a host of innovations including a stunning indoor/outdoor café and entertainment venue called Ocean Plaza, a two-level Serenity adults-only retreat, a wrap-around promenade encircling the ship, the cruise industry’s largest water park that features the Carnival WaterWorks waterslide, and a 23,750-square-foot health spa–-Carnival’s largest to date. Several new accommodation categories, including five-berth, two-bathroom staterooms that will hold particular appeal for families, will also be offered on the Carnival Dream.

Get a sneak peek at Carnival Cruise Line's largest “Fun Ship” ever, from CruiseDiva.com at Your Carnival Dream Is About To Come True.