Kathie Lee’s Back With The Fun & The Wine!

Kathie Lee Gifford hosts a GIFFT wine tasting
aboard Carnival Breeze

Remember the ’80s when Kathie Lee Gifford became closely associated with the Fun Ship brand as spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Line? That was when Carnival launched the first national television ad campaigns in the cruise industry and Kathie Lee appeared in such memorable campaigns as: “If You Could See Me Now” and “Ain’t We Got Fun?”

Gifford, now a host of the “Today” show, returned to “The World's Most Popular Cruise Line®” last Sunday when she surprised guests embarking on a 6-day western Caribbean cruise on Carnival Breeze at PortMiami with an onboard tasting event to introduce her GIFFT Collection of wines.

Created in consultation with California-based Scheid Family Wines—one of the largest vineyard owners in Monterey County—the GIFFT Collection consists of a Red Blend and a Chardonnay, both estate-grown. In September 2014, Wine Enthusiast magazine gave the red 91 of a possible 100 points and the Chardonnay 88 points in its tasting rating. The GIFFT Red Blend combines Merlot (42 percent), Petite Sirah (25%), Syrah (12%) and Petit Verdot (10%); while the Chardonnay is a flavorful estate-grown Coastal California dry white. Carnival is the only cruise line to feature GIFFT wines, and both varietals are now available at a wide array of bars and in the main dining rooms on all Carnival ships.

“I can’t tell you how exciting it is for me to be back on board with Carnival!” said Gifford. “It’s like coming home again—this time bearing great wines!”

Image by Andy Newman Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line