Carnival Cruise Lines Help Golfers Play Top Courses

Through a partnership between Carnival Cruise Lines and Sunrise, Fla.-based Elite Golf Cruises LLC, guests sailing aboard the "Fun Ships" have the opportunity to play top courses and receive personalized instruction both aboard ship and during golf excursions.

"Golf has always been a popular activity with Carnival guests," said Bob Dickinson, Carnival president and CEO, "and we are pleased to team up with Elite Golf to offer this program, which features not only some of the most beautiful and challenging courses in North America but also professional instruction that can help golfers of any level improve their game.

The program is available on all 21 "Fun Ships" and includes a wide range of courses throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, the Bahamas, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Bermuda and Europe.

Shipboard lessons, which are available in 30- or 60-minute increments, are held at a covered and lighted "practice range," which protects golfers from the elements and allows lessons to be conducted both during the day and at night.

Certified instruction is complemented by state-of-the-art "V1" teaching computers, which feature side-by-side comparisons with top tour players and sophisticated video analysis.

All-inclusive golf excursions include golf pro escort, priority tee times, round-trip transportation between ship and course, and cart and green fees. Equipment rental, including top-of-the-line Callaway clubs and Adidas golf shoes, is also available. A variety of golfing accessories such as golf balls, gloves and apparel are available for purchase, as well.

Course information is available by visiting www.CarnivalGolf.com, calling 1-800-324-1106 or faxing a request to (954) 382-5398. Guests can also stop by the shore excursion desk once on board.

All-inclusive packages, which include professional instruction, begin at $45 per person for nine holes and $95 per person for 18 holes. Professional on-board lessons range in price from $25 for a "swing check" to $80 for a complete one-hour video analysis with an instructor.

For additional Carnival information, contact any travel agent, call (800) -CARNIVAL or visit www.carnival.com.

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