Shaquille O'Neal's mom named Carnival cruise ship godmother
Carnival Cruise Line has named Shaquille O'Neal's mother, Dr. Lucille O'Neal, godmother of the newest vessel in its Sunshine Class.
Dr. O'Neal, who is an author, public speaker and philanthropist, dedicates much of her time to charitable organizations. In addition to her positions as a board member of the Orlando Ovarian Center Alliance and president of Mothers of Professional Basketball Players (which she also cofounded), Dr. O'Neal established the Odessa Chambliss Center for Health Equity on the campus of Bethune Cookman University, where she earned her bachelor's degree. The university also awarded her an honorary doctorate degree.
For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter.
"Lucille's longstanding commitment to caring for others is a reflection of what we look for in a godmother, and as the mother of our amazing chief fun officer, Shaquille O'Neal, we also know she's got some fun in her DNA," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, in a statement.
Shaq, who has served as Carnival's "CFO" (chief fun officer) for several years, has a large presence throughout the fleet, particularly on the line's newly built Mardi Gras, which boasts Big Chicken, a free onboard restaurant that offers some of the best chicken we've ever tasted.
Dr. O'Neal, who will be in attendance for Carnival Radiance's naming ceremony on Dec. 13 in the port of Long Beach, in California, will also help Shaq cut the ribbon on the second at-sea Big Chicken outpost, which is found on board.
"When Shaquille was named chief fun officer ... never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be named godmother of a cruise ship," Dr. O'Neal said. "To think that my name will be forever associated with Carnival Radiance and that I'm joining other esteemed women who have served as a Carnival godmother is truly an honor."
Like the other ships in its class, Carnival Radiance (formerly Carnival Victory) underwent an extensive dry dock refurbishment.
In addition to Big Chicken, the $200 million overhaul added several other popular Carnival staples, including Guy Fieri's Guy's Pig and Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse; the Heroes Tribute Bar, dedicated to members of the military; family-style Italian restaurant Cucina del Capitano; Bonsai Sushi; and the RedFrog Pub.
Carnival Radiance will sail three-day cruises to Ensenada and four-day voyages to Ensenada and Catalina Island.
Top offers from our partners
How we chose these cards
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets |
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels |
| 1X | Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
The Citi Premier’s 3 points per dollar spent across a wide range of popular categories is one of the more lucrative offerings in the world of points and miles. The Citi Premier comes with a $95 annual fee and is currently offering a solid sign up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. It also has some valuable transfer partners to make the most of your rewards. Add in access to Citi Entertainment plus a $100 hotel credit for any single-stay hotel booking that exceeds $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through the Citi travel website, there are few reasons why the Citi Premier should not be in every traveler’s wallet.Pros
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
- $100 annual hotel savings benefit (on single hotel stay bookings of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through thankyou.com)
- Points transfer to 16 airline programs, from JetBlue to Virgin Atlantic.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits, extended warranty, damage and theft protection.
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Lacks travel protections that other travel rewards cards come with
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
Rewards Rate
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets |
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels |
| 1X | Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Intro Offer
For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account openingEarn 80,000 ThankYou® points60,000 pointsAnnual Fee
$95Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.670-850Excellent, Good
Why We Chose It
The Citi Premier’s 3 points per dollar spent across a wide range of popular categories is one of the more lucrative offerings in the world of points and miles. The Citi Premier comes with a $95 annual fee and is currently offering a solid sign up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. It also has some valuable transfer partners to make the most of your rewards. Add in access to Citi Entertainment plus a $100 hotel credit for any single-stay hotel booking that exceeds $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through the Citi travel website, there are few reasons why the Citi Premier should not be in every traveler’s wallet.Pros
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
- $100 annual hotel savings benefit (on single hotel stay bookings of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through thankyou.com)
- Points transfer to 16 airline programs, from JetBlue to Virgin Atlantic.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits, extended warranty, damage and theft protection.
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Lacks travel protections that other travel rewards cards come with
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases