Carnival Cruise Line Spotlights Team Members Putting the ‘Family’ in ‘Family Fun’ for Mother’s Day

At Carnival Cruise Line this Mother’s Day, two Carnival moms who share a special bond with their children as part of the shipboard team are sharing about motherhood as well as working and living at sea.

The two profiles that follow feature mother-daughter and mother-son pairs working on different ships across the Carnival fleet while serving the same mission of helping to provide fun and memorable vacations for families every day.

Madelein Marais and Charnè

Madelein Marais and her daughter Charnè are from South Africa. Madelein works in guest services on Carnival Valor, and Charnè works in human resources on Carnival Magic.

• What does it mean to you to have your daughter also working at Carnival?

Madelein: It’s a privilege, and I’m thankful every time I hear nice compliments about her and how well she is doing. I had the amazing opportunity to work with Charnè on Carnival Dream and could see first-hand how she adapted to ship life and blossomed as a person. It is also so valuable to have her to talk to about ship life; she understands everything I’m talking about – even our special ship language.

• Why did you decide to follow in your mom’s footsteps and work at Carnival?

Charnè: Every time we spoke, she would talk about how happy she is and how amazing the places she’s visiting are; she also spoke about how great Carnival is and that it truly feels like a family on board. I was finishing my degree and knew I wanted to travel the world and start building a new career, so Carnival seemed like the perfect place for me.

• What’s your favorite Mother’s Day memory?

Madelein: Last year, she took me for a Mother’s Day weekend while we were on vacation in South Africa. We did a wine tour together and talked and laughed as if the rest of the world didn’t exist.

Charnè: I surprised her with a weekend away in Stellenbosch, Cape Town, and we visited some of the best wine farms; it was a great way to spend some time together and show her how much I appreciate her.

Loreta Torres and Psalm

Loreta Torres and her son Psalm are from the Philippines. Loreta works in guest services on Mardi Gras, and Psalm works as a healthcare assistant on Carnival Dream.

• Why did you decide to follow in your mom’s footsteps and work at Carnival?

Psalm: Carnival made a great impact on our lives. With the help of Carnival, I was able to graduate with my bachelor’s degree, and now I am a registered medical technologist. I saw and felt how the company has taken care of my mom and treated her not just as an employee but as part of the family as well.

• How do you stay in touch?

Loreta: We are always chatting. We call each other often, and luckily, once a month, we see each other when we’re in the same port.

Psalm: Thankfully the company provides a free chat service to stay in touch with family and friends. Also, whenever our ships meet, we can enjoy quality time together.

• What’s your best Mother’s Day memory? 

Loreta: He would always serenade me with his guitar and a meaningful song.

• How will you celebrate Mother’s Day this year?

Loreta: Usually, we celebrate with dinner at our favorite restaurant together with his siblings, or if I was on board, they would buy a cake and show it to me on a video call.

Psalm: I usually send her a greeting message with a photo of me and our dog.

Carnival’s onboard teams will help families celebrate this upcoming Mother’s Day by hosting appreciation events fleetwide. Guests on board this weekend may also choose from a variety of Mother’s Day-themed activities, from a Famous Mom’s Trivia game to special craft-making.

For additional information on Carnival Cruise Line and to book a cruise vacation, call 1–800–CARNIVAL, visit www.carnival.com, or contact your favorite travel advisor or online travel site.