Carnival Cruise Lines today threw its signature "Fun" hat in the ring as official confetti sponsor of the Times Square New Years Eve 2011 celebration. The sponsorship includes multiple opportunities for the line to infuse its version of fun into the festivities including a free-cruise giveaway, sure to be popular with frigid party-goers.

"Carnival is thrilled to be part of New York City's New Year's Eve celebration and add our brand of participatory fun to the festivities," said Jim Berra, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Carnival Cruise Lines. "We'll also be sending warm thoughts of Caribbean climes and tropical breezes to the revelers braving the cold by giving away a Carnival cruise vacation to one lucky person."

Before midnight, popular senior cruise director/blogger John Heald will lead a practice countdown releasing 500 pounds of Carnival signature red, white and blue confetti onto the crowd. At the stroke of midnight, a ton of the Carnival confetti will be hand-tossed by about 100 Carnival "confetti dispersal engineers" to fill the sky.

Carnival invites everyone to get in on the fun by visiting the Times Square Visitors Center where the line has a Carnival Confetti New Years Eve Wishing Wall. Visitors can share their hopes and dreams for 2011 on slips of red, white and blue paper that will be added to the confetti used on New Years Eve.

Photo: Carnival Cruise Line

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