In 1972, Carnival cruise purchased the “Empress of Canada” ship for $6.5 million to be the subsidiary of AITS. Then by late 1975 Carnival had earned enough to purchase “Mardi Gras’s” sister ship “Queen Anna Maria” and rename it “Carnivale”. They sailed the first year with more than 95 percent occupancy. Further more, in 1977 they purchased the huge “S.A. Vaal”, spend a 30$ million face-lift and renamed it “Festival”. Then in 1978 Festival began to operate and then became the fastest sailing vessel from Miami to the Caribbean.
