Darian Lipscomb, 15, who lives in Virginia, signed up to Snapchat as @ CarnivalCruise while on one of the line’s ships in 2012.
A lorry bearing his image arrived at his house offering his family a trip to Barcelona on Carnival’s newest ship, Horizon, on March 31. The truck’s billboards requested the teenager’s Snapchat handle in return for the voyage, which will be his fifth with the brand.
Local media estimate the travel package offered to the family as worth around £3,500. However Carnival has gained worldwide publicity from the stunt, with the story topping the list of the BBC’s most read – plus it has reclaimed its Snapchat branding at comparatively little cost.
A Carnival spokesperson told the BBC: “We thought this would be a fun way to claim our handle and reward a ’superfan’ at the same time.”
