<p>Carnival Cruise Lines welcomed a special visitor when Ken Elston boarded the Carnival Ecstasy  for a four-day cruise to Cozumel &ndash; and made history as the Port of  Galveston&rsquo;s 4 millionth cruise passenger.&nbsp; The John&rsquo;s Creek, Ga.,  resident was sailing with his wife, Lori, as part of a family reunion  group.&nbsp;&nbsp; It was their first cruise.<span></span></p>
<p>For their distinction as the port&rsquo;s 4 millionth passenger, the  Elstons received a number of gifts from local merchants and retailers,  as well as a commemorative plaque and VIP treatment from the Carnival Ecstasy&rsquo;s&nbsp;staff during their cruise.</p>
<p>The Elstons are pictured here with Carnival Ecstasy&nbsp;Captain Andrea Viacava&nbsp;and Hotel Director Dany&nbsp;Petrenko as well as members of the Galveston embarkation team.</p>
<p>Carnival, which celebrated 10 years of operations from Galveston last month, is the only cruise line sailing from the port year-round.&nbsp; Carnival Ecstasy&nbsp;operates four- and five-day western Caribbean cruises from Galveston, while Carnival Conquest sails seven-day cruises to the eastern and western Caribbean.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Beginning in November 2011, the new Carnival Magic will launch seven-day Caribbean service, becoming the largest cruise ship ever based in Texas year-round.&nbsp; Carnival Magic will be joined by the Carnival Triumph  which will assume the Carnival Ecstasy&rsquo;s four- and five-day schedule in  October 2011.&nbsp; Together, Carnival Magic and Carnival Triumph are  expected to carry a record 450,000 passengers annually from the Port of  Galveston.</p>