CRUISE giant Carnival is racing ahead, with a 70 per cent leap in net income for the first three months of its financial year.

Miami-based Carnival, the world's biggest cruise operator, coined in $345m (£181.6m) - up from $203m (£106.9m).

Carnival boss Micky Arison, whose wife comes from Hampshire, hit the Daily Echo headlines last week after donating a salary bonus of £1.4m to aid victims of the Asian tsunami.

Carnival's ships include Cunard's Queen Mary 2 and QE2, and P&O Cruises' five-strong Southampton-based fleet, including Aurora, Oriana and Oceania.