Jennifer Hudson inks Carnival Cruise deal

She's an Oscar winner now, but back in the days before American Idol, red carpets and endorsement deals, Jennifer Hudson was a cruise ship singer.

And now, thanks to a new deal with Carnival Cruises, she's hitting the high seas again.

“Performing live is one of my favorite things,” she said at a press conference in Manhattan Wednesday. “I’m excited to be part of this unique concert series that will allow me to interact with my fans in such an intimate and memorable setting.”

It "is like a full circle" Hudson said, referring to the days before she hit it big.

"I used to work on a cruise ship, a long time ago," she recalled. "That's what I did before I did American Idol."

The first of 49 shows set for this year will feature STYX on the Carnival Fantasy in Nassau on April 7. Hudson's shows are scheduled for June 18 aboard the Carnival Ecstasy and the Carnival Breeze on June 19, both in Cozumel, Mexico.

The concert series that will also include Daughtry, Chicago, Foreigner, Gavin DeGraw, Jewel, Kansas, Lady Antebellum, LeAnn Rimes, Martina McBride, Olivia Newton-John, REO Speedwagon and Trace Adkins.

Tickets for the series will be sold only to passengers aboard each cruise, noted Carnival's senior vice president of guest operations, Mark Tamis.

[Sun Sentinel]