Virginia teen trades Snapchat handle for free Carnival cruise

March 30 (UPI) -- A Virginia teenager agreed to surrender his Snapchat handle, @CarnivalCruise, in exchange for a $5,000 cruise for he and his family.

Darian Lipscomb, 15, of Prospect, said he picked his Snapchat handle to show his love of Carnival Cruises, which he has taken four times previously with his family.

"When I was 9 years old, I went on a cruise and got really excited and wanted to share it with my friends," Lipscomb told the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Carnival officials decided they wanted the Snapchat handle for the company, so they made a plan that began with spreading posters around Prospect featuring a photo of the company's "Chief Fun Officer," retired NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, with the message, "Hey Prospect, does anyone know Darian?"

The company visited Lipscomb's home Tuesday with a difficult-to-refuse offer: A free trip for the teenager and his family on the company's new ship, the Carnival Horizon.

"I answered the door, walked outside and saw my name on a big truck. I was really surprised," Lipscomb said.

Lipscomb agreed to trade his Snapchat handle for the trip, which is valued at about $5,000.

"We thought this would be a fun way to claim our handle and reward a 'superfan' at the same time," Carnival spokeswoman Robyn Fink said.

Lipscomb said he only has one piece of unfinished business -- thinking up a new Snapchat handle.

"I'll have to think up another name. Maybe another company name," he quipped.