Carnival Cruise travelled into a small Virginia town this week on the hunt for a local teen and his coveted Snapchat handle @CarnivalCruise.

The company surprised 15-year-old Darian Lipscomb at his Prospect, Virginia, home Tuesday night after peppering the town with signs asking "Hey Prospect, does anyone know Darian?"

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports the company offered to trade Lipscomb a free trip for his family abroad its newest ship, Carnival Horizon, in exchange for his Snapchat handle. The net worth of the trip is about $5,000.

Organisers say Lipscomb will receive customised surprises throughout the trip, which will be documented on the cruise's social channels.The company said the trade was a fun way to claim the handle and reward a superfan.'

Carnival Cruise Line is one of ten cruise line brands owned by the world's largest cruise ship operator the American-British Carnival Corporation & plc. In 2018 Carnival Cruise Line was estimated to hold a 8.9% share of cruise industry revenue and 22.0% of passengers. It has the largest fleet in the Carnival group, with 25 vessels.

Carnival's format is to offer shorter, less expensive cruises. Its ships are known for their Las Vegas-style decor and entertainment. The line calls its ships "The Fun Ships", and there are a wide range of activities offered on board. Its trademark is the funnel, which is red, white and blue and shaped like a whale's tail. The mascot for Carnival is Fun Ship Freddy, a character in the shape of Carnival's distinctive funnel.