Free cruise for DeGeneres audience

Actress and comedian Ellen DeGeneres gave her talk show audience, all of whom were family or friends of US troops serving in Iraq, the gift of a free cruise.

Studio audience members of The Ellen DeGeneres Show were surprised with the gift at a taping on Tuesday. The episode of the syndicated talk show, with guest Tom Hanks, was screened today.

A total of 250 seven-day cruises for four, along with fees, were given in appreciation of troops deployed from three California bases: Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Camp Pendleton and Fort Irwin.

Celebrity Cruises is providing the holidays, available at any time to allow for troops overseas to take part on their return, according to a spokeswoman for the show.

DeGeneres also joined with the United Service Organisation to send more than 5,000 care packages to the audience’s relatives and friends in Iraq. The show will be repeated tomorrow, the US Thanksgiving holiday, on the Armed Forces Network.

In September, talk show queen Oprah Winfrey made headlines when she surprised each of her 276 audience members with a new car to celebrate the premiere of her show’s 19th season.