Jennifer Hudson is set to headline a concert series to take place on board the Carnival Cruise Lines. She is featured in the short video clip above by Carnival during their announcement at a news conference in Manhattan. She will headline the tour that also features Chicago, Foreigner and Chris Daughtry.

This isn’t the first time Hudson has performed on a cruise ship either.

“I used to work on a cruise ship, a long time ago,” said Hudson prior to the Carnival news conference. “That’s what I did before I did ‘American Idol.'”

It was the Disney Cruise Line that initially featured the Dream Girls star.

“Two days later, I went in and auditioned for ‘American Idol,'” she said.

Forty nine shows will comprise the Carnival Live tour–an effort on behalf of the cruise line to restore its image after three of their ships broke down last year alone. Images of cruise ships being towed back to land along with those of passengers stranded at sea didn’t do much for the company’s name.

Jennifer Hudson will perform on the Carnival Ecstasy on June 18th and on the Carnival Breeze on June 19th. Both performances will take place in Cozumel, Mexico. In addition to Hudson and the aforementioned acts, Carnival Live will also feature Gavin DeGraw, Jewel, Kansas, Lady Antebellum, LeAnn Rimes, Martina McBride, Olivia Newton-John, REO Speedwagon, STYX and Trace Adkins. There are 49 confirmed shows in the lineup thus far with more expected to sign on.

Jennifer Hudson has come a long way despite the trials she has faced in recent years. Her mother and brother were murdered in 2008 at the hands of her brother-in-law. Instead of wallowing in her grief she picked herself up, drastically changed her image as a Weight Watchers spokesperson and moved ahead with her music career. She is engaged to David Otunga and the couple has a 4-year-old son.

Do you think Jennifer Hudson headlining Carnival Live will help to play a role in restoring the cruise line’s image?

Image via Facebook