Carnival Cruise Line Crew Commit to Some Hard Work in Jamaica

Crew members from Carnival Horizon joined in a Labour Day Volunteer Project in St. Ann, Jamaica, assisting with cleanup and renovations at the Pediatric Ward Learning Centre of St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital, as well as brightening the day for young patients with story time.

These efforts are just part of Carnival Cruise Line’s commitment to Jamaica, a top port of call the cruise line has been visiting for more than 50 years.

Carnival Horizon Crew Members Renovate Pediatric Ward

A group of 20 team members from Carnival Horizon spent Tuesday, May 23, 2023 working not onboard the Vista-class cruise ship, but instead cleaning, painting, and repairing the Learning Centre in the pediatric ward of St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital in Jamaica. At the time, Carnival Horizon was docked in Ocho Rios, 14 miles (23 kilometers) from the hospital.

“We are proud to have been bringing visitors to Jamaica for more than 50 years, and care deeply about the health and well-being of the community,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “It was our pleasure to make enhancements to St. Ann’s Learning Centre and we hope it will make a lasting difference for all the children treated there.”

Among the projects were repainting walls in bright, positive colors as well as working in the garden to install new plants.

“We are so grateful for Carnival’s participation in our Labour Day Volunteer Project,” said Dennis Morgan, CEO of St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital. “Carnival’s improvements will ensure that we can continue to provide critical educational and psychological support for our young patients while they recover at a newly-renovated Learning Centre.”

The volunteer crew members provided the willing hands for the project, which Carnival Cruise Line arranged in partnership with American Friends of Jamaica, the cruise line’s foundation partner for charitable initiatives in the Caribbean nation.

Nature adventure tour operator Chukka Caribbean Adventures, which offers a range of thrilling tours around the island, such as catamarans, ziplines, reggae rafting, and more, also assisted with the hospital renovation by donating supplies and providing on-the-ground project support.

“When businesses unite to help communities, it is a win-win for everyone,” said Wendy Hart, president of American Friends of Jamaica. “We thank Carnival and Chukka for their participation in this Labour Day Volunteer Project, investing their time and resources to help improve the lives of Jamaicans.”

At the time of the volunteer event, Carnival Horizon was sailing a 6-night Western Caribbean cruise roundtrip from Miami. Ocho Rios was the ship’s first port of call, to be followed by Grand Cayman and Cozumel before returning to Miami on Saturday, May 27.

Carnival Cruises in Jamaica

Carnival Cruise Line visits Jamaica year-round, and in 2023, is expected to bring more than 300,000 guests to the island with about 100 port of call visits.

Carnival Sunrise and Carnival Horizon are currently offering visits to Ocho Rios, while Carnival Vista, Carnival Glory, and Carnival Paradise are regularly visiting Montego Bay.

In recent days, the US State Department has issued a travel advisory for Jamaica due to elevated crime levels, but cruising is one of the safest ways to visit the tropical destination. Tourist areas are generally safe for alert travelers, and all cruise lines, including Carnival, offer curated shore excursions through safe, reputable companies.

Concerned guests reached out to Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador John Heald about continuing cruises to Jamaica in light of the travel warning.

“Yes, we continue to cruise there simply because it is a fabulous place,” Heald said, noting that ship excursions and staying in tourist areas are highly recommended.

Guests on Carnival cruises can take advantage of a number of exciting shore tours in Jamaica, including dolphin swims, ziplines, horseback rides, cooking lessons for authentic Jamaican jerk, jungle river tubing, climbing the famous Dunns River Falls, whizzing down the Jamaican bobsled track, beach breaks, and much more.