Carnival Cruise Ship Hosts Visitors from Grand Turk for Special Tour

Working with the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association, Carnival Cruise Line welcomed students from Grand Turk’s H.J. Robinson High School and government leaders aboard Mardi Gras for an environmental tour in celebration of Earth Day.

The visit from the students is part of a larger initiative from Carnival Cruise Line to introduce its onboard environmental measures to guests and visitors, and manage the environmental impact of its ships, while sharing the knowledge the cruise line has gained over the years regarding sustainable practices.

Mardi Gras’ Crew Members Welcome Grand Turk Students Onboard

It has been a special week for students of the Grand Turk H.J. Robinson High School, as they were welcomed onboard Carnival Cruise Line’s cruise ship Mardi Gras for a tour of the ship. As part of the initiative, the tour allowed visitors to observe various sustainable practices implemented by Carnival Cruise Line.

The students visited the Carnival Cruise Line ship Mardi Gras as part of an environmental tour in celebration of Earth Day. This included visiting the ship’s engine control room, where participants learned about the efficiency of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The group also visited the ship’s galleys, where they saw food digestors in action, breaking down food waste.

Additionally, they toured the onboard recycling center, where waste is sorted and processed, ensuring that as many items as possible are recycled and diverted from landfills. Last year, Carnival Cruise Line processed 11 million pounds of recyclables fleetwide.

Richard Pruitt, vice president of environmental operations for Carnival Cruise Line, who led the tour, said: “At Carnival Cruise Line, we have many proactive initiatives to manage the environmental impact of our fleet and preserve important natural resources. It was our pleasure to welcome members of the Grand Turk community to witness many of those practices first-hand. “

“We hope they came away with a better understanding of the importance we place on environmental protection and the health, safety and well-being of the people in the communities we touch and serve.”

Among the government leaders present during the Mardi Gras environmental tour was Minister of Tourism, Environment, Heritage, Maritime, Gaming and Disaster Management, the Honorable Josephine Connolly.

Minister Connolly commented: “The natural beauty of Turks and Caicos Islands is what sets us apart as an international destination and fuels the tourism that is our nation’s leading economic driver.”

“When global companies like Carnival prioritize the protection of our precious natural resources, it is a win-win for our sustainability goals and for the positive economic impact of tourism to our islands. We are grateful to Carnival for inviting us to see their sustainability initiatives onboard Mardi Gras and for their ongoing environmental efforts.”

Earlier this week, Carnival invited guests behind-the-scenes to see sustainability in action with a new video highlighting onboard environmental initiatives across their fleet of twenty-five cruise ships.

Released ahead of Earth Day, the video shows many different aspects from recycling centers to biodigesters, offering insights how the cruise line is working to keep marine environments clean and healthy.

Carnival’s Environmental Initiatives

Carnival Cruise Line has been working hard in the last few years to become more environmentally friendly and conscious about the cruise line’s impact on its surroundings.

Like many other cruise lines, the last few years have been important for Carnival Cruise Line in establishing a sound environmental policy. One that has had many successes so far.

Stacy Cox, chief executive officer for the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association, said: “For the last 15 years, the TCI Shines initiative has promoted the preservation of the country’s environment, and we were so pleased to incorporate this educational visit aboard Mardi Gras into this year’s program.”

“Carnival’s various efforts to protect and respect the environment serve as a shining example of how members of our tourism industry can be proactive and responsible members of the Turks and Caicos community.”

Carnival’s sustainability initiatives meet and often exceed international and domestic environmental regulations, including the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. 

Each Carnival ship has an environmental officer responsible for overseeing shipboard environmental programs who conducts all environmental training. These combined efforts contribute to Carnival Corporation’s goal of achieving a 40% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030.