During the Mardi Gras celebrations, Carnival Cruise Line hosted an environmental ship tour with the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association (TCHTA).

Richard Pruitt, Carnival Cruise Line’s vice president of environmental operations, stated, “Carnival Cruise Line has many proactive initiatives to manage the environmental impact of its fleet and preserve important natural resources.”

In the course of our visit, we were able to see first-hand many of those practices in the Grand Turk community. We hope they learned about the importance we place on environmental protection, as well as the health, safety, and well-being of people in our communities.

Several guests on tour learned about LNG by visiting the ship’s engine control room as part of the TCHTA’s TCI Shines initiative. During the tour, guests saw how food waste is broken down using digestors and how waste is sorted and processed in the recycling center.

“The TCI Shines initiative has been promoting the country’s environmental preservation for 15 years, and we’re pleased to include this educational visit aboard Mardi Gras in this year’s program,” said Stacy Cox, CEO for TCHTA. Our tourism industry can demonstrate its proactive and responsible role as members of the Turks and Caicos community by its various efforts to protect and respect the environment.”.

Several government officials attended the environmental tour, including Acting Governor Anya Williams, Premier C. Washington Misick, Attorney General Rhondalee Knowles, and Tourism, Environment, Heritage, Maritime, Gaming, and Disaster Management Minister Josephine Connolly.

As the nation’s leading economic driver, tourism is fueled by the natural beauty of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Our sustainability goals and our island’s economic development are enhanced when global companies like Carnival prioritize protecting our natural resources. Having seen Carnival’s sustainability initiatives aboard Mardi Gras and their ongoing efforts to protect the environment, we are grateful for their invitation.”