PLACE

We aim to be a force for good in the communities we visit. We stimulate the local economy by procuring food and beverage items for our ships. Our guests contribute too when they buy excursions, meals or souvenirs from local vendors.

 

In popular destinations, we typically work with tour providers who employ locally and support them as they build their business. This helps to generate jobs and engage with the local community to create shared value.

When we develop our private island destinations, including the Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Portuguese Island and Pomene, we always give a strong preference to employing local staff to build and maintain shore operations.

 

 

 

We transformed Ocean Cay from an abandoned industrial facility to a pristine destination, creating a remote, natural desert island experience for our cruise guests. Despite the challenges of 2020, the benefits of our environmentally sensitive development became apparent, as the biodiversity increased in both the water, on land and in the air.

During 2020, there was to an increase in avian wildlife and the return of many bird species, including breeding pairs, as well as an increase in migrating populations. Waterbirds including herons, egrets and oystercatchers and are now frequently spotted and there have also been occasional sightings of birds of prey, including osprey and kestrels.

 

The waters around Ocean Cay are designated as a Marine Protected Area (MPA) which means commercial fishing is restricted and other measures are in place to protect and enhance biodiversity. Our efforts to remove significant quantities of scrap metal waste from the waters around the island has resulted in dramatic improvements in the local ecology and marine life has become more diverse. Now sea turtle sightings are common.