The Tribune

CARNIVAL Cruise Line said it coordinated 17 donations to community organisations in New Providence and Grand Bahama over the past three weeks, as part of what it described as an ongoing partnership with Bahamian civic groups and nonprofits.

The cruise line said the donations were facilitated by calls from nine of its ships to ports in New Providence and Grand Bahama and involved contributions to children’s homes, shelters and other community-based organisations serving families and individuals in need.

According to Carnival, ships involved in the effort included Carnival Celebration, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Glory and Carnival Pride during calls to Celebration Key and Grand Bahama, while Carnival Spirit and Carnival Magic made donations in Nassau. Mardi Gras and Carnival Elation donated supplies at both destinations.

The cruise line said the donations included furniture, bicycles, clothing, hygiene products, household items and televisions. Carnival said the effort was carried out in coordination with port agents, brokers, local authorities and community partners to deliver items requested by recipient organisations.

Philcher Grant, Carnival Cruise Line’s director of public affairs and community engagement, said the initiative was coordinated between ships and local organisations to ensure supplies reached groups working at the community level.

Sarah Dayboll, manager of environmental sustainability at Carnival Cruise Line, said the donations were part of a collaborative effort involving the company’s sustainability, procurement and port teams, working alongside destination partners.

Robert Sands, director of cruise and maritime facilitation at the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, said the ministry assisted in connecting the donations with community organisations across New Providence.

Carnival said the latest donations build on other recent community initiatives in The Bahamas, including support for Lucayan National Park. The cruise line said it partnered last month with the Bahamas National Trust on new park infrastructure, funded through a $30,000 donation for regulatory signage and the construction of a new arbor gate at the park’s southern entrance.

Carnival and Celebration Key also recently donated an ambulance to improve emergency medical response on the island, the company said. In September, Carnival said hundreds of students in Grand Bahama and South Eleuthera received backpacks, uniform vouchers and school supplies through its annual back-to-school initiative, expanded this year in partnership with local government and the Urban Renewal Authority.

Grant said The Bahamas has been a long-standing partner of the cruise line and that Carnival intends to continue supporting community initiatives across the country.