The Tribune

CARNIVAL Corporation has launched a surplus meal donation programme in The Bahamas, beginning with more than 318 pounds of prepared, unserved food distributed to organisations in Grand Bahama.

According to a statement from the company, the meals were offloaded from the Carnival Freedom and Carnival Conquest and donated to the Grand Bahama Children’s Home and the Urban Renewal Authority for distribution within the community.

According to the company, the meals were collected, rapidly chilled, stored and transferred ashore under established food-safety procedures and in compliance with local regulations.

The initiative forms part of Carnival Corporation’s Less Left Over strategy, which aims to reduce food waste across its operations by redirecting surplus meals to communities in ports visited by its ships.

The first donation establishes a framework for additional contributions from cruise ships operating in The Bahamas, the company said.

Marie McKenzie, Carnival Corporation’s senior vice-president of government and destination affairs, said the programme was made possible through partnerships with government officials and community organisations. “Working alongside government leaders and community organizations, we’re able to connect what happens on board our ships with real needs on shore – creating a simple, reliable way to get high-quality surplus meals to people who can benefit from them,” she said.

Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey welcomed the programme, saying it offered a practical way to direct quality meals to people in need. “This initiative reflects a shared commitment to addressing real needs in a practical way, ensuring that quality meals can reach those who need them most,” Ms Moxey said.

Carnival Corporation said it has also carried out more than 20 ship donations in New Providence, Grand Bahama and Eleuthera since late 2025.

Furniture, clothing, bicycles and other household goods have been donated to families, schools, community centres and charitable organisations. The company said 19 organisations working in disaster relief, youth development, education, healthcare and social services have benefited from those donations.

Carnival Corporation operates Celebration Key in Grand Bahama and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, through Carnival Cruise Line’s Paradise Collection.

Its surplus meal programme was launched in 2017 and now operates in 20 ports worldwide. The company said more than 320,000 meal portions had been donated globally by the end of 2025. The expansion into The Bahamas follows recent launches in Roatan, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic.