Donations begin at Amber Cove in Puerto Plata, making the Dominican Republic the second Latin American country to join the initiative and bringing the program to 19 ports worldwide

Milestone builds on Carnival Corporation’s long-standing commitment to the Dominican Republic through local partnerships and community engagement in Puerto Plata

Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company, today announced the expansion of its surplus meal donation program to the Dominican Republic, marking the second Latin American country to join the company’s initiative to safely redirect prepared, unserved meals to local communities where its ships visit.

As part of Carnival Corporation’s Less Left Over food waste reduction strategy, the donation of approximately 200 portions of prepared, unserved meals from Carnival Cruise Line’s Mardi Gras was provided to the Archdiocese of Puerto Plata, Carnival Corporation’s local program partner, for distribution to area organizations assisting families and the elderly. Supported by government collaboration, coordination with local partners ashore and Carnival Cruise Line’s culinary teams, the effort is designed to move meals from ship to shore safely and consistently. The program is expected to expand quickly to all Carnival Cruise Line ships calling on Amber Cove.

With the addition of the Dominican Republic, the program has expanded to 19 ports since launching in 2017, helping address food insecurity in port communities where the company’s ships visit. As of year-end 2025, the program has provided more than 320,000 meal portions to global communities since its inception, with plans to continue expanding the model into new markets.

“Bringing our surplus meal donation program to the Dominican Republic is an important part of expanding this work across Latin America,” said Vicky Rey, vice president of government relations for Latin America, Carnival Corporation. “This work depends on clear processes, strong coordination with government and local partners, and a shared commitment to supporting the local community. Amber Cove’s long-standing presence in Puerto Plata gives us a strong foundation to build on. We are grateful to the Archdiocese of Puerto Plata for serving as our local program partner, to our business partner Fabio Valenzuela, advisor to Rannik Group, and to government authorities for helping make this possible.”

“We value Carnival Corporation’s continued investment in Puerto Plata and its work with the Archdiocese of Puerto Plata to help ensure these meals reach organizations serving people in need,” said Claritza Rochtte Peralta de Senior, governor of Puerto Plata. “This donation reflects the value of bringing the right partners together to support communities across the province.”

The announcement builds on Carnival Corporation’s long-standing role in Puerto Plata through Amber Cove, which opened in 2015 as an $85 million cruise destination that helped return cruise tourism to the region after more than three decades. Since then, Amber Cove has welcomed approximately seven million visitors, helped position Puerto Plata as a leading Caribbean cruise destination and created opportunities for local tour operators, artisans, vendors, transportation providers and small businesses.

The meal donation milestone adds to Carnival Corporation’s broader work with local partners in Puerto Plata, including Maimón Basura Cero, a collaboration with the District Municipality of Maimón and Fundación Héroes del Medio Ambiente that is nearing completion of its third and final phase. The initiative is designed to strengthen local waste management by reducing solid waste sent from Maimón to the Puerto Plata landfill, encouraging separation at the source and supporting recycling and circular economy opportunities within the community.

As the leading cruise operator in the Dominican Republic, Carnival Corporation’s eight global cruise lines will visit six Dominican ports in 2026, bringing more than 1.3 million guests and representing 50% of the country’s cruise market share.