Cruise and Ferry Review - Summer/Spring 2020

1 9 Working with partners while designing cruise ships helps Carnival Corporation to develop innovations like Bolt, the first at-sea roller coaster, which will debut on Mardi Gras of meals to guests every year, so we want to optimise food management to significantly cut waste and reduce our environmental impact.” To achieve that, Carnival Corporation has become the first in the cruise industry to trial innovative food waste bio-digester technology in galleys onboard 15 of its ships. Operational 24 hours a day, the machines use a combination of microorganisms to naturally break down food particles and turn organic waste into a liquid that can be safely and legally discharged into the ocean. The machines also have a screen filter to capture any small plastics and other non-organic debris that has accidentally mixed with food waste and separate it from the liquid. “The bio-digesters produce less greenhouse gases than conventional food waste processing systems, thereby reducing our carbon footprint,” says Donald. “We’ve already seen positive results, so we’ll continue to expand their use across our global fleet.” New ships are also on the horizon for 2020 and beyond, with a total of 16 vessels being delivered by the end of 2025, including four in 2020. Set to debut in Southampton, England, in May, Iona will be P&O Cruises’ first LNG- powered ship and the greenest cruise ship to homeport in the UK. Designed for the British market, the vessel will boast highlights such as a top-deck SkyDome entertainment venue and the first gin distillery at sea. Also set to launch in Southampton this year is Princess Cruises’ fifth Royal-class ship, Enchanted Princess. She will be the second purpose- built MedallionClass ship, offering new venues and personalised experiences activated by the Ocean Medallion device. In October, Costa will inaugurate Costa Firenze, which has interiors inspired by Florence, Italy, but onboard elements designed specifically for the Chinese market, such as Chinese cuisine and karaoke. November will see Carnival welcoming Mardi Gras, which will be the first LNG-powered cruise ship in North America and offer the first roller coaster at sea and the only at-sea restaurant by famed New Orleans chef Emeril Lagasse. “New ships are always exciting – it’s like welcoming a new child or, more accurately at my age, a new grandchild, which everyone knows is even better!” he quips. “Each one of the four ships will be iconic for its own brand and gives us an opportunity to offer our guests the latest innovations in onboard features and amenities, which will help to inspire more travellers to take a cruise.” As always, Donald is full of praise for the hundreds of partners who have been involved in empowering Carnival Corporation to take these ships from the drawing board to the sea. “Cruise ships are essentially mini cosmopolitan cities made up of thousands KEYNOTE