“We hope the people of The Bahamas are as happy to see Carnival back as we are to be here”
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Carnival Cruise Line executives said The Bahamas remains an important destination for the cruise line, with its proximity to the United States serving as a “real advantage” as it marked its return to Caribbean waters.
Carnival’s liquid natural gas (LNG)-powered Mardi Gras ship arrived in Nassau Friday with more than 4,000 passengers, who were able to disembark and enjoy the island, according to cruise line President Christine Duffy.
Duffy explained that as the COVID-19 situation improves, the vessel will bring almost 6,000 passengers every other week.
“We have over 4,100 guests that are on board with us and this ship is only sailing with about 70 percent of its full capacity,” said Duffy.
“So, in the future, as things evolve with the restart, we’ll have close to 6,000 guests that will be coming. This ship will sail here as part of our Eastern Caribbean itinerary.”
She further noted that by October 15, Carnival ships will have begun sailing with passengers once again after a 16-month pause because of the pandemic.
“As you may know, we call on five different places here in The Bahamas and its proximity to our US homeports where we bring our ships from is obviously a real advantage, but also the experience, the warmth, the different things and different destinations that our guests enjoy when we come to The Bahamas on our Eastern Caribbean itineraries,” said Duffy.
“We’re very excited to be back after such a long pause in our business and we hope that the people of The Bahamas are as happy to see Carnival back as we are to be here.”
Carnival’s Vice President of Environmental Operations Richard Pruitt, speaking to environmental concerns regarding the cruise industry, noted that the Mardi Gras has unique features that ensure it has the lowest impact possible on the waters it sails in.
He noted that much of the waste produced by humans, through cooking or through ballast water, is either meticulously cleaned with filters and ultraviolet light before being discharged overboard, or is stored until it can be properly disposed of.
“With LNG, you can see that it’s almost a complete elimination of those pollutants — sulfur dioxide, smog, particulate matter,” said Pruitt.
“For every kilometer this ship sails, we’re generating about 27.5 percent less CO2 than we would on another type of fuel. So, across the board, LNG is a huge improvement.”
