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Royal Caribbean Cruises is to enter a new £3.5 million, five-year global partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in a move designed to secure the long-term health of the world’s oceans.

Royal Caribbean cruises is donating £3.5 million to WWF while also reducing its own carbon footprint as it carries five million passengers worldwide

Royal Caribbean cruises is donating £3.5 million to the World Wildlife Fund while also pledging to reduce its own carbon footprint as it carries five million passengers worldwide Image by David Spinks / CC BY 2.0

The company also wants to foster more interest in wildlife in its day-to-day onboard activities and so have also entered a deal with DreamWorks Animation. It means that when its vessel Harmony of the Seas begins its summer launch in the Mediterranean, they will have penguins onboard along with a lion called Alex, a lemur called King Julien and Gloria the hippo.

The Daily Express reports that the animals will be an integral part of the ship’s activities with other wildlife such as Po from Kung Fu Panda. It should be fun, particularly for younger patrons, but the cruise company is looking to raise awareness about ocean conservation while reducing its environmental footprint as it ferries five million passengers on holidays across the globe.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean Chairman and CEO Richard D. Fain says the company has a mantra of continuous improvement while their WWF partnership was a big step forward in protecting the earth’s oceans Image by Woody Hibbard / CC BY 2.0

Royal Caribbean has a target to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 35% within four years as it also seeks to source most of its wild seafood from certified fisheries and about 75% of its farmed seafood. The company is donating £3.5 million to WWF’s global ocean conservation work while building awareness among its customers on conservation issues.

The Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Mr Richard D. Fain, said their mantra now was “continuous improvement” while he added that their WWF deal was a major step forward in protecting the oceans. He said they had set aggressive goals and they would begin trying to reach them “straight away.”

Mr Carter Roberts, WWF US President and CEO, stressed that the threat to the oceans is greater than ever before – with some wildlife having lost over half its stock. He said to get the numbers back up would require a major effort to restore and protect the oceans.