Sun and fun are the hallmarks of most cruise vacations, but Carnival Corporation is taking the power of sunshine to new levels as it opens two more solar parks at key port destinations in the Caribbean.
The company, owner of eight major brands including its namesake Carnival Cruise Line, announced on March 18, 2025 that it has added renewable energy projects to its Mahogany Bay Cruise Center on Roatan island, off the Honduras coast, and at Puerta Maya, Cozumel.
The two new solar installations join earlier projects that Carnival Corporation launched in 2024 at the Dominican Republic’s Amber Cove Cruise Center and at two cruise terminals in Barcelona.
The solar park at Amber Cove will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 1,000 tons per year – roughly the equivalent to planting some 30,000 trees, while the project at Barcelona will provide enough power to run operations at the port’s Terminal D (Palacruceros) and Terminal E (Helix Cruise Center).
The new installations in the Caribbean include 400 solar panels that will supply upward of 70% of the energy needed to run the port at Mahogany Bay, and enough power to run the cruise terminal at Puerta Maya.
“Our investments in solar energy are a testament to our commitment to embedding sustainability into our operations, while also creating meaningful benefits for the communities where we operate,” said Juan Fernandez, Vice President of Destination Operations at Carnival Corporation.
“We are focused not only on delivering unforgettable vacation experiences for our guests but also on making a lasting, positive impact in our destinations, preserving the natural beauty and charm that makes them so unique,” Fernandez added.
The investment in solar energy also boosts job creation in the destinations and illustrates Carnival Corporation’s commitment to growing the local economies.
Officials in the destinations welcome the cruise giant’s energy projects, seeing them as further evidence of the company’s environmental advocacy.
Said Ron McNab, mayor of Roatan: ”This investment in renewable energy not only strengthens the environmental sustainability of Mahogany Bay but also reinforces Roatán’s position as a leading eco-conscious destination.”
Both Cruise Centers Are Leading Caribbean Destinations
Carnival Corporation opened the Mahogany Bay Cruise Center in 2009 and since then, it has welcomed millions of cruisers to the destination, which is famous for its beaches, marine life, and local culture.
In fact, the beach at Mahogany Bay is already a leader in environmental policy, having received the prestigious Blue Flag 5-Star certification from the Denmark-based Foundation for Environmental Education.
To earn the certification, beaches must meet a wide range of criteria tied to water quality, environmental management, and accessibility, among others.
Puerta Maya, which opened on Cozumel’s southwest coast in 1997, is a lively port with a busy marketplace offering goods from local artisans and a selection of restaurants.
It expects to welcome about 1.8 million cruise guests in 2025, with more than 40% of them arriving on ships operated by Carnival Corporation brands.
Both the Mahogany Bay and Puerta Maya cruise centers are key to local employment, bringing business to area tour operators and other vendors.
In addition to solar energy projects, the Carnival Corporation brands — Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O Cruises, Costa Cruises, and AIDA Cruises, promote environmental responsibility in various ways at the community level.
These initiatives include coastal clean-up programs, conservation and tree-planting initiatives, and coral reef preservation, among others. Onboard its ships, the company’s brands have advanced waste management and recycling systems, and are expanding their capacity for using shore power connectivity while in port.
Several ships across the brands are powered by liquified natural gas (LNG), which reduces the emission of greenhouse gases.
