Royal Caribbean Group marked World Oceans Day on June 6, 2024, by announcing a partnership with Inter Miami CF, Miami’s international football club, to sponsor coral restoration expeditions through the University of Miami’s Rescue a Reef program. Hosting a coral expedition with the university’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, the event featured Inter Miami CF midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi.
Cremaschi took a dive at the “Royal Caribbean Group Reef,” a new site off the coast of Miami designated for coral research and rehabilitation, to begin what will be the planting of over 1,000 coral colonies on reefs near Miami’s shoreline.
“As a Key Biscayne native, I’ve always had a special appreciation for the ocean. That’s why it was important to me to team up with Royal Caribbean to do my part in maintaining the health of our oceans,” said Cremaschi.
He added of the experience, “It was amazing to see the Royal Caribbean Group Reef and to help with the restoration project. Our hope is that the work we did inspires continued efforts from the community so we can have a lasting impact together.”
The partnership between Royal Caribbean Group, Inter Miami CF, and the University of Miami’s Rescue a Reef program aims to involve local South Florida communities in hands-on coral gardening and reef restoration over the next six months.
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Said Nick Rose, vice president, head of ESG at Royal Caribbean Group, who joined Cremaschi in the ocean, “Spending a big part of my life around our oceans, first as part of a Navy family and then starting my career as a shipboard environmental officer, I know first-hand how important it is to keep our oceans healthy to sustain our planet.”
“It was an incredible experience to come together with Benjamin and expert researchers to protect the beauty of the oceans and to be able to create opportunities for our local communities to join us.”
New Onboard Conservation Activities
In addition to coral restoration Royal Caribbean Group announced it will be enhancing ocean education for its guests. The company, which operates Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises, has launched a video series in partnership with OceanScope, another University of Miami program that collects data for scientists studying climate and ocean conservation.
The series, available on Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises’ mobile apps and Silverseas’ stateroom TVs, will introduce guests to oceanographic topics and highlight OceanScope’s contributions to ocean data collection and research.
Onboard activities will also support ocean conservation, including walks to support endangered sea turtles and youth programs focused on the importance of healthy oceans.
Royal Caribbean Group, headquartered in Miami, has spent over 20 years researching oceans with the University of Miami Rosensteil School. Additionally, the company supports ShellBank, a genetic technology program that works to prevent illegal sea turtle harvesting and creates conservation sites, and the World Wildlife Fund, which provides worldwide conservation efforts such as tracking polar bears and protecting whale sharks.
Recreational SCUBA divers and snorkelers are invited to contribute to the conservation and restoration efforts. In order to join, volunteers must complete a short online survey. After reviewing eligibility as either a diver or snorkeler, the University of Miami will reach out to organize a coral restoration expedition.
