Carnival Extends Meal Donations to Feed Families in the Dominican Republic

Carnival Cruise Line is doing more than just stopping at ports — it’s giving back to the communities it visits in a meaningful way.

Carnival Corporation Brings Surplus Meal Donations to the Dominican Republic

Carnival Corporation has expanded its food donation program to the Dominican Republic. This makes it the second Latin American country to join the initiative.

What Is the Surplus Meal Donation Program?

The program takes prepared, unserved meals from cruise ships and donates them to local communities. Instead of throwing away extra food, the meals go to people who need them most.

This effort is part of Carnival Corporation’s Less Left Over food waste reduction strategy. The goal is simple: reduce waste and help local communities at the same time.

How It Works in Puerto Plata

The cruise ship Mardi Gras donated around 200 meal portions during a recent visit. Those meals went to the Archdiocese of Puerto Plata, a local partner organization.

From there, the food was shared with area groups that help families and elderly residents. The whole effort involved teamwork between Carnival’s culinary staff, local partners, and government officials.

“This work depends on clear processes, strong coordination with government and local partners, and a shared commitment to supporting the local community,” said Vicky Rey, Vice President of Government Relations for Latin America at Carnival Corporation.

Plans to Grow the Program

Carnival plans to roll out the program to all its ships that stop at Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic. That’s great news for one of the country’s busiest cruise destinations.

“Bringing our surplus meal donation program to the Dominican Republic is an important part of expanding this work across Latin America,” Rey added.

The company also expressed thanks to its local partners. “We are grateful to the Archdiocese of Puerto Plata for serving as our local program partner, to our business partner Fabio Valenzuela, advisor to Rannik Group, and to government authorities for helping make this possible,” Rey said.

The Program’s Growing Impact

Carnival launched this donation program back in 2017. It has since grown to cover 19 ports around the world.

By the end of 2025, the program will have provided more than 320,000 meal portions to communities globally. And there are plans to keep expanding into new markets.

Carnival’s Big Presence in the Dominican Republic

Carnival Corporation has deep ties to the Dominican Republic. The company opened Amber Cove in 2015 as an $85 million cruise destination. It helped bring cruise tourism back to the region after more than 30 years.

In 2026, Carnival’s eight cruise lines will visit six Dominican ports. They expect to bring more than 1.3 million guests, representing 50% of the country’s total cruise market.

It’s a big deal for the region — and programs like this one show that the relationship goes well beyond tourism.