Carnival Corporation Strengthens Partnerships Across ABC Islands

Carnival Corporation is strengthening its ties to the ABC Islands by bringing together executives, government officials, community partners and local students during diplomatic summer ship visits aboard the Carnival Horizon in Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. 

The visits, held primarily in late August, featured Carnival Horizon’s captain and shipboard team welcoming students across all three islands, along with destination leaders. 

Sarah Beth Reno, chief operating officer of Carnival Cruise Line, and Marie McKenzie, senior vice president of government and destination affairs for Carnival Corporation, led the visits. 

“Strong destination partnerships are an important part of the cruise experience, and these visits allow us to engage directly with the people and organizations that help make each destination successful,” said McKenzie. “By bringing students aboard and supporting local education initiatives, we can help introduce the next generation to the many career opportunities available across the cruise and tourism industries.”

Marie McKenzie joins Carnival executives, ship officers and government and tourism sector representatives from Bonaire aboard Carnival Horizon during a visit. (Photo Credit: Carnival Corporation & plc)

Advancing Local Education

Part of the visits provided visible support for local education initiatives across the ABC Islands. In Curaçao, students from the Curaçao Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre went onboard to learn about cruise operations firsthand. 

Additionally, Carnival Corporation supports Aruba and Bonaire’s Buki di Pret, which provides island children with free or reduced-cost access to summer program activities and attractions. 

Destination Leadership 

Carnival executives met with destination leaders across the islands, including Aruba’s minister of tourism, transport and labor, Wendrick Cicilia; Elesiër Angel, CEO of Tourism Corporation Bonaire; and Zulaika Mook, Curaçao’s senior director of economic development and innovation at the Ministry of Economic Development.

“We value the relationships we have built with our partners across Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, and these visits provide an opportunity for meaningful dialogue and collaboration,” said Reno. “We also want to ensure that our engagement extends beyond the guest experience by supporting education and creating opportunities for students to learn more about the cruise industry.”

 

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