Royal Caribbean
/OVERVIEW: Royal Caribbean is the second-largest cruise line in the world. It controls 17% of the world cruise market. As part of its corporate responsibility strategy, Royal supports work on climate, key species, eco-friendly technology, and education.
IP TAKE: This is not a transparent funder, but grantseekers can contact the organization to introduce themselves.
PROFILE: Royal Caribbean was founded in 1968 by hospitality entrepreneur Ed Stephan and three Norwegian ship owners, Sigurd Skaugen, Anders Wilhemsen and Gotaas Larsen. This funder’s philanthropy seeks “to support efforts to restore and maintain a healthy marine environment, minimize the impact of human activity on this environment, and promote awareness of ocean and coastal issues and respect for marine life.” As a result, most of Royal Caribbean’s Giving relates to marine conservation; however, it also invests in climate change, key marine species, innovative technologies and targeted education.
Grants for Marine, Climate Change and Clean Energy
Royal Caribbean’s climate change related funding prioritizes research and emerging oceanic threats, marine protected areas, and coral reef support. Past grants include the World Wildlife Fund, to help protect the whale shark, and train teachers and student leaders in an environmental education school curriculum in 47 public elementary schools in Donsol, Philippines. It also supported the Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, and the Marine Conservation Society. While Royal prioritizes established organizations, it also supports a handful of smaller organizations each year.
Grants for K-12 Education
Royal Caribbean devotes “a good deal” of its philanthropy to education programs, including its “owned and operated school in Haiti” and “back-to-school drives at [its] south Florida headquarters.” It seeks “to be a part of changing lives and educating the next generation.” Past support includes Miami-Dade County Public Schools, where “RCL employees give back to local schools through hands-on beautification projects including building sensory gardens and repainting school campuses.”
Grants for Humanitarian and Disaster Relief
While Royal does not seem to have a program dedicated to disaster relief efforts, it does make financial and material donations in this area. In the wake of the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Royal supported the construction of L’Ecole Nouvelle Royal Caribbean, a K-9 school complex “to support long-term recovery.” It also “provided over 8,000 pounds of ice; 42,000 rolls of toilet paper; 450 generators and 25 pallets of medical supplies” to support Puerto Rico after Hurricanes Irma and Maria hit the island in 2017.
Important Grant Details:
Grants mostly range between about $20,000 and $40,000.
Information about Royal Caribbean’s giving is embedded in its corporate website, making it difficult to understand its philanthropic priorities.
Royal Caribbean does not appear to accept applications for funding or provide a direct way of getting in touch with its philanthropic staff.
The best way to contact this corporate funder may be through its LinkedIn page.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
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