We pride ourselves on delivering unforgettable holiday happiness for our guests. It’s at the heart of what we do and key to our success.
We want more of our people to share in our success, as our brands go from strength to strength. That’s what the Shore Employee Share Purchase Plan is designed to do.
The Plan gives you the opportunity to buy shares in Carnival plc, in an easy, tax efficient way. In addition, you’ll get an extra share for every six shares you buy – increasing your investment in the Company and giving you greater opportunity to benefit from its success.
Choosing to invest in the Plan is of course an individual decision and we would encourage each of you to consider this carefully in line with your own personal circumstances. Carnival UK are not liable for any loss made on your investment.
This page has been created to give you as much information as possible to help you make an informed investment decision. Should you have any specific questions we encourage you to seek advice from a qualified Financial Advisor.
Please read the plan employee guide to find out more about eligibility and terms and conditions.
You can also catch up on the webinar delivered by Global Shares for more details of the Plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
To easily navigate your way to the information you’re looking for search the page by selecting ‘Ctrl +F’ and typing a keyword that relates to what you’re searching for.
Eligibility
I’m eligible and haven’t received an invite or have lost my invite, how can I join?
Contact Global Shares and they can resend your account activation email. View the Plan employee guide for contact details.
(**Updated**) Is there an app?
Yes, search for Global Shares in the App Store or Google Play. Once you’ve installed the app you just need to log in with your username and password, and follow the prompts. You’ll be able to see your shares on there and sell if you wanted to.
I live outside of the UK, but still pay tax, can I buy shares?
You can take part in the Plan if you’re a UK taxpayer. Please email the Reward team if you’re unsure if you’re eligible.
I am on secondment overseas but continue to be paid through UK payroll, can I buy shares?
If you’re paying tax in the UK, then you’ll still be able to take part in the Plan. Please email the Reward team if you’re unsure if you’re eligible.
(**Updated**) Can I join if I am on a fixed term contract or secondment?
Yes, you can join if you’re on a fixed term contract or on secondment within the company and have completed three months employment.
Is the plan open to fleet colleagues?
Initially the Plan is only open to shore side colleagues. We’ll be exploring whether it’s something we can extent to shipboard colleagues over time.
(**Updated**) I am on the Restricted Trading List for Carnival plc shares; can I still participate in the Plan?
Yes, you can still participate in the Plan if you’re on the Restricted Trading List however, you must ensure your participation complies with the applicable insider trading rules and Carnival Corporation & plc’s Securities Trading Policy. During a closed period, you’ll not be able to:
- Enrol in the Plan, change your contributions, cancel your participation in the Plan or sell your Plan shares.
Closed periods are subject to change and you’re responsible for verifying whether a closed period is in place at any time by checking the latest closed period notification email and the closed period schedule.
If you’re a Senior Vice President or above/equivalent you’re required to seek advance clearance from Legal prior to taking actions described above.
Please contact Roman Shapurko at rshapurko@carnival.com if you have any questions about the limitations for those on the Restricting Trading List or if you’re a Senior Vice President and wish to obtain clearance.
(**Updated**) Can participation in the Plan have Insider Dealing Implications?
Yes, in accordance with the applicable insider trading rules and Carnival Corporation & plc’s Securities Trading Policy, all employees must ensure they’re not in possession of Inside Information before they enrol in the Plan, change their contributions, cancel participation in the Plan, or sell their Plan shares.
The plan
What price will I pay for partnership shares?
The Carnival plc shares will be bought on the stock market each month, so the price you buy shares at will vary. You can find the current share price easily on the Global Shares Equity Gateway, as well as full details of all your purchases.
How many matching shares will I get?
For every six shares you buy with your own money, the Company will give you another free share. These matching shares will be awarded at the same price as the corresponding partnership shares are purchased at each month, so how many shares you get depends on how much you are contributing to the Plan and the share price when they are bought.
If the total number of partnership shares isn’t a multiple of six, then any unmatched partnership shares will be carried forward and added to those purchased the following month for matching purposes.
What if I want to change the amount I am contributing?
You can change your contribution on the Global Shares Equity Gateway by going to ‘My Contributions’ and selecting ‘Contribution Management’. You can usually change your monthly deductions up to 5th of the month and changes will be applied in the next available payroll. This includes stopping your deductions if you wish. You won’t be able to change your contribution amount between around 5th and 10th of the month when the contributions are being finalised with payroll. Other than that, you can change your contribution amount at any time.
What happens if I stop contributions into the Plan?
If you want to stop contributions, that’s not a problem. Any money that has already been deducted from your wage will buy shares, but nothing will happen after that. Any shares you have already bought will stay in the Plan until you want to sell them or until you leave the company.
**NEW** Can I add a lump sum into the Share Plan?
Yes you can do this at any point in the year subject to the maximum amount you can contribute (£1,800 per tax year) For more information on how to do this look here.
What if I leave the company?
You won’t be able to carry on contributing to the Plan and will need to choose whether to sell your shares or to keep them. If you leave through death, injury, disability, retirement, redundancy or a TUPE transfer then all your partnership, dividend and matching shares must be withdrawn from the Plan at the earliest opportunity, but you won’t have any tax or National Insurance to pay regardless of how long the shares have been held.
If you resign or your fixed term contract comes to an end, then all your partnership, dividend and available matching shares must be withdrawn from the Plan at the earliest opportunity. You’ll have to pay income tax and national insurance on any partnership or matching shares that haven’t been held for at least five years from their original purchase date to the date of leaving. In addition, you’ll forfeit any matching shares that you haven’t held for three or more years from the date they were awarded.
If you’re dismissed, all your matching shares will be forfeited, regardless of how long you’ve held them for.
What is a dividend and when will I get them?
Dividends are payments made by a company to its shareholders. When a company makes a profit, it can either be reinvested into the company or it can be given to the people who own shares in the company as a dividend payment. If a dividend is announced, then you’ll receive a dividend alongside other shareholders, and it will be used to automatically buy more dividend shares on your behalf.
(**Updated**) How often does the company pay dividends?
The payment and timing of any dividend payment is a decision for the Board of Carnival Corp & Plc and wholly at their discretion with no minimum guarantee. As a participant in the employee share scheme you would be entitled to receive any dividend that may be paid in the future.
What happens if I go on parental leave?
If you go on parental leave, your deductions to purchase partnership shares can continue provided you have sufficient salary to cover your chosen monthly investment and it does not exceed 10% of your taxable pay for the year. You can also stop and restart deductions at any time. Provided you leave your shares in the Plan during your parental leave there are no tax consequences.
Will I have to pay any administration costs?
There are no charges to you other than the transaction costs applied by Global Shares if you decide to sell any of your shares. The transaction cost is 0.5% of the overall transaction, or a minimum fee of £25.
*Updated* Can I make a one-off payment to buy shares?
Yes, you can make a one-off payment or a few smaller lump sum payments but the maximum that you can contribute is £1,800 per tax year.
When do I pay tax?
If you withdraw partnership or matching shares before their five-year anniversary then the sale proceeds would be returned to payroll for Income tax and national insurance deductions.
Do I need to do a self-assessment tax return via HMRC?
You may need to do a self-assessment tax return if you sell shares that take you above the capital gains tax allowance. For specific guidance, please consult a qualified Tax Advisor.
Do I need to declare anything?
You don’t need to declare taking part in the Plan in most scenarios as it’s a UK tax approved Plan, however for specific guidance, please consult a qualified Tax Advisor.
Will participating in the scheme impact my pension ie: because money will be deducted from my pre-tax salary?
Contributions from your pay may affect your entitlement to benefits such as a state pension. Information on the effect of deductions from your salary to buy investment shares on entitlement to social security benefits is contained in this leaflet.
(**Updated**) Is there any shareholder benefit? For example, if 100 shares are bought on the open market, you can claim onboard credit when going on a cruise.
There is extra onboard credit given to shareholders who own 100 or more shares who register their individually identified shareholding against the cruise. However, this is not a benefit permitted against cruises booked under the Employee Discounted Cruising scheme and, due to the way that share registry would hold the share trust as the registered owner of the shares rather than you as an individual, this is not a benefit you can access through participation in this Plan.
(**Updated**) Will our existing shareholdings be shown on the Equity Gateway site, or will we still need to see those via EquatePlus?
Any company provided shares as a result of your contract of employment will continue to be accessed via EquatePlus. This Plan is independent of any other share entitlement arrangement.
If you can’t find an answer to your question in either the employee guide or the FAQ’s please email the Reward team.
If your question is related to the use of the Global Shares Equity Gateway or you require access to this platform please contact Global Shares using the contact details available in the employee guide.
Should you have any specific questions we encourage you to seek advice from a qualified Financial Advisor.