Without the oceans, we wouldn’t exist, so protecting them and marine life is non-negotiable. Following World Oceans Day yesterday, we wanted to shine a spotlight on our long-term partnership with ORCA, a marine conservation charity. They are dedicated to the long-term study and protection of whales, dolphins and porpoises and their habitats in oceans worldwide.
ORCA and Carnival UK have been collaborating for almost 10 years, across both Cunard and P&O Cruises. We work on a range of different initiatives together helping to protect whales, dolphins and porpoises in the global waters that our ships sail. This partnership is helping to safeguard marine spaces globally and help to preserve biodiversity in some of the most important habitats in the ocean.
Our work together ranges from crew training to research to education and outreach onboard. In recent years, two key collaborations have been particularly impactful.
ORCA Ocean Conservationists work as part of the P&O Cruises Guest Speaker programme, and were present on 15 itineraries in 2024. They deliver educational talks and inspiring deck watches to guests whilst also collecting important scientific data to study whales and dolphins. The Guest Speaker programme reaches millions of guests to teach them about impactful marine conservation protection.
Meanwhile they are also monitoring tens of thousands of kilometres of oceans and contributing towards the creation of Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs). In total in 2024, they covered 15,725km, everywhere from the North Sea to the Indo-Pacific Ocean. Click here for the full 2024 roundup.
And on Queen Elizabeth, ORCA have placed a Marine Mammal Observer on board. The Marine Mammal Observer works with the crew to protect large whales during the Alaska season. They also collect unique scientific data to help us understand how whales behave in relation to vessels in this unique geographical area. This has helped to further our knowledge on the way that ships can reduce the risk of vessel strike.
The data collected on Queen Elizabeth was the first evidence that shows that ships can successfully manoeuvre to avoid whales. This led to ORCA being invited to present at the International Whaling Commission’s Scientific Committee based on their findings. Additionally, Queen Elizabeth was flagged as a Gold Medal user of the Whale Alert app in the Whale Alert Olympics. This means they have either logged into the Whale Alert Map for 50+ days or submitted 500+ sightings in 2024.
This is a brilliant partnership and one we hope to see continue into the future. Special thanks to our Environment Team and Entertainment Services Team for all their work in supporting and developing this partnership.
Vice President of Sustainability Sophie Portlock said:
“Our ongoing partnership with ORCA should be a source of pride for everyone. The oceans are our home, and it is our responsibility to minimise our impact in them.
Our partnership with ORCA is just one way in which we are supporting biodiversity and conservation.”
Find out more about our sustainability focus areas and goals here.
Vice President of Sustainability Sophie Portlock said: