World's largest cruise company reinforces GHG intensity goal with new 25% reduction target by 2029, raising previous goal by five percentage points and accelerating timeline by one year

New target follows company achieving original 2030 goal five years early thanks to its comprehensive decarbonization strategy

MIAMI, Aug. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL), the world's largest cruise company, announced a new sustainability target to achieve a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity by 2029, measured on an available lower berth days basis compared to its 2019 baseline. After successfully reaching its 2030 goal five years ahead of schedule – cutting GHG emissions intensity by 20% in 2025 – the company raised its original target an ambitious five percentage points and accelerated its timeline to achieve the goal a full year early in 2029. The efficiency work behind that milestone is also showing up on the bottom line with fuel-efficiency gains on track to save the company roughly $650 million in 2026 alone versus 2019 levels.

Carnival Corporation's progress, detailed in its newly published 2025 Sustainability Report, is driven by a comprehensive decarbonization strategy focused on operational improvements, energy efficiency investments and low-GHG power generation. Together, these efforts have delivered sustained emissions reductions over nearly two decades. Since 2008, the company has reduced its GHG emissions intensity by 44%, meaning emissions associated with each guest sailing have been cut roughly in half during that period.

"Achieving our 2030 GHG reduction goal five years early is a significant milestone that reflects years of disciplined investment, innovation and operational focus across our global fleet," said Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation. "But we're not treating it as a finish line. Our new 2029 target ensures we're continuing to improve every part of the equation, from using less fuel to advancing the tools, technologies and infrastructure that will help us lower emissions even further over time. That's good for the planet, good for our business and gives us real confidence in the road ahead."

To achieve its 2029 target, Carnival Corporation's decarbonization strategy prioritizes lowering energy use today while developing the flexibility to pursue multiple fuel pathways in the future:

Operational Improvements & Energy Efficiency Investments

One way Carnival Corporation reduces its GHG emissions intensity is by continuously improving ship operations and adopting technologies that lower energy use across its fleet. Together, these efforts help reduce fuel consumption, drive performance and support the company's ongoing emissions reduction goals, while maintaining the award-winning guest experiences its cruise lines are known for.

Operational enhancements, including smart itinerary planning and voyage optimization tools, help identify the most fuel-efficient routes and sailing patterns. Carnival Corporation is also integrating technologies that reduce energy demand, improve hydrodynamic performance and capture energy that would otherwise be wasted. These efforts range from Power Saver Packs that reduce HVAC and lighting loads to waste heat recovery systems and Air Lubrication Systems that help ships move more efficiently through the water. Complementing these initiatives, seven new ships scheduled to join the fleet through 2033 are expected to deliver more than 20% greater efficiency per passenger than current ships.

Low-GHG Power Generation

At the same time, Carnival Corporation is investing in a range of low-GHG technologies and solutions, recognizing that no single approach alone will deliver net-zero ship operations. This includes a growing fleet of LNG-powered ships, expanded shore power capabilities that allow ships to connect to local electrical grids while in port, increased biofuel use as more supply comes online and peak energy use shaving with battery storage systems. Together, these investments are advancing lower-emission operations today while building flexibility to adopt future energy solutions as they mature.

Carnival Corporation's decarbonization strategy is a cornerstone of its climate action efforts and is one of its many planet-focused initiatives, which also include programs to advance a circular economy model, support biodiversity and conservation, and promote sustainable tourism. To learn more about Carnival Corporation's purpose and its commitment to sustainability, visit Our Impact.

This release may include claims related to our GHG emissions reductions, goals, initiatives, accomplishments and progress reports. Supporting data for such GHG emissions claims, including data verification information, is published annually in our Sustainability Reports on carnivalcorp.com/impact.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How did Carnival Corporation reduce its carbon emissions intensity by 20% since 2019?

Snippet answer: Carnival Corporation achieved a 20% reduction in carbon emissions intensity in 2025 (vs. its 2019 baseline) through fleet transformation, operational efficiencies and investments in energy-efficient and low-GHG technologies. A significant contributor has been its fleet transformation strategy, introducing LNG-powered and more energy-efficient ships while retiring its less-efficient vessels.

A: Carnival Corporation achieved a 20% reduction in carbon emissions intensity in 2025 (vs. its 2019 baseline) through a combination of fleet transformation, operational efficiencies and investments in energy-efficient and low-GHG technologies. A significant contributor has been the company's strategic fleet restructuring, which introduced a new generation of more energy-efficient ships, pioneered 11 LNG-powered cruise vessels, and retired 27 older, less efficient ships since 2019. Boldly investing in next-generation ship technology while advancing energy-saving systems and optimizing operational performance has greatly improved fuel efficiency and lowered per-guest GHG emissions. This achievement builds on nearly two decades of progress. Since 2008, the company has reduced its GHG emissions intensity by 44%, cutting per-guest emissions nearly in half in that time.

Q: What operational improvements is Carnival Corporation making to cut its carbon emission intensity?

Snippet answer: Carnival Corporation is cutting its carbon emission intensity through a range of operational refinements and technology investments – from smart itinerary routing, strategic destination development, robotic hull cleaning and more. Together they help squeeze greater efficiency out of every voyage while still delivering award-winning guest experiences.

A: One way Carnival Corporation is cutting its carbon emission intensity is by using less fuel – the result of hundreds of operational refinements and technology investments that squeeze more energy efficiency out of every voyage while still delivering its cruise lines' award-winning guest experiences. A few examples include:

Smart routing: Advanced voyage optimization, weather routing and itinerary planning tools find the most fuel-efficient path between ports with no trade-off in guest experience.
Strategic destination development: Exclusive destinations like its new Celebration Key in The Bahamas enable more efficient itineraries and sailing patterns while leveling up the guest experience.
Clean hulls: Robotic hull inspection and cleaning reduce drag and improve performance, lowering fuel use fleetwide.

Q: What energy efficiency investments is Carnival Corporation making to cut fuel use?

Snippet answer: Carnival Corporation is cutting fuel use through Power Saver Packs (HVAC, LED, energy management), Air Lubrication Systems and Azipod propulsion – plus seven new ships arriving through 2033 that are 20%+ more efficient.

A: Carnival Corporation is cutting fuel use through fleet-wide energy-efficiency investments. Power Saver Packs – including HVAC upgrades, LED lighting and advanced energy management systems – are now installed on about 80% of the company's ships, shaving annual shipboard energy demand by about 535,000 megawatt-hours versus 2019. Air Lubrication Systems on 13 ships reduce propulsion energy needs by around 5%, while Azipod propulsion on more than 40 ships can trim fuel use by up to 10%. Seven new ships scheduled for delivery through 2033 will be over 20% more efficient than the ships they replace.

Q: What low-GHG technologies is Carnival Corporation using across its fleet?

Snippet answer: Carnival Corporation uses a range of low-carbon technologies across its fleet – including LNG propulsion, shore power, biofuels and battery energy storage – because no single solution alone can deliver net-zero ship operations.

A: Carnival Corporation is investing in a range of low-carbon technologies and solutions to reduce GHG emissions, including LNG propulsion, shore power, biofuels and battery energy storage – because no single solution alone will deliver net-zero ship operations. The company now operates 11 LNG-powered ships, about 21% of fleet capacity, with seven more scheduled for delivery through 2033. Shore power capability has expanded to 74% of the fleet, letting ships switch off engines and connect to local electrical grids in port when the infrastructure allows – something they did during roughly 1,460 port calls in 2025. As part of its 2030 sustainability goals, the company aims to achieve 80% fleetwide shore power connection capability by 2030, a target it is well on its way to reaching. Carnival Corporation is also growing fleetwide biofuel use and operates a 10 MWh battery energy storage system aboard AIDAprima (the largest in the cruise industry). Together, these investments advance lower-GHG operations while building flexibility for future energy solutions.

About Carnival Corporation

Carnival Corporation is the largest global cruise company and among the largest leisure travel companies, with a portfolio of world-class cruise lines – AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Seabourn. Carnival Corporation Ltd. trades under the ticker symbol CCL on the NYSE and is a member of the S&P 500.

For more information, please visit www.carnivalcorp.com, www.aida.de, www.carnival.com, www.costacruises.com, www.cunard.com, www.hollandamerica.com, www.pocruises.com, www.princess.com, and www.seabourn.com.

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SOURCE Carnival Corporation Ltd.