Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise shipowner, successfully lowered its per-guest food waste by 44% in 2024 compared to 2019—a milestone achieved a year ahead of its 2025 goal of 40% and advancing toward a 50% reduction by 2030.
This achievement is attributed to the expansive "Less Left Over" initiative, which spans every phase of food handling aboard its ships and on shore. The initiative incorporates real-time analytics, AI-enhanced systems, and refined dining practices—including precise ingredient purchasing, adaptable menu planning, optimized portion sizes, and food plating that both delights and reduces waste.
Since 2019, this approach has yielded over US $250 million in savings through sharper control over provisioning and meal services for nearly 13.5 million annual guests.
Surplus food that remains has found purpose through charitable donations to food banks and upcycling efforts—transformed into vegan soap or converted into biofuel for tour buses in Alaska.
For material that cannot be repurposed, the company relies on onboard biodigesters—now numbering over 630—that mimic natural digestion to reduce waste to a small liquid residue, and over 90 dehydrators that remove moisture, reducing dry scraps by around 90%. The resulting pulp is then converted into compost or mulch.
Taken together, these measures advance a circular‑economy model aboard Carnival’s fleet—transforming provisioning, preparation, and disposal into a seamless, resource-conscious system.
Carnival’s efforts extend beyond regulatory compliance, embodying an ongoing commitment to sustainability and operational efficiency that underpins its broader environmental objectives and long-term stakeholder value.