Carnival pleads guilty to pollution, probation violations; cruise line fined $20M

[mevelandry]

Princess (which I believe you've said you sailed as a kid) is part of the Carnival Corporation.

Yes, a lot of people assume that it was Carnival cruise line ship but they don't realize that they have other "brands".

 

[Pens Fan]

Didn't the judge threaten to hold the execs personally responsible? That would be a step in the right direction, since they are the ones putting up with and maybe even encouraging that behaviour. Also agree. Why do they have permits to Glacier Bay when they are trashing the place?

I agree the GB permits should be revoked. What is infuriating is that Princess, which is pretty much the top dog in Alaska for cruising, started this whole mess. They received the initial fine a couple of years ago for illegally dumping contaminated water into the ocean and then deliberately covering it up. This was no, oops - we made a mistake and promise to do better thing. It was an intentional act. https://www.theguardian.com/environ...ises-given-record-fine-for-dumping-oil-at-sea

And while no cruise ship is exactly environmentally friendly, this goes above and beyond that, IMHO. I was pretty shocked when the NPS issued their new 10 year permits this year and Princess was still in the mix. I had hoped that maybe it was sign that they had taken the initial fine to heart and changed their ways. Apparently that's not the case, as proven by the continued violations not only by Princess, but throughout the entire Carnival Corporation. To me, at least, it's pretty telling when a corporation that knows it's under additional scrutiny still doesn't take the necessary steps to come into compliance.

Reading the part about the Carnival ship discharging plastic particularly hits home to me. My husband and I took a Carnival cruise for our honeymoon back in 1985. It was wonderful except for one very disturbing incident that put us off of cruising for a very long time. One night we were out on one of the upper decks, all alone enjoying the moonlit night. Romantic, right? It was, right up until the moment we noticed this enormous discharge of trash being released off of the back of the ship. I'm talking mounds of trash shooting out into the ocean. We were horrified and swore off cruising for a very long time. We didn't take another cruise until we tried DCL in 2009, under the impression that the industry had wised up and was at least trying to reduce their harmful impact on the environment.

Sorry for the long winded rant, but I have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that the NPS which should be protecting these fragile places is apparently turning a blind eye to these violations. I guess the almighty $$$ prevails.

 

[Dug720]

I agree the GB permits should be revoked. What is infuriating is that Princess, which is pretty much the top dog in Alaska for cruising, started this whole mess. They received the initial fine a couple of years ago for illegally dumping contaminated water into the ocean and then deliberately covering it up. This was no, oops - we made a mistake and promise to do better thing. It was an intentional act. https://www.theguardian.com/environ...ises-given-record-fine-for-dumping-oil-at-sea

And while no cruise ship is exactly environmentally friendly, this goes above and beyond that, IMHO. I was pretty shocked when the NPS issued their new 10 year permits this year and Princess was still in the mix. I had hoped that maybe it was sign that they had taken the initial fine to heart and changed their ways. Apparently that's not the case, as proven by the continued violations not only by Princess, but throughout the entire Carnival Corporation. To me, at least, it's pretty telling when a corporation that knows it's under additional scrutiny still doesn't take the necessary steps to come into compliance.

Reading the part about the Carnival ship discharging plastic particularly hits home to me. My husband and I took a Carnival cruise for our honeymoon back in 1985. It was wonderful except for one very disturbing incident that put us off of cruising for a very long time. One night we were out on one of the upper decks, all alone enjoying the moonlit night. Romantic, right? It was, right up until the moment we noticed this enormous discharge of trash being released off of the back of the ship. I'm talking mounds of trash shooting out into the ocean. We were horrified and swore off cruising for a very long time. We didn't take another cruise until we tried DCL in 2009, under the impression that the industry had wised up and was at least trying to reduce their harmful impact on the environment.

Sorry for the long winded rant, but I have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that the NPS which should be protecting these fragile places is apparently turning a blind eye to these violations. I guess the almighty $$$ prevails.

I hear you!

I plan to post the link above on my FB and encourage people to email them to revoke the permits given to any Carnival Corporation ship. Maybe we can make a difference,

 

[DenLo]

Don't you think Princess should be banned from cruising the area that they polluted? That would be the Bahamas which happens to be the location of their private island and the UK (Southhampton). That would hurt them a lot. We cruise often with Princess and I am very disappointed with them. But Carnival is just as much to blame as they should have caught the fact that expenditures for separating food and plastic was too low as well as expenditures for storage and processing gray water ashore. They should have fired every manager and employee involved as well as suspended the Captains or maybe even demoted them.

 

[mevelandry]

Don't you think Princess should be banned from cruising the area that they polluted? That would be the Bahamas which happens to be the location of their private island and the UK (Southhampton). That would hurt them a lot. We cruise often with Princess and I am very disappointed with them. But Carnival is just as much to blame as they should have caught the fact that expenditures for separating food and plastic was too low as well as expenditures for storage and processing gray water ashore. They should have fired every manager and employee involved as well as suspended the Captains or maybe even demoted them.

I couldn't agree more. And the message should be sent to all of those who are making decisions that it is what is going to happen if they violate the laws.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Don't you think Princess should be banned from cruising the area that they polluted? That would be the Bahamas which happens to be the location of their private island and the UK (Southhampton). That would hurt them a lot. We cruise often with Princess and I am very disappointed with them. But Carnival is just as much to blame as they should have caught the fact that expenditures for separating food and plastic was too low as well as expenditures for storage and processing gray water ashore. They should have fired every manager and employee involved as well as suspended the Captains or maybe even demoted them.

Yes, but I think we singled out the Glacier National Park because it is a national park that supposedly the U.S. would like to keep pristine. They only allow a limited number of ships into the area and the licences were just renewed (for 10 years) this year. It seems so fake to tell them not to pollute - twice - and then give them a renewed exclusive licence when other lines (DCL) would love to get a licence.

 

[NancyIL]

Yes, but I think we singled out the Glacier National Park because it is a national park that supposedly the U.S. would like to keep pristine. They only allow a limited number of ships into the area and the licences were just renewed (for 10 years) this year. It seems so fake to tell them not to pollute - twice - and then give them a renewed exclusive licence when other lines (DCL) would love to get a licence.

I read that RCCL (parent company to Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara) will get 153 Glacier Bay permits per year for the next 10 years - beginning Oct. 1, 2019 (for the 2020 Alaska cruise season and beyond). Maybe those permits came at Carnival's expense. https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2019/03/29/royal-caribbean-receives-permission-sail-glacier-bay

 

[Kennywood]

This is what I don't get:

Judge: You have been found guilty of violating your probation, continuing to do the same things for which you were originally convicted, and trying to cover up those offenses. How do you plead?

Carnival: Guilty on all counts

Judge: Very well, it is the judgement of this court that, since the $40 million dollar fine was apparently insufficient to prevent your continuing behavior, you will now be fined half of your original fine that was insufficient, and once again asked to please not do this again. Otherwise, this court will have no option than to place you on double secret probation.

Carnival: (Villianous, maniacal laughter and wringing of hands...) Yesssss.......exxxxxxcellent......

 

[mevelandry]

This is what I don't get:

Judge: You have been found guilty of violating your probation, continuing to do the same things for which you were originally convicted, and trying to cover up those offenses. How do you plead?

Carnival: Guilty on all counts

Judge: Very well, it is the judgement of this court that, since the $40 million dollar fine was apparently insufficient to prevent your continuing behavior, you will now be fined half of your original fine that was insufficient, and once again asked to please not do this again. Otherwise, this court will have no option than to place you on double secret probation.

Carnival: (Villianous, maniacal laughter and wringing of hands...) Yesssss.......exxxxxxcellent......

I believe it was a settlement made with the Department of Justice.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

Just make sure you know the lines under the Carnival umbrella:

Princess
Holland America
Seabourn
Cunard
Aida
Costa
P&O UK
P&O Australia

Ugh, I didn't know Carnival was over these. I've never considered Carnival and although I've never booked anything but DCL, I have at least given some thought to Princess. It saddens me to see that people knowingly damage our environment like this. It's just not ok. They need to pay in more ways than financially.

When they say they are being fined 20 million, where does this 20 million go? It should be going towards cleaning up the environment and ocean they polluted.

 

[pixiedustedme]

This penalty is a slap on the wrist and an indication of why the corporation continues to behave this way. $20 million is like a speeding ticket from Carnival Corp.'s perspective.

Given the eggregious nature of the offenses and the fact that this is their second time found guilty, they should absolutely have all Glacier Bay permits permanently revoked and be banned from U.S. ports for one year. That would actually hit them where they live and send a strong message to other lines about what will not be tolerated.

I wish a judge would actually have the courage to hand down such a stiff sentence to an abusive corporation. It would be a better world if that were the case.

 

[mevelandry]

This penalty is a slap on the wrist and an indication of why the corporation continues to behave this way. $20 million is like a speeding ticket from Carnival Corp.'s perspective.

Given the eggregious nature of the offenses and the fact that this is their second time found guilty, they should absolutely have all Glacier Bay permits permanently revoked and be banned from U.S. ports for one year. That would actually hit them where they live and send a strong message to other lines about what will not be tolerated.

I wish a judge would actually have the courage to hand down such a stiff sentence to an abusive corporation. It would be a better world if that were the case.

While I wouldn't go that far* (it would most likely put them into bankruptcy), I definitely believe jail time would make responsible people think twice before doing it.

*I can't help but wondering if you would be that severe towards DCL if it was DCL who got caught doing it.

 

[pixiedustedme]

I can't help but wondering if you would be that severe towards DCL if it was DCL who got caught doing it.

Absolutely. I also would never sail with them again if that were the case.

 

[vacationer1954]

When they say they are being fined 20 million, where does this 20 million go? It should be going towards cleaning up the environment and ocean they polluted.

Civil fines typically go into the treasury, unless explicitly stipulated to go elsewhere (something that we probably would have seen highlighted in the news reports..

 

[vacationer1954]

I read that RCCL (parent company to Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara) will get 153 Glacier Bay permits per year for the next 10 years - beginning Oct. 1, 2019 (for the 2020 Alaska cruise season and beyond). Maybe those permits came at Carnival's expense. https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2019/03/29/royal-caribbean-receives-permission-sail-glacier-bay

If I remember correctly, the reason why so many of the permits went to CCL's cruise lines last time around is that the industry was still reeling from all the polluting that RCCL was caught doing in the ten years prior, especially in 1999.

 

[NancyIL]

If I remember correctly, the reason why so many of the permits went to CCL's cruise lines last time around is that the industry was still reeling from all the polluting that RCCL was caught doing in the ten years prior, especially in 1999.

Yes, I’d say that 20 years without being able to access Glacier Bay was long enough for RCCL.

 

[Magical2017]

I hope this will be updated! The last "report card" was in 2016. https://foe.org/cruise-report-card/

 

[WanderingAlice]

This absolutely infuriates me. I feel there needs to be stricter guidelines for all ships in general considering what we have done to our precious corals and marine life. It’s unacceptable, and these cruiselines have plenty of extra money to implement more environmentally friendly ways of sailing. Glad to know that DCL is trying on their part to be more “green” with the new ships fuel and the new island development.

 

[Pens Fan]

I hope this will be updated! The last "report card" was in 2016. https://foe.org/cruise-report-card/

Thanks for this, but I'm not sure how much it actually tells us. Basically, DCL was the only cruise line to cooperate with this organization (whoever they are - none of the mainstream lines thought it was worth their time to respond.) As a math and statistic nerd, I don't read too much into anything this group publishes.

 

[TJ Teru]

If you want to stay on top of what the cruise lines are up to, especially when they are being naughty, bookmark the Cruise Law News blog. Their commentary on the Carnival fine is definitely worth reading.