When did you join the CCI?

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. joined the CCI in 2013.

Why did your company/organization join the CCI?

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) has a rich history of engaging in Caribbean-focused initiatives aimed at preservation of natural, cultural, and socio-economic resources. We are committed to protecting this critically important resource. RCL's Ocean Fund, established in 1996, informally directs much of its support to conservation projects in the Caribbean. When the Caribbean Challenge Initiative was launched, it aligned well with many of our practices, including those in our Save the Waves environmental stewardship program, and our "above and beyond compliance" philosophy.

How is the CCI important to marine and coastal conservation in the Caribbean?

The Caribbean Challenge Initiative is important to marine and coastal conservation in the Caribbean because it is based on a premise of unity. Not only do Caribbean ecosystems and resources have a shared need for preservation, but Caribbean entities and other stakeholders also have a shared need to protect their interests, which translates into a shared opportunity for working together to maximize the results of conservation efforts.

What are your company's main conservation priority actions under the CCI?

Our commitment in the Caribbean is brought to life through support of fisheries management, destination sustainability, wastewater treatment, and energy/climate change initiatives.

Why is conservation important to your company/organization? How does conservation benefit you?

At the core of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.'s (RCL) approach to sound stewardship is a commitment to safeguarding the world's oceans and the destinations where we operate.

We must protect the marine environment and sustain the well-being of the people and places we serve. As more and more vacationers are focusing on the environmental and social impact of their own travel, it is critical that companies act as responsibly as possible to ensure sound stewardship of the destinations they do business in, and, in the case of a cruise company, in the oceans.

Who is your CCI focal point? 

About Richard D. Fain

Richard D. Fain is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., the global cruise company owning six brands – Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Pullmantur, Azamara Club Cruises, CDF Croisières de France, and the joint venture, TUI Cruises. Together, these six brands operate 41 ships and carry over five million guests annually.

Earlier this year, Fain received the Federal Maritime Commission Chairman's Earth Day Award. In 2010, Fain was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by Travel Weekly, the national newspaper of the travel industry. In 2004, Fain received the Ultimate CEO Award from the South Florida Business Journal and accepted the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition Organization. He was inducted into the South Florida Business Hall of Fame in October 2004.

Fain was presented one of France's most distinguished awards, the Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur (French Legion of Honor), and was named Commander, First Class, of the Order of the Lion by Finland. He received the Anti-Defamation League's 2000 Distinguished Community Service award, was named the 1999 Statesman of the Year by the Wharton School Club of South Florida, as well as the 1998 Humanitarian of the Year by the American Red Cross of Greater Miami and the Keys.