Royal Caribbean today provided an update regarding its previous announcement, proudly made in 2012 along with the Humane Society of the Unites States, that the company would support the pork industry’s efforts to eliminate “gestation crates” – cages often used to confine breeding pigs – from operation, setting 2022 as the target date by which to reach that goal.

“Royal Caribbean takes corporate responsibility seriously, including when it comes to the welfare of animals in the food system,” said Michael Jones, vice president of supply chain management for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “Since 2012, we have been pleased to see dozens of top restaurant chains, grocery chains, food service operators, and other food industry leaders adopt similar stances.  We support the recent announcements by Smithfield Foods and Tyson Foods - two of the nation’s top pork processors – regarding their shifts toward better housing methods for pigs.”

As a next step, by the end of the year, Royal Caribbean will request an update from its current pork suppliers regarding the plans and progress of their respective pork producers in meeting the pork industry goal of moving away from gestation crates in their operations by 2022, in order to determine which producers share Royal Caribbean’s objective of moving to a gestation crate free pork supply.  Royal Caribbean supports the continual movement of the industry in this direction and remains committed to keeping the treatment of animals in consideration when supplying its fleet with food.