Carnival Cruise Line crew members volunteered their time to renovate the Pediatric Ward Learning Centre at St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital in St. Ann, Jamaica. They cleaned, painted, and repaired the Learning Centre, and also read to children being treated in the Pediatric Ward. Their efforts helped brighten the day for those young patients.

“We are proud to have been bringing visitors to Jamaica for more than 50 years, and care deeply about the health and well-being of the community,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “It was our pleasure to make enhancements to St. Ann’s Learning Centre and we hope it will make a lasting difference for all the children treated there.”

St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital was built in 1929 and serves a population of approximately 360,000 in the parishes of Portland, St. Mary, and St. Ann. The Learning Centre offers children staying in the pediatric ward the opportunity to read and participate in other educational activities. This provides respite from their treatment and allows them to continue their learning while they’re away from school.

 “We are so grateful for Carnival’s participation in our Labour Day Volunteer Project,” said Dennis Morgan, CEO of St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital. “Carnival’s improvements will ensure that we can continue to provide critical educational and psychological support for our young patients while they recover at a newly-renovated Learning Centre.”

Carnival Cruise Line partnered with American Friends of Jamaica, its foundation partner for charitable initiatives in Jamaica, to amplify its involvement in the Learning Centre Volunteer Project. Longtime nature adventure tour operator Chukka Caribbean Adventures also assisted by donating supplies and providing on-the-ground support for the project.

Carnival visits three ports in Jamaica: Falmouth, Montego Bay, and Ocho Rios. The cruise line will make about 100 calls to Jamaica and will bring more than 300,000 guests to the island in 2023.