A conversation between the organizations' visionary leaders during a chance flight to Miami sparked a partnership that continues to shape the future of ocean conservation. Today, Royal Caribbean Group and the University of Miami Rosenstiel School work together to advance research, restore coral reefs, support students, and engage communities in protecting our oceans. 

Royal Caribbean Group and the Rosenstiel School’s partnership has grown to include additional science collaborators such as NOAA, NASA and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, which has transformed ships into research platforms, generating data that helps researchers better understand ocean health and the challenges facing marine ecosystems. 

The OceanScope instruments installed onboard Royal Caribbean Group ships collect valuable open-source data on ocean currents, sea surface temperatures, salinity, and carbon dioxide concentrations.  

“OceanScope is showing us how powerful ocean research can be when it leads to action. By advancing our understanding of the physical processes that move heat, nutrients, and marine life through the ocean—from currents and mixing to changing environmental conditions—the program is helping reveal the connections that sustain marine ecosystems, inform ocean policy and conservation, and build a healthier future for this extraordinary ecosystem,” said Josefina Olascoaga, a professor in the Department of Ocean Sciences at the Rosenstiel School and the principal investigator for OceanScope. 

The partnership extends beyond ocean research. Over the years, Rosenstiel School students have gained real-world experience through partnerships with Royal Caribbean Group, connecting classroom learning with careers in science, sustainability, hospitality, and business. 

Royal Caribbean Group's support has also helped create opportunities for university researchers and students working on marine conservation initiatives, ensuring that scientific discoveries can move from the laboratory into real-world solutions. 

Together, the two organizations are helping develop the talent, expertise, and innovation that are needed to protect oceans for decades to come. 

The partnership’s impact is even more visible beneath the surface. 

Royal Caribbean Group has supported the University of Miami Rosenstiel School's Rescue a Reef program, helping engage communities in hands-on coral restoration efforts. Through citizen science expeditions, researchers work alongside recreational divers and snorkelers to outplant nursery-grown corals onto South Florida reefs.  

To date, the partnership has helped support more than 3,050 coral outplants completed by more than 400 citizen scientists and contributed to the establishment of 22 restoration sites in Biscayne Bay, two of which are named after Royal Caribbean Group.  

What makes the program unique is that it doesn't simply restore reefs; it creates a community of citizen scientists that leave a deeper understanding of why healthy reefs matter and how individual actions can contribute to conservation.  

The impact of the partnership extends beyond laboratories, research vessels, and coral nurseries. 

Throughout the years, thousands of Royal Caribbean Group employees have volunteered in beach cleanups, environmental restoration projects, and community stewardship activities. From coastlines in South Florida to destinations around the world, employees have worked side by side with community members to remove litter, protect wildlife habitats, and care for local environments. 

The effort reflects a belief that has guided the partnership for more than two decades: protecting the ocean is not solely the work of scientists, conservationists, or policymakers. It requires participation from everyone. 

Neither organization could have predicted where a single conversation would lead. 

Today, the partnership between Royal Caribbean Group and University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science continues to advance research, restore coral reefs, create opportunities for students, and inspire communities to take action.  

Through the Royal Caribbean Group Foundation and the company's SEA the Future platform, Royal Caribbean Group is committed to the work of sustaining the planet, energizing communities and accelerating innovation. Together with the University of Miami, the Group is helping ensure that the next generation inherits not only a healthier ocean, but also the knowledge, tools and opportunities needed to protect it.