MIAMI, — Six Royal Caribbean International and three Celebrity Cruises ships have been awarded Kuoni Travel Group's 2005 Green Planet Award for their commitment to environmental excellence and innovation.

Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas and Splendor of the Seas, as well as Celebrity Cruises' Galaxy, Infinity and Millennium, were awarded the global travel company's "seal of eco-approval." The ships were recognized for initiatives involving onboard recycling, waste management, energy and fresh water conservation, crew training and guest communications.

Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, Kuoni introduced the Green Planet awards program in 2000 to recognize ecologically advanced hotel management. In 2003, the program was expanded to include cruise lines. Kuoni officials say the award is intended to help environmentally conscious consumers more easily identify eco-friendly companies in the hospitality and tourism sector.

All Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships operate under a comprehensive environmental protection program entitled "Save the Waves." Established in 1992 by the brands' parent company, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., the program operates on three key principles: reducing the creation or generation of waste materials; recycling as much as possible; and ensuring any remaining waste is properly treated.

Further evidence of Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises' commitment to environmental stewardship is its development of management systems that meet international standards, including ISM, ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004 environmental and quality standards. Royal Caribbean was the first cruise line to develop and implement an environmental management system that was certified as conforming to the ISO 14001 standard.

More information about the company's efforts to protect the environment is available online.