Johnny Mack Brings EPIC Carnival Experience To Trinidad

By Noel Walker

Visionary entrepreneur Johnny Mack has remodeled the Trinidad Carnival expertise by means of an modern resolution to one of many island’s greatest tourism challenges: extreme lodging shortages in the course of the world-famous pageant. As CEO of EPIC Carnival Expertise, Mack has pioneered the primary “all-inclusive floating lodge” in Trinidad in the course of the island’s famed Carnival celebration.

The idea is brilliantly easy but revolutionary: a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that sails on a 9-day journey from a neighboring Caribbean island, then stays docked in Port of Spain for 5 of these days throughout Carnival. Having accomplished its second yr in March 2025, EPIC has shortly develop into a game-changer for Trinidad Carnival tourism.

“Trinidad solely has 2,500 lodge rooms in the whole nation,” Mack defined, his eyes lighting up with ardour. Forty thousand to 50,000 folks journey to Trinidad for Carnival, making a crucial want for an elastic lodging provide. I created EPIC not solely to supply an enhanced expertise but in addition to handle an financial necessity resulting from inadequate lodging.”

A Carnival Child with Music in His Soul

Born in Trinidad on Carnival Monday morning in 1980, Mack describes himself as a “actual bona fide carnival child.” His heritage displays Trinidad’s numerous cultural make-up—his father is first-generation Chinese language-Trinidadian, and his mom was born in Morocco.

Mack’s journey took him from enjoying rugby for Trinidad’s nationwide workforce at simply 17 to attending UC Berkeley on scholarship. Within the early 2000s, he started producing live shows for Caribbean artists like Sean Paul and Damian Marley in California earlier than establishing himself in Hawaii’s music scene.

“Once I did my first music pageant, I used to be 23 years outdated, and I had like 4,000 folks,” Mack recollects with a nostalgic smile. “From there, I began evolving music festivals in Hawaii after which on the West Coast.” By 27, he had produced a three-island music pageant that includes Lauryn Hill that attracted 12,000 attendees.

His status within the trade continued to develop exponentially. His occasions would go on to showcase artists like Snoop Dogg, Cardi B, and Usher, drawing huge crowds exceeding 35,000 folks, experiences that gave him invaluable insights into creating immersive occasions he would later apply to EPIC.

Overcoming Business Limitations

Creating EPIC Carnival Expertise required overcoming important hurdles, significantly convincing a serious cruise line to dock in Trinidad for an prolonged interval.

“No cruise liner wished to come back to Trinidad & Tobago as a result of they have been on a world safety hazard checklist,” Mack revealed. “They refused to port a couple of evening. From 2015 till simply earlier than COVID, I saved knocking on all people’s doorways. Simply earlier than COVID, Royal Caribbean opened up and stated they have been keen to do that.”

The persistence paid off, however the monetary dedication required was substantial. “The typical cruise ship is gonna be a minimum of $3.54 million simply to constitution. Then on prime of that, you could have insurance coverage, which is like $50,000. Then the cruise ship additionally needs you to hit on-board income figures… that’s one other $1.2 million.”

As a Caribbean promoter in an trade dominated by main firms, Mack operates with a distinct strategy. “We deal with enterprise with a little bit bit extra cultural household nuances and leniencies. We stay extra within the grey space than within the black and white. We’re open to creating issues work.”

The Caribbean leisure trade maintains its independence in methods few different sectors have managed. “Within the Caribbean diaspora, somebody like Vybz Kartel, Beenie Man, Capleton, or Buju will come to North America, and Stay Nation won’t personal their tour. It is going to be somebody from the diaspora proudly owning the tradition.”

Financial Impression and Cultural Mission

EPIC isn’t only a enterprise enterprise—it’s an financial engine for Trinidad and a platform for cultural change that comes straight from Mack’s coronary heart.

“Primarily based on the final price range, we spent about $500,000 U.S. on native Trinidad manufacturing, labor, transportation, advertising—all our wants. We spent about $1.2 million shopping for tickets to fetes, after which the common individual spent about $1,000 on their carnival costume,” the EPIC CEO particulars. “Let’s say 1,000 folks purchased carnival costumes, that’s about $1 million there instantly.”

The enterprise mannequin solves a number of issues concurrently. It gives inexpensive lodging when lodge costs surge and flights develop into prohibitively costly.

“Flights throughout Trinidad carnival time are outrageous due to excessive demand; they’ve surge pricing. A flight that might have been $300/$400 is now $1,500,” Mack explains, gesturing animatedly. “For EPIC’s first yr, we flew into Barbados, and for our second yr, we flew into Puerto Rico. The numbers made sense. Flying into Puerto Rico from anyplace alongside the East Coast is sort of a $300 round-trip. We’re saving everybody a minimum of $800-$1,000 on flights.”

The carnival entrepreneur continues, “The typical lodge room in Port of Spain throughout Carnival per evening is about $800 U.S., which is loopy. Once I priced what it price for one of many lower-tier rooms on EPIC, it’s about $400 U.S. an evening, which to me is a steal whenever you’re getting meals, drinks, and occasions.”

Trinidad’s Distinctive Financial Panorama

In contrast to a lot of its Caribbean neighbors, Trinidad’s financial system isn’t constructed on tourism—a reality Mack explains with the perception of somebody who actually understands his homeland.

“Trinidad will not be constructed on tourism like Jamaica, Barbados, and these different islands. We’re constructed on pure fuel and oil, and assets,” Mack explains with pleasure. “We have now one thing referred to as the Pitch Lake. It’s a unending asphalt lake; we’ve a unending provide of it. So we’ve by no means constructed infrastructure.”

This resource-rich financial basis explains the nation’s restricted hospitality infrastructure. “It is not sensible to construct a brand new lodge, but it surely did make sense to convey a cruise ship that would are available in and be a viable alternative for Trinidad.”

Future Development and Imaginative and prescient

The enterprise’s fast development is obvious in its early ticket gross sales for the upcoming February 11-20, 2026 voyage.

“Proper now, for the upcoming yr three, we’ve offered 426 cabins, which we weren’t even in a position to launch this early for yr two. We’re already midway to our aim mark in March/April—one month since we launched EPIC this yr,” notes the founder, pleasure evident in his voice.

For Mack, this enterprise represents just the start of a bigger imaginative and prescient that connects deeply to his private story. “That is simply step one. I’m constructing an empire and a legacy the place I can export my tradition and share it with the world,” he declares. “The aim of EPIC is to reveal pop America, pop Europe, to our tradition, and make them really feel at one with us.”

His ambitions lengthen past private success to creating alternatives for his neighborhood. “Rising up within the Caribbean, we didn’t find out about 401(okay) plans, life insurance coverage, or having a belief for teenagers. Every little thing we’ve, we needed to construct ourselves. If I may assist my neighborhood have a leg up, I wish to do this for my household, and Trinidad.”

As our interview concludes, Mack’s cellphone rings with the distinct sound of soca music—a becoming reminder of the rhythm that drives each the person and his mission. “Carnival isn’t simply an occasion for us—it’s who we’re. And now, we’ve discovered a option to share that with the world.”

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