As summer gets underway, cruisers all over the country are preparing for fun, relaxing vacations on the high seas. Many of these passengers will enjoy their cruise even more when they learn that the hard-working crews and companies behind these memorable vacations give back to the communities that their ships visit.
Nearly 200 guests boarded the Carnival Breeze in Miami to join the port event, “Literacy at Sea” early last month. Hosted by the Cruise Industry Charitable Foundation (CICF), the celebration supported the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. This organization has served to improve reading skills among children and their families for 25 years. In addition to hosting a number of authors such as Dave Barry and N.D. Wilson at the event, the CICF also presented the Barbara Bush Foundation with a donation of $25,000.
The “Literacy at Sea” event is only the latest in a long line of charitable initiatives by the CICF, the cruise industry’s primary philanthropic organization. In just the past year, the CICF has participated in a number of fundraising events, including a ceremony for members of the Coast Guard, Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts, a donation to a native Alaskan art and cultural center, and a range of other programs.
Founded in 1998, the CICF today relies on the support of nearly two dozen of the world’s most prominent cruise lines, including major Royal Holiday affiliates such as Carnival, Princess, Norwegian, MSC, and Royal Caribbean. The organization focuses on four primary areas of giving: community development, educational assistance, public health, and the environment.
In order to provide fantastic vacation experiences for their customers, cruise lines recognize the importance of the economic viability of the ports they visit, the ecological health of the oceans upon which they sail, and the opportunities of the people they employ. As corporate members of the CICF, cruise lines stay true to the ideal of helping communities throughout the world, even as their passengers enjoy unforgettable cruises.
