Philanthropy of a Cruise Line

I am writing this blog post from the Miami International Airport waiting to return to Indianapolis. I have spent the last nine days on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship named “Navigator of the Seas.” My wife and I traveled to Haiti, Bonaire, Curacao and the Bahamas. My personal highlight was to see Aruba.

Unfortunately, bad storms and high winds prevented us from reaching that port. It was a wonderful 14^th cruise adventure for us, all taken on Royal Caribbean sponsored ships. My brain was shut off from reality, which was needed and welcomed. As my brain was turned on again at the end of the cruise, I wondered if the Royal Caribbean cruise line was philanthropic.

Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., is a global cruise vacation company that owns Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmontur, Azamara Club Cruises, CDF Croisieres de France and TUI Cruises. These brands operate 43 ships, six ships under construction and two on firm order. They operate in 490 destinations on all seven continents. The company is headquartered in Miami.

Royal Caribbean’s corporate philanthropy is to fund organizations that benefit and offer services to the entire community plus support marine conservation and education. The company’s philanthropy is widespread globally.

Some examples of partnership and corporate support include:

*World Wildlife Fund

*Employees volunteering for numerous communities

*United Way, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Children’s Bereavement Center, American Heart Association and Susan G. Komen

* Kids and the Power of Work, Big Brothers and Big Sisters School to Work, Posse Foundation and Florida International University (one of my former employers)

Royal Caribbean also aids after natural disasters, planted trees following Galapagos endemic, built a school in Haiti, helped women artisans in Central America and helped regional organizations in the Caribbean Latin American nations. They also sponsor a major initiative entitled “Save the Waves.”

This company also established The Ocean Fund in 1996 to specifically support marine conservation in the world’s oceans. The mission of the Ocean Fund is to support efforts to restore and maintain a healthy marine environment, plus promote awareness of ocean and coastal issues. Respect for marine life is an important element of this concept.

On March 23, 2018, Royal Caribbean Cruises launched after 36 months, 4,700 shipbuilders and crew, the “Symphony of the Seas” ship, which cost $1.35 billion dollars to build. The ship can accommodate 6,680 passengers.

Having experienced the beautiful waters that nature provides for the past nine days through viewing, snorkeling and zip lining over open water, I applaud Royal Caribbean’s philanthropy that is focused on maintaining this environment.

According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, 71 percent of the Earth’s surface is water covered and the oceans hold about 96.5 percent of the earth’s water. I thank Royal Caribbean for protecting this valuable resource and providing me with wonderful memories for more than 20 years. If you did not know by now, I have few hobbies but one of those is cruising. I love being on the ocean enjoying 80-plus degree weather with a warm wind as opposed to enduring 40 degrees back home in Indiana. If you have not tried cruising, try it once. You may be hooked forever.