Carnival Corporation BIG Announcement today

[Oceanwench]

Carnival Corporation is launching a new and very different brand for the world’s largest cruise company. Called fathom, the new company will create a new category in the travel industry that it is calling “social impact travel.”

Starting in April 2016, there will be ongoing fathom impact travel at sea experience trips to Amber Cove, a new port in the Dominican Republic. This means fathom will send 700 travelers on every trip – thousands of travelers a year -- to communities in need, providing tremendous scale that will sustain several ongoing programs.

fathom’s team works closely with communities and organizations in those communities to provide support to activities that specifically provide what the communities need most and will make both an immediate and lasting difference in people’s lives. fathom will primarily focus on three key areas at launch: education, the environment and economic development. The people traveling with fathom will receive specific training during the journey. The training will provide an understanding of what the needs are for the people in the community with whom they will be working and the tasks they will actually be doing.

fathom will launch with the 710 passenger Adonia, redeployed from Carnival's P&O Cruises UK brand for the start-up period of the new operation

· The first ship will set sail on a 7-day round-trip out of the Port of Miami in April 2016 bound for Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic.

o Beginning in June 2015, travelers can visit www.fathom.org to reserve a spot on a future fathom sailing by completing an online form and providing a refundable deposit of $300 USD person.

o Then beginning in fall 2015 travelers may begin configuring their trips online (cabin selection, finalize payment, impact activity selection, etc.).

o Deposits are 100 percent refundable until the time the travelers configure their journey, and after that, a portion of the deposit will be refundable based on a set refund schedule.

o PRICING: Prices for the seven-day trip to the Dominican Republic start at $1,540 per person, which includes an exterior cabin with a window, all meals on the ship, onboard social impact immersion experiences, three on-shore social impact activities and related supplies, taxes, fees, and port expenses. Prices will vary by season.

o Additional recreational activities, and dining and beverage packages will be priced separately.

[Oceanwench]

fathom is already on Twitter!

following the company. :)

[Roz]

Quite honestly, if I wanted to do something like this, I would go on a missionary trip thru my church. We have a twin parish in Haiti.

 

This is not something I would spend my vacation dollars on. If it does it for you, more power to you.

 

Roz

Edited June 4, 2015 by Roz

[sail7seas]

I think it an admirable and ambitious proposition. Hard to fault a corporation for trying to make contributions to those who so desperately need the help. Will be interesting to follow as this undertaking takes shape.

 

[Cruise Critic Chris]

Hi everyone!

 

Here is our story on fathom: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6393&cache=disable

 

A blog post with nitty-gritty: http://www.cruisecritic.com/blog/index.php/2015/06/04/q-a-all-about-fathom-the-first-voluntourism-cruise-line/

 

Corporate profile for fathom: http://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/cruiseline.cfm?CruiseLineID=206

[Oceanwench]

I think it an admirable and ambitious proposition. Hard to fault a corporation for trying to make contributions to those who so desperately need the help. Will be interesting to follow as this undertaking takes shape.

 

 

I agree.

It's not everyone's cup of tea - which is why I said earlier that it depends on one's world view.

 

Bravo for Carnival Corp. for all the contributions it makes.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

If this is successful I think I know where we can sail on the Veendam a few years from now. [emoji6]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mountainmare]

It is an interesting idea--takes me back to the Peace Corps days when everyone who was young wanted to change the world. I am one of the people who complain when Carnival Corp develops the "Disney Caribbean" fake island ports, saying that they take part of the island but forget about the people who live there. I hope that this is a success and perhaps can then grow and be extended to other communities in need.

It's true that some other cruise lines already offer similar shore excursions but this is a big idea on a large scale.

I agree that when we have visited schools and donated supplies and clothing it is the most rewarding part of our trips.

[cruz chic]

It will be interesting to see if this is a sucessful venture for them.

[Oceanwench]

It is an interesting idea--takes me back to the Peace Corps days when everyone who was young wanted to change the world. I am one of the people who complain when Carnival Corp develops the "Disney Caribbean" fake island ports, saying that they take part of the island but forget about the people who live there. I hope that this is a success and perhaps can then grow and be extended to other communities in need.

It's true that some other cruise lines already offer similar shore excursions but this is a big idea on a large scale.

I agree that when we have visited schools and donated supplies and clothing it is the most rewarding part of our trips.

 

Well said.

I, too, hope it is a success.

 

I'm wondering how "social impact travel" works within the restrictions on travel to Cuba.

[TiogaCruiser]

If this is successful I think I know where we can sail on the Veendam a few years from now. [emoji6]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I was thinking the same- but perhaps not just to DR then if this is successful.

Am definately going to look into this.

Captain Albert & Crews work in Corinto was of interest to me. The trip to the school by the sail away gang really interested me and I likely would have gone on that trip instead of the getaway I did to Mexico. (But I totally understand why it had to be kept quiet).

[IRL_Joanie]

Hi everyone!

 

Here is our story on fathom: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6393&cache=disable

 

A blog post with nitty-gritty: http://www.cruisecritic.com/blog/index.php/2015/06/04/q-a-all-about-fathom-the-first-voluntourism-cruise-line/

 

Corporate profile for fathom: http://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/cruiseline.cfm?CruiseLineID=206

 

 

Add to the list Fathom.org's web site: http://www.fathom.org/

 

and explained in greater detail:

 

What to expect http://www.fathom.org/experience-on-board-v1/

 

Joanie

[OCruisers]

While we would not care to do it, feel sure there are many would love to! :)

 

LuLu

[sail7seas]

If this is successful I think I know where we can sail on the Veendam a few years from now. [emoji6]

 

 

There are worse things they could do with her. :D

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Well said.

I, too, hope it is a success.

 

I'm wondering how "social impact travel" works within the restrictions on travel to Cuba.

 

 

 

Ahhhh, now THIS is an interesting question. :cool:

 

 

[taxmantoo]

Not my cup of tea, but we do wish them luck.

Edited June 4, 2015 by taxmantoo

[Host Walt]

Several off topic posts have been removed. Please stay on topic. Thanks.

[chrisbu315]

I think it is a very interesting way for Carnival to get successful millennials into cruising. Many of them wouldn't be caught dead on a cruise ship. They think it is something only old people do.

[hrhdhd]

Anti-climatic depending on your world view. If you have a limited world view, yes.

 

I agree. It's not everyone's cup of tea - which is why I said earlier that it depends on one's world view.

 

I am not sure that my lack of interest in this announcement or the proposed new line -- fathom [sic] -- means I have a limited world view. It means I have no interest in sailing on fathom [sic]. Meanwhile, I participate in numerous other charitable endeavors.

 

Those who find this idea interesting are welcome to it.

Edited June 4, 2015 by hrhdhd

[Time For Dreaming]

Well...it was not what I expected. So Carnival Corporation is going to use a former Renaissance ship (small) to do good in the world, starting with a port I think they built. Fair enough. Maybe future cruises could work on a pipeline to bring water to California before we all become the next big dust bowl out here.

 

Pricing seems high...not the average cruise-for-vacation types, like us. However, if we were young, and the price was a whole lot less, we'd be interested in sailing somewhere to help animals and the environment. It would certainly be an adventure but we wouldn't need a cruise type ship to do it in.

 

For every charitable cause, there are people who want to help it. Good luck to those who get inspired from Carnival Corporation and wish to get involved with the fathom's causes.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Please excuse my ignorance, but what kinds of tax breaks might Carnival Corp receive for this type of endeavor?

[dockman]

How about they start out with a program that brings onboard some school kids from some of the many poor ports they visit in places like Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Mexico, etc.

 

Wouldn't take much effort for their local port agent to contact a school and set up a plan to bring a group of kids on to sing or dance or do something in the showroom to display their local culture. Do a show at 4 or 5 pm or so. Set up some donation boxes in the back of the showroom for any passenger who wants to throw in a few bucks.

 

Bring the kids on few hours before and let them go through the buffet line and have a quick ship tour. I suspect the kids would love it and the passengers as well. Wouldn't cost the cruise line hardly anything but would provide a source of pride and revenues to some poor kids/schools.

 

Too simple?

Edited June 4, 2015 by dockman

[Krazy Kruizers]

It sounds like a very good idea for those needing help in various countries.

But it is not for me.

I will be curious to see how this turns out.

[take us away]

Started out sounding wonderful - then I got to the price. For the cost of that cruise we can donate more than a ton of food to our local food bank, fund people who need help to assist with storage, sorting and distribution or pay the cost for 7 people to have some job training so they can make their own living. So okay, I make my own dinner and change my own sheets.

[mountainmare]

It is a nice idea to do something that will last in a country that the cruiselines make money from simply because that country is beautiful. I still think it a way to raise awareness.

It is not aimed at HAL cruisers, but at people who would be interested in volunteering in a far away place without sleeping in huts and getting eaten alive by bugs after a hard days work. So they get a taste of cruising and get to do some good. I am sure that many typical cruisers would not do some of the private activities that we have been lucky enough to do in the past (we have even had dinner mates think we were crazy).

It was well said that while it is nice to give a check to charity--and a good thing to do-the personal experience changes you forever. This is true even at home.

So as has been written this is a win win for Carnival Corp. Introduce a whole new population to their cruise lines, get great publicity about doing good in the world.

I believe that if you are either part of the problem or part of the solution--Carnival is trying the latter.

[kazu]

How about they start out with a program that brings onboard some school kids from some of the many poor ports they visit in places like Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Mexico, etc.

 

Wouldn't take much effort for their local port agent to contact a school and set up a plan to bring a group of kids on to sing or dance or do something in the showroom to display their local culture. Do a show at 4 or 5 pm or so. Set up some donation boxes in the back of the showroom for any passenger who wants to throw in a few bucks.

 

Bring the kids on few hours before and let them go through the buffet line and have a quick ship tour. I suspect the kids would love it and the passengers as well. Wouldn't cost the cruise line hardly anything but would provide a source of pride and revenues to some poor kids/schools.

 

Too simple?

 

Actually HAL does that now on some cruises. They bring children on board, feed them, give them supplies and don't make them entertain :)

 

I kind of like that :)