It was quite a wonderful surprise to read that the Carnival Corporation is launching a new type of cruise product. They are creating trips for people to serve, that’s right, you can sail the seas for the purpose of volunteering at a destination. They are calling their new line, Fathom, and their first destination is the Dominican Republic. It’s a 7 day social impact travel experience, the first one will be in April 2016. The ship is called the Adonia, it has 355 staterooms and can carry 710 passengers. It will depart from and return to Miami, FL.
Fathom has partnered with 2 organizations in the Dominican Republic that have a commitment to improving the lives of their people: Entrena and Instituto Dominicano de Desarrollo Integral (IDDI), Inc. Some of the projects are teaching English, working on a cacao plantation, and helping provide clean drinking water. This will be a great opportunity to meet like-minded people on the ship. But, you will also be interacting with some Dominicans while giving back. The possibility of making new friends is exponential.
What happens during those 7 days?
Days 1-2 are at sea, you will receive training on your chosen project.
Crash courses in Spanish will be offered.
Though speaking Spanish is not necessary because the programs have been setup with the English speaking volunteer in-mind. (But, it will make your experience better if you can speak/understand a little Spanish.)
Days 3-5 you are in Puerto Plata where you can serve, relax, or do a combination of both.
Days 6-7 you will return to Miami.
The base price for this social impact travel experience is $1,540 per person double room occupancy.
Price Includes
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily
A stateroom with a window
On-ground project activities and related supplies
Onboard project preparation
Taxes, fees, port expenses
More detailed information will be available this fall.
The success and expansion of this social impact travel experience will depend on the participation of the caring traveler(s) with a heart for service who want to do more than sightseeing. We, at In-Joy Travel, hope this type of experience is for you. We would love to book it for you because this type of experience speaks to our travel philosophy. Contact us today.
Online Sources:
Us News and World Report
Yahoo Travel