Carnival Corporation Expands Social-Impact Excursions to Six More Cruise Lines

Carnival Corporation Expands Social-Impact Excursions to Six More Cruise Lines

Cruise News – Nov. 2, 2016

Carnival Corporation has announced plans to expand its Fathom brand’s Dominican Republic social impact experiences to its other cruise line brands sailing to its Amber Cove port of call.

Beginning in November, guests sailing regularly to Amber Cove on six additional Carnival Corporation brands (AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and P&O Cruises UK) will be able to purchase a social-impact excursion — a new participatory and immersive travel category pioneered by Fathom that takes travelers into the heart of a destination to explore local communities and discover its people in unconventional ways.

“The social-impact experiences create enduring positive impact in the lives of children, families, and communities, significantly affecting bright futures,” says Tara Russell, president of Fathom and global impact lead for Carnival Corporation. “It is exciting to offer thousands of guests who sail to Amber Cove with our family of brands the opportunity to be part of Fathom’s broader story.”

Since Fathom began its every-other-week voyages in May 2016 to Amber Cove —located on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic — its guests have been able to produce and install 730 water filters for local families, construct concrete floors for hundreds of people in 40 homes, plant nearly 16,000 seedlings and plants, and provide approximately 17,500 hours of English conversational language skills training to adult and youth students.

To expand the Fathom social-impact experience, the company will provide the following new shore excursions:

Hands-On Chocolate Experience at a Women’s Cooperative:  Travelers will engage in an immersive cultural experience and make an impact in the Puerto Plata community during a unique, hands-on visit to a chocolate cooperative founded by enterprising local women. Travelers will visit the small community of Altamira where they will discover Chocal, a tiny organic-chocolate factory run by a group of local women committed to earning an income while remaining close to their families. Travelers will have the opportunity to work alongside these women to participate in the chocolate production process from bean to bar, a truly rewarding experience.

Volunteer Experience at Recycled Paper & Crafts Entrepreneurship: For a rewarding experience that makes an impact on local communities, travelers may embark on an engaging and immersive cultural experience visiting artisans at a recycling micro-business. In the little village of El Javillar, travelers will find the RePapel co-op, a Recycled Paper & Crafts initiative that has taught local women to repurpose natural, recycled paper into treasures. Travelers will work side by side with these friendly women, discovering all aspects of the program, including creating new products for sale. At the end of their experience, travelers may purchase keepsake products to take home as mementos of their day.

Fathom is also currently exploring additional opportunities globally and with sister brands, and says further news will be shared in coming months.

^{Photos: Fathom}