Cruising doing it’s bit for Charity

I have always been a big fan of Red nose day and like most people in the UK I will be glued to my TV this Friday for a night of classic comedy and entertainment.

It always fascinates me how every year they manage to raise so much money and I must say it does gives me a sense of pride that as a nation even when things are hard and we are going through a recession people still dig deep in to their pockets for a worthy cause.

This made me think about a really nice couple who are currently on a cruise through the Amazon. I was amazed to hear when I booked it for them last year that one of the main reasons they wanted to take the cruise was that on a similar sailing a few years ago they had passed through a very poor village whilst on a shore excursion. Their guide had taken them to an orphanage and whilst there they had been introduced to a young boy of about five who was seriously disfigured and blind.
He had been abandoned at the orphanage and whilst talking to the staff they learned he was in serious need of surgery but there was no chance the orphanage could afford to send him to the city for treatment.

My client we’re so touched by this that when they returned home they started organising fund raising events in their home town. It wasn’t a quick fix but over time they had sent back enough money for the child to have his operations and needless to say their efforts have meant this child has a descent quality of life.

I can’t wait for them to get home so I can find out how the visit went!
 
 
This also prompted me to start thinking about what cruise lines do for a charity and I have been pleasantly surprised.

CUNARD
Sir Terry Wogan will be doing a cruise on the Queen Mary II around the British Isles in Sept 2011 and 10% of bookings will be donated to Children in need. This is the third such cruise he has done with Cunard in recent years and has so far raised over £200,000

FRED OLSEN

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is the RNLI’s longest running corporate partner, having been associated with the charity for over 40 years

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

In an October 14, 2010 press release, “Norwegian Cruise Line Parties in Pink to Promote Breast Cancer Awareness,” NCL announced that nearly all of its ships would host a White Hot Party in October to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month.