If you’ve ever cruised you know how much fun and what a great value a cruise vacation can be for you and your family. And if you’ve been with a group on a cruise you know how much fun it is to travel with family, friends, colleagues, and old college or high school friends. But did you know that, if you belong to or work with a charitable organization, you can do all of this and raise money for your group? Oh, yes you can, and let me share how that can be done.
Because we believe so strongly in the value of Royal Caribbean and what they offer for their passengers let me site some of the benefits of a charity cruise on Royal Caribbean. Other cruise lines also do charitable benefit cruises, but let me concentrate on Royal Caribbean this week.
There are a lot of benefits to hosting a charitable fund raising cruise. You get a lot out of it and here’s just some of the things you can anticipate:
- Fundraising events like this generate attention for your group
- You will increase your media exposure
- Your group will generate donation dollars and offer attendees a really great time
- And you do this without having to lift a finger!
Too often we think of a fundraising event as selling cookies, coupon books, or an event in a stuffy and overdressed gala in a ballroom with people wondering when it will be over. When you hold a fund raising event on a cruise the question is “Does it have to end?” Your charitable organization can raise money for your group and make a lasting impression about your group. You will also build a personal relationship with donors – and you will do it while you are relaxing poolside in your shorts or dressed in cool Caribbean clothing!
Royal Caribbean calls their fund raising programs “Cruises for Charity(tm)” and offer a fabulous vacation that gives your group a fundraising vacation that is packed with fun, photos, and special options. As Royal Caribbean notes, “Whatever your purpose, whichever your cause… We have a fundraising cruise for you!”
The Cruises for Charity(tm) cruises are specially designated cruise sail dates that run from 2 to 10 nights. But, best of all, they are flexible, affordable, and are designed with with donations in mind! Royal Caribbean’s program will donate from $25 to $100 per stateroom to your organization depending on the cruise that is chosen.
In addition to this your organization can earn one free stateroom for every 16 full rate staterooms booked by your non-profit organization through their program. This benefit has some incredible possibilities for you. For example:
- Raffle them off for additional fundraising dollars
- If you are going to have a special or featured speaker you can provide their cruise in lieu of a cash compensation
- Give them to your other “MVP” – Most Valued Person in recognition of their hard work
- Or, you can receive the value of the stateroom’s dollar value in a donation to your organization
While this may sound complicated it really isn’t. That’s because Maltese Cross Travel will work with you and Royal Caribbean to help plan, sell, and organize your fundraising cruise. Because of the power of our organizations working together we will customize the cruise to add value specifically tailored to your group. Plus, Royal Caribbean will hold space on your target cruise date for 30 days so that you can measure interest before you ever spend one dime! We’ll assist with promoting your event through varied marketing materials, promotional collateral, flyers, postcards, brochures, HTML email artwork, and much more! Royal Caribbean says that these cruises sell themselves, and your organization will reap the benefits through applicable program donation dollars.
Now, I’ve spent a lot of time talking about the benefits to a charitable organization – and that’s the main reason we do this program. But, there has to be something in it for your benefactors who will go on a cruise, too. I mean, you want them to enjoy it so much that you can do this over and over again!! And, with Royal Caribbean, their ships are designed for WOW!! And, believe me, they are and that’s why I continue to sail them and recommend them to my clients. So, just what can your guests expect to find to do and enjoy on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship? Well there’s rock climbing walls, ice skating (yes, there are ice rinks on their ships!), miniature golf, and their exclusive FlowRider(c) surf simulator. Hey, even if you don’t give it a try yourself it is great fun just watching!! But that’s not all – there’s much more! You can customize your fund raising cruise with other great options and amenities like these:
- Specialty Group Dining
- Thank You Cocktail Party
- State of the art Conferencing & audio visual equipment
- Convenient meeting spaces
- Nighttime activities
- Group contests
- Networking opportunities
- And SO MUCH MORE!!!
This is but a quick overview of how a charitable organization can raise funds and give their donors an amazing vacation on top of it all! While most of these cruises sail in the Caribbean in the winter time, and even though Maltese Cross Travel is located in Florida, your organization and your benefactors don’t have to be from here. The majority of passengers on cruise ships around the world don’t live in Florida! But, they are ALL having a GREAT time!!
If you belong to a charitable organization that wants to explore these opportunities here is all you need to do.
- Contact Maltese Cross Travel and we’ll help you find which sailings qualify for Royal Caribbean’s Cruises for Charity(tm) program
- Select a destination, length, and cruise date for the list we provide for you
- Work with Maltese Cross Travel and Royal Caribbean to develop a plan to promote your fundraising cruise utilizing our complimentary library of marketing material which include post cards, flyers, brochures, posters, HTML email artwork, and more!
- Plan how you want to use the money raised through this wonderful promotion!
You can get started by contact us now: Ed@MalteseCrossTravel.com or 941-538-6496 and we’ll begin the planning process to help you build your donations in the months to come.
Maltese Cross Travel 