How It Works
Cruises are a fun and unique alternative to traditional fundraising events, combining fundraising and vacations in one!
Why not combine vacation and fundraising in one? Cruising gets people out of the traditional gala setting and into a relaxing cruise. Remove the tedious and time consuming coordination of a venue, catering, and accommodations of a traditional event.
We will work hand-in-hand with you to create a customized and memorable fundraising event for your donors or beneficiaries.
Choose a Cruise Line
Not all cruise lines are the same. We work with you to determine best cruise line for your unique demographic. Depending on your organization’s focus, we help you choose one that will maximize your bookings and your bottom line.
Choose a Cruise Ship
After selecting the best cruise line for your target demographic, we help determine the best ship within that line. Every ship has unique amenities that cater to their guests. We find a ship that fits your guests so everyone has a great time and wants to come again.
Choose an Itinerary
Ships sail from departure points all over the country, so we work with you to determine which port(s) would work best your the target audience. Cruises range from 3 – 14+ nights, but we generally find 5-7 night cruises to be the best for this opportunity.
Fundraising
So how do we raise funds while cruising? When you book a group with a cruise line you are given GAP points. Group Amenity Points (GAP) points can be utilized for multiple group amenities, including a fundraising donation. In addition to the GAP points, we can include an add-on amount on top of the cruise fare which can be utilized as an additional donation, cover out-of-pocket expenses, guest speakers and similar expenses.
We can also help find other creative ways to add additional fundraising options, including sponsorships, merchandise, etc.
Our Cruise Partners
Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean caters to a wide demographic and is good for families and multi-generational groups. Royal tends to have ample activities onboard, including iFly skydiving, North Star observation capsule, ice skating, rock climbing and FlowRider surf simulator
Carnival
Carnival is a popular cruise line for first-timers and caters to a very wide demographic. It is very popular for families. Carnival recently introduced the first rollercoaster at sea, and features other attractions, including Sky Zone and IMAX
NCL
NCL is another all-purpose cruise line catering to families with their “Freestyle Cruising”. NCL features go-karts, virtual reality and laser tag on several ships.
Princess
Princess is Carnival’s Premium brand, catering to a slightly older audience, with fewer kids and fewer high-energy activities onboard. Princess’ most popular “Princess Plus” fare, includes the Premier Beverage Package, wifi and gratuities at no additional charge.
Celebrity
Celebrity is Royal Caribbean’s premium brand. Celebrity recently introduced their “Always Included” program, which includes drinks, wifi and tips included at no additional charge.
Holland America
Catering to an older audience, Holland America is part of the Carnival brands. HAL features medium sized ships for a more immersive experience.
Luxury
There is a whole host of luxury smaller ship experiences. Many are all-inclusive. Smaller ships can visit a wider variety of smaller ports not accessible to larger vessels.
Specialty
There is a growing number of expedition type excursions to exotic locations such as the Galapagos Islands, Antarctica and the Northern Lights
River
For those wanting to stay closer to home, there are classic paddlewheel river cruise options along the Mississippi River and Columbia/Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest.