CCL Launches New Brand...fathom

[yukongold]

Hm, interesting. I wonder how many people will blow off the volunteering and treat it as a few days all-inclusive in the DR?

 

I was wondering the same thing. Is there a "penalty" if one wonders off and doesn't do the volunteer work? It is an interesting concept, however. I also wonder if the volunteers are covered by any form of Workers' Compensation. There are bound to be aches, sprains, or worse when people are performing unaccustomed work. I wouldn't think travel insurance would cover it. And medical treatment on board a ship is expensive.

[JimmyVWine]

I was wondering the same thing. Is there a "penalty" if one wonders off and doesn't do the volunteer work? It is an interesting concept, however. I also wonder if the volunteers are covered by any form of Workers' Compensation. There are bound to be aches, sprains, or worse when people are performing unaccustomed work. I wouldn't think travel insurance would cover it. And medical treatment on board a ship is expensive.

Their website states quite clearly that one can do as much or as little (or no) volunteering as they wish. Though I can't for the life of me figure out why one would overpay to "cruise" on an older ship that advertises itself as being a scaled down version of a typical cruise. It is pretty clear that meals and entertainment will not be the same as what cruisers have become accustomed to. So, the answer to the question: "How many people will use this cruise as an opportunity to take an all inclusive trip to the DR?" The answer is: "None". Or at least "no one with any common sense."

[laughing husky]

Ask me how our hard work building houses for Habitat for Humanity worked out down in Mexico. 99% of the houses were destroyed a year later when we visited the community. All the plumbing was gone, doors were missing, holes in the sheetrock, windows gone as well. Bill and Medlinda Gates foundation has a great program going for vaccines. Warren Buffet has stepped up to the plate to donate his wealth to the Gates Foundation. Even our tax dollars go to these countries in the form of aid. $3,200 is a lot of money to those who us who have worked hard for it. I can fork over time, but not money. After Habitat for Humanity I see that it was a waste of my time. :D

 

I totally agree. I am certainly not against volunteering..last year I volunteered over 400 hrs....but I like to volunteer where I think there might....just might...be a lasting moment....

[MicCanberra]

If we were talking stock prices and stock shares, then 'Yes', the three-letter New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) abbreviation for Carnival Corporation might be appropriate as long as it was commonly understood we were talking about the corporation and not the cruise line.

 

But we're not talking about stock prices and stock shares.

 

We are talking about a ship and the cruise line brand within Carnival Corporation. Using the inappropriate abbreviation within these contexts only confuses people who still incorrectly think Carnival Cruise Lines owns it all, when they don't.

 

In the press release never does it refer to the owners as Carnival Cruise Lines (aka CCL). They are careful to associate ownership to the corporation or 'corporate family': Carnival Corporation.

 

;)

 

Thanks again for the clarification.

[MicCanberra]

 

I totally agree. I am certainly not against volunteering..last year I volunteered over 400 hrs....but I like to volunteer where I think there might....just might...be a lasting moment....

 

Yes, and you want bang for your buck.:D

[Woobstr112G]

An interesting idea for sure.....:):):)

 

Bob

[kendon]

I am sure they will but it seems that they are getting the both work and money out of the volunteers.

 

Which, of course, there is nothing wrong with that. Everyone gains SOMETHING out of the experience.

[kendon]

I was wondering the same thing. Is there a "penalty" if one wonders off and doesn't do the volunteer work? It is an interesting concept, however. I also wonder if the volunteers are covered by any form of Workers' Compensation. There are bound to be aches, sprains, or worse when people are performing unaccustomed work. I wouldn't think travel insurance would cover it. And medical treatment on board a ship is expensive.

 

I'm sure that once fathom becomes more of a reality, there will be an extensive FAQ on their website to answer many questions.

 

Why would one even think about wandering off if the purpose of the cruise is to donate your time? This clearly is not for everyone. In lieu of casinos and comedians, it sounds like there will be workshops and cultural experiences, as light as they may be for beginner volunteers. It won't be hard core volunteering, but more "voluntouring"...fun while doing something useful.

[elliair]

Yes, and you want bang for your buck.:D

 

And I want to see the fruits of my labor a year later. :eek: Or maybe not!

[JimmyVWine]

I'm sure that once fathom becomes more of a reality, there will be an extensive FAQ on their website to answer many questions.

...There already is.

[caribill]

I'm sure that once fathom becomes more of a reality, there will be an extensive FAQ on their website to answer many questions.

 

Why would one even think about wandering off if the purpose of the cruise is to donate your time? This clearly is not for everyone. In lieu of casinos and comedians, it sounds like there will be workshops and cultural experiences, as light as they may be for beginner volunteers. It won't be hard core volunteering, but more "voluntouring"...fun while doing something useful.

 

To quote:

 

Traditional excursions, shows and casinos will take a back seat to Spanish lessons and seminars on Dominican arts, and food onboard will feature Dominican specialties.

 

The ship will dock at Amber Cove, a new port in the northern Puerto Plata region scheduled to open later this year. Volunteer projects will be within about a two-hour drive. The brand chose this first destination because of its beauty, genuine needs, infrastructure to support social initiatives and enthusiasm for the fathom concept.

 

 

Who does Carnival think will be interested in fathom? Older millenials with disposable income who never have cruised, families with kids old enough to help, and older adults who want to hands-on volunteer, not just give money. Boomers who volunteered in younger days should also be interested in this new opportunity to give-back.

 

 

Fathom will be similar to volunteer-vacations operated by non-profit groups and social impact-focused trips operated by religious and school groups. And the cumulative effect of more than 700 passengers arriving each week will be huge. In the first year alone, assuming bi-weekly arrivals, fathom will bring more than 18,000 travelers in the Dominican Republic who will collectively spend more than 55,000 days volunteering.

 

 

Impact activities will vary in length from a few hours to multiple days. Depending on their passions and skills, travelers may spend up to three days on causes they care about, working alongside locals and fathom partner organizations on one or more projects suitable for a wide range of ages, levels of skill and amounts of physical activity. Sample activities may include:

 

• Economic Development: Help cultivate cacao plants and organic fertilizer at a nursery and assist a local women's cooperative in producing artisan chocolates. This activity is designed to produce high-quality plants to increase farmers' yields through sustainable practices and – importantly – create income opportunities for rural women. Over time, this activity will allow the cooperative to increase their workforce so the cooperative can achieve economic independence.
  
• Educational: Work side by side with Dominican school teachers in classrooms to teach English skills and help boost students' academic performance; and participate in adult-learning programs to teach small groups of local community members conversational English to help improve their ability to qualify for jobs that provide a higher level of income.
  
• Environmental: Provide hands-on support to craft and build water filters – using clay, a natural resource found locally – and deliver those filters to families throughout the community to provide healthy drinking water. With limited piped water supply, this will make a meaningful difference in the quality of people's lives throughout the region.
  

 

 

And the FAQ link: https://www.fathom.org/experience-faq-v1/

[MicCanberra]

Who are they referring to as 'Older millenials'?

[kendon]

Thanks Caribill...your post answered a lot of my questions.:)

[emeybee]

To quote:

 

Traditional excursions, shows and casinos will take a back seat to Spanish lessons and seminars on Dominican arts, and food onboard will feature Dominican specialties.

 

The ship will dock at Amber Cove, a new port in the northern Puerto Plata region scheduled to open later this year. Volunteer projects will be within about a two-hour drive. The brand chose this first destination because of its beauty, genuine needs, infrastructure to support social initiatives and enthusiasm for the fathom concept.

 

 

Who does Carnival think will be interested in fathom? Older millenials with disposable income who never have cruised, families with kids old enough to help, and older adults who want to hands-on volunteer, not just give money. Boomers who volunteered in younger days should also be interested in this new opportunity to give-back.

 

 

Fathom will be similar to volunteer-vacations operated by non-profit groups and social impact-focused trips operated by religious and school groups. And the cumulative effect of more than 700 passengers arriving each week will be huge. In the first year alone, assuming bi-weekly arrivals, fathom will bring more than 18,000 travelers in the Dominican Republic who will collectively spend more than 55,000 days volunteering.

 

 

Impact activities will vary in length from a few hours to multiple days. Depending on their passions and skills, travelers may spend up to three days on causes they care about, working alongside locals and fathom partner organizations on one or more projects suitable for a wide range of ages, levels of skill and amounts of physical activity. Sample activities may include:

 

• Economic Development: Help cultivate cacao plants and organic fertilizer at a nursery and assist a local women's cooperative in producing artisan chocolates. This activity is designed to produce high-quality plants to increase farmers' yields through sustainable practices and – importantly – create income opportunities for rural women. Over time, this activity will allow the cooperative to increase their workforce so the cooperative can achieve economic independence.
  
• Educational: Work side by side with Dominican school teachers in classrooms to teach English skills and help boost students' academic performance; and participate in adult-learning programs to teach small groups of local community members conversational English to help improve their ability to qualify for jobs that provide a higher level of income.
  
• Environmental: Provide hands-on support to craft and build water filters – using clay, a natural resource found locally – and deliver those filters to families throughout the community to provide healthy drinking water. With limited piped water supply, this will make a meaningful difference in the quality of people's lives throughout the region.
  

 

 

And the FAQ link: https://www.fathom.org/experience-faq-v1/

 

So, volunteers will be taking the locals' jobs and interrupting their classrooms, all while having less training/skills than the people who live there. So helpful. Then at night, they can go back to their ship where they can eat/sleep/socialize in an isolated bubble away from the people they're supposed to be interested in. :rolleyes:

 

This just makes no sense...

 

If you want to volunteer overseas, great. Go to http://www.volunteerhq.org, save several thousand dollars, sleep among the people, eat their food, and actually do a little bit of good in the process.

Edited June 7, 2015 by emeybee

[JimmyVWine]

So, volunteers will be taking the locals' jobs and interrupting their classrooms, all while having less training/skills than the people who live there. So helpful. Then at night, they can go back to their ship where they can eat/sleep/socialize in an isolated bubble away from the people they're supposed to be interested in. :rolleyes:

 

This just makes no sense...

 

If you want to volunteer overseas, great. Go to http://www.volunteerhq.org, save several thousand dollars, sleep among the people, eat their food, and actually do a little bit of good in the process.

 

What you say makes sense for seasoned volunteers, Peace Corp members and relief workers. That is not the target demographic. This venture is clearly aimed at upper-middle to upper class families with children ages 11-17 who typically vacation at Disney World, or on cruises, or at luxury resorts. The parents want to show their children that there is another world out there and that they should not take their privileges for granted. Rather than immerse their 11 and 13 year old kids 24/7 in the volunteer world that you suggest, the parents want to dip their kids' toes into the realm of volunteerism in a safe, introductory manner. This venture is also aimed at recent retirees who want to donate their time and manpower, but who, for any number of reasons, (health, strength, mobility), would never embark on the style of volunteering that you suggest, but who are capable of doing something less strenuous.

 

I think that these target customers exist in large numbers. It appears that fathom will sail every other week and carry 700 passengers. I think the market is there, if the price is right. As of right now, "third passengers sharing the cabin" pay full fare. I think that has to change if fathom wants to attract families with teenagers, and I am certain that they do. There is no question that the type of volunteering that you lay out is "better", more effective, and more efficient. But it is not the only type of volunteering that exists. I don't think many 12 year old kids are ready for your suggested style of volunteering. But virtually every 12 year old kid is capable of doing a fathom trip. And that could kick off a lifetime of more immersive experiences.

[emeybee]

What you say makes sense for seasoned volunteers, Peace Corp members and relief workers. That is not the target demographic. This venture is clearly aimed at upper-middle to upper class families with children ages 11-17 who typically vacation at Disney World, or on cruises, or at luxury resorts. The parents want to show their children that there is another world out there and that they should not take their privileges for granted. Rather than immerse their 11 and 13 year old kids 24/7 in the volunteer world that you suggest, the parents want to dip their kids' toes into the realm of volunteerism in a safe, introductory manner. This venture is also aimed at recent retirees who want to donate their time and manpower, but who, for any number of reasons, (health, strength, mobility), would never embark on the style of volunteering that you suggest, but who are capable of doing something less strenuous.

 

I think that these target customers exist in large numbers. It appears that fathom will sail every other week and carry 700 passengers. I think the market is there, if the price is right. As of right now, "third passengers sharing the cabin" pay full fare. I think that has to change if fathom wants to attract families with teenagers, and I am certain that they do. There is no question that the type of volunteering that you lay out is "better", more effective, and more efficient. But it is not the only type of volunteering that exists. I don't think many 12 year old kids are ready for your suggested style of volunteering. But virtually every 12 year old kid is capable of doing a fathom trip. And that could kick off a lifetime of more immersive experiences.

 

I disagree. I think anyone who is going to spend $3000+ for a week of volunteering will want that money/time to accomplish something. The work described in the FAQ is work that locals can inherently do better than any 3-day volunteer can. If anything it will be taking away local jobs and furthering poverty, not alleviating it. Not to mention that by eating/sleeping on the ship and paying the cruise company directly you are taking away the one major side benefit of adding money to the local economy.

 

Maybe I'm wrong. Or maybe I'm hoping that people don't go, because the focus and benefits are slanted so heavily toward the cruise company/tourist and not the local people/economy. "Come and pretend to help people so you can feel a little bit better about yourself! Don't worry, we won't make you interact with them!" Gross.

 

All I know is that the more I read about this, the more I don't like it.

[JimmyVWine]

Maybe I'm wrong. Or maybe I'm hoping that people don't go, because the focus and benefits are slanted so heavily toward the cruise company/tourist and not the local people/economy.

Yes, you are hoping that it fails because you would do it differently, better, or not at all. But perhaps this falls under the adage: "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good." fathom isn't perfect. But I don't think that it isn't "good". I don't think that parents taking teens on a trip to the DR to get their hands a little dirty and to gain a life lesson is going to put locals out of work. Your complaint about people returning to the ship to eat and sleep can be said about every port on every cruise in the world. When a ship docks in St. Thomas, the 3,500 people largely eat on the ship and certainly sleep there. Is St. Thomas better off or worse off because the ship docked there? You've already stated your disdain for the cruise industry. Your complaints here are just an extension of that.

Edited June 7, 2015 by JimmyVWine

[MicCanberra]

of course there are lots of questions about this and exactly how it will work. Whether it works, whether they get any or even repeat passengers, whether it is viable, etc. The proof will be in the pudding. I wish the project success.:D

[kendon]

emeybee, who wants to see a business fail...really, how terrible.

 

I believe fathom could be good for all. Let's wish them the best and hope it's a success!

[hubofhockey]

I've read many good things about the R-class ships & if transferring the Pacific to fathom wonder why they didn't do it with the Ocean?

 

Those R-class ships have been very successful for Oceania (getting the Ocean) and Azamara (both receiving major overhauls by next April) & disappointing that Princess continues to sell them.

 

I like what Azamara is doing with the R Class ships in Destination Immersion better than Fathom with Volunteerism. We booked Azamara Journey for next summer and looking forward to overnights, late nights in ports, and the newly renovated ship.

 

Carnival seems to be missing the boat on small ship cruising. If the product is good, people will pay more. Looking forward to seeing how Viking Ocean, which is building small ships makes out. For now, I'm not overly excited by their itineraries.

[MicCanberra]

From another thread on this subject, I think it has merit.:D

Perhaps it could work better if there were "Volunteer Shore Excursions" added into the usual mix...especially in our neck of the woods, the Pacific Islands. A stand alone cruise would be difficult to fill, but the odd volunteer shore excursion might be attractive to many "standard" cruisers.

[emeybee]

Yes, you are hoping that it fails because you would do it differently, better, or not at all. But perhaps this falls under the adage: "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good." fathom isn't perfect. But I don't think that it isn't "good". I don't think that parents taking teens on a trip to the DR to get their hands a little dirty and to gain a life lesson is going to put locals out of work. Your complaint about people returning to the ship to eat and sleep can be said about every port on every cruise in the world. When a ship docks in St. Thomas, the 3,500 people largely eat on the ship and certainly sleep there. Is St. Thomas better off or worse off because the ship docked there? You've already stated your disdain for the cruise industry. Your complaints here are just an extension of that.

 

Cruises do put money into the economy through tours, lunches out, etc. Fathom won't be doing that.

 

In fact I don't have any disdain for the cruise industry, it's just not my preferred method of travel. I like my travel messy and exciting. Others like their travel simple and relaxing. Cruising is perfect for my mom, which is why I'm taking a cruise with her to Alaska. To each their own.

 

I do have disdain for this fathom. Tens of thousands of people a year doing untrained manual labor means one of two things-- either the labor isn't necessary, or it is taking the work away from local people. So your quote about the perfect being the enemy of the good, while an excellent quote, doesn't apply IMO. I don't believe there will be any good done.

 

Yes, people who go on these cruises might learn a lesson about volunteering; that goes back to my earlier comment that fathom is more about the tourist and the cruise line than the local community. I could volunteer to dig up my neighbors yard and learn some lessons about hard work in the process. But if my neighbor didn't need their yard dug up that doesn't make me admirable, it makes me a nuisance.

[emeybee]

emeybee, who wants to see a business fail...really, how terrible.

 

I believe fathom could be good for all. Let's wish them the best and hope it's a success!

 

I would also like to see Monsanto, Halliburton and Philip Morris fail. I guess I'm a horrible person.

[MicCanberra]

Amended post

Edited June 8, 2015 by MicCanberra

[Wehwalt]

I suspect they must be planning on relying on student groups.

 

As for failing, it would be nice to have that ship in the Americas as a conventional cruise ship.