Social Impact cruises, NCL follow suit?

[fshagan]

I think this does make sense as an alternate format to the service vacations that already exist and are successful. Housing the volunteers on a ship instead of in the village takes a lot of the strain off the local infrastructure. And the locals have no obligation to serve as a cultural educational experience for their visitors, so it should really not be an issue to miss out on some immersion.

 

Good points! I had not thought about the impact on the locals of having to house and feed volunteers.

 

I hope it works.

[Buford T Justiice]

This program is simply Carnival's way of getting into Cuba before the other mass marketed cruise lines. Of course ,they will go the DR and a few other countries for a while until they line up the "volunteer" / "exchange program" permits necessary for entry into Cuba.

 

Genius marketing / capitalism play by CCL!

[Sotermarler]

Problem as a 20 something I didn't have the cruise fare or I didn't have the vacation time.

 

True, but I see it more like this, "Mom I need $1500 to be a volunteer helping needy families. Every one in in my sorority is going and I really need to be there. It will be a good experience for me." Mom loves the idea her angel is helping needy families and gladly gives her the cash. Mom doesn't know it's also a booze cruise. ;).

Oh, to be 22 again!

[LMaxwell]

This program is simply Carnival's way of getting into Cuba before the other mass marketed cruise lines. Of course ,they will go the DR and a few other countries for a while until they line up the "volunteer" / "exchange program" permits necessary for entry into Cuba.

 

Genius marketing / capitalism play by CCL!

I think you are on to something there.

[ColinIllinois]

There's plenty of opportunity here at home to help the less fortunate. I'll continue to do that and then selfishly take a traditional cruise. :D

[Shawnino]

I don't know. If you're really interested in helping a cause and have $1500+ to spare, why not donate all that money directly to the cause then volunteer your time.

 

This seems a little like a "feel good" vacation with all the luxuries of a cruise ship and some highly organized helping hand work thrown in. Something to talk about to your friends when you get home but will it really make a difference? Meanwhile Carnival makes a profit on all of it and gets to showcase their new Amber Cove port which I'm sure has plenty of shopping and drinking opportunities. Sort of like Grand Turk.

 

I think this is what crushes the concept. The people who really want to do this type of aid work raise money at bake sales and save pennies to maximise both the time they get in the field and the impact of every dollar.

 

This is a Hollywood-version and whilst it may appeal to a few dilettantes, it won't appeal to 37,000/yr. They've tried to start small by only running this every other week, but I think even that's too ambitious--if 'ambitious' is the word.

[HarpHarp]

This program is simply Carnival's way of getting into Cuba before the other mass marketed cruise lines. Of course ,they will go the DR and a few other countries for a while until they line up the "volunteer" / "exchange program" permits necessary for entry into Cuba.

 

Genius marketing / capitalism play by CCL!

 

Interesting. I'd be all over a cruise like that, especially if it was split between several days in Cuba and another stop or 2.

I know someone who spent may years of his retirement volunteering overseas using his business experience helping startups in various impoverished countries.

I'm retired & have many skills from 3 careers, including chemistry, teaching, literacy & information science/ librarianship. My DH is a professional woodworker. At my age, I wouldn't care to stay in more Spartan accommodations, but having the ship to stay on would make this attractive.

[skittl1321]

This program is simply Carnival's way of getting into Cuba before the other mass marketed cruise lines. Of course ,they will go the DR and a few other countries for a while until they line up the "volunteer" / "exchange program" permits necessary for entry into Cuba.

 

Genius marketing / capitalism play by CCL!

 

 

Would fathom being in Cuba help the other Carnival Corp brands though? I mean, if fathom can port there, that doesn't mean that Princess, Cunard, Hal, Carnival can- does it?

 

It doesn't seem like it gives them a leg up on mass market brands. I would think that fathom isn't really a mass market brand- it is a cruise line with a single ship and a singular mission.

 

This all would make more sense if they were doing 2 week cruises.

Edited June 7, 2015 by skittl1321

[Buford T Justiice]

Would fathom being in Cuba help the other Carnival Corp brands though? I mean, if fathom can port there, that doesn't mean that Princess, Cunard, Hal, Carnival can- does it?

 

It doesn't seem like it gives them a leg up on mass market brands. I would think that fathom isn't really a mass market brand- it is a cruise line with a single ship and a singular mission.

 

This all would make more sense if they were doing 2 week cruises.

 

There's something to be said for being first; by the time the other mass market brands get into Cuba under normal conditions it may be a decade. CCL by then may be the "trusted partner" of the regime

[Medtech2]

This reminds me of the "offers" other companies like Yoplait do. Buy yoplait for $1, you send in the lid for, what 50 cents postage? and they donate 10 cents to charity. They get a huge tax write off and good PR from naive people who should just take the $1 and send it to the charity themselves...

 

There are so many better ways to do missions. $1500 could send you to Africa for several months of work. It could also buy several water purification systems, which are way more important...

[fshagan]

This reminds me of the "offers" other companies like Yoplait do. Buy yoplait for $1, you send in the lid for, what 50 cents postage? and they donate 10 cents to charity. They get a huge tax write off and good PR from naive people who should just take the $1 and send it to the charity themselves...

 

There are so many better ways to do missions. $1500 could send you to Africa for several months of work. It could also buy several water purification systems, which are way more important...

 

You're right, there are better ways to donate. But I'll quibble with the idea that corporations or other businesses get "huge tax write offs" for donations. Their deductions are limited and can only offset up to 50% of their income (for some charities, it is only up to 30%). So if they have a campaign going and send in millions of dollars in donations, but don't show any operating income that year, they can't write it off at all. They can't carry it forward to another year either.

 

I think one reason CCL is making fathom a for-profit enterprise is that it is easier for a for-profit company to just add a division and not deal with the non-profit rules and regulations.

[Out to sea!]

Yes the article says the volunteers will stay on ship, eat all meals on board and they will provide travel to the locations. It's kind of a cool idea, but pretty pricey starting at $1450 pp. I don't see how working only one week at a time will help, they will have to train new volunteers weekly.

 

I think if I was a twenty something. I would be all over this, it's volunteering disguised as a cruise.

 

Most 20 somethings don't have the money to be all over this. Can't imagine someone paying double/triple for a cruise to spend half of it digging holes somewhere.

[rhblake]

When was the last time you paid $230 per person per night for a "cabin with a window" (think ocean view). That amount would get you into a mini-suite or possibly a full suite on most cruise lines.

[HarpHarp]

When was the last time you paid $230 per person per night for a "cabin with a window" (think ocean view). That amount would get you into a mini-suite or possibly a full suite on most cruise lines.

 

Most 20 somethings don't have the money to be all over this. Can't imagine someone paying double/triple for a cruise to spend half of it digging holes somewhere.

 

I know plenty of people in their 20's & older who volunteer for many projects in Central America & the Caribbean, some every year & they pay their own way. Some of the volunteers from my area do eye exams & surgery, test for glaucoma, fit donated eye glasses etc. in the Dominican Republic. I'd have to check the exact figure, but I think air fare & all was over $1000 last year. Many of the Elderhostel vacations are volunteer & educational opportunities both. I'd feel better about seeing how my money is spent by being involved with the project than just writing a check.

[hattack]

NCL & other cruise lines will wait to see how it works out for Carnival before they jump in...I agree this program is a perfect conduit for Carnival to gain a beach head into Cuba...it has other practical applications...i.e....if Carnival had this program in place post Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, it would have been well received and popular and needed...this will attract Church groups, which will attract sponsors to subsidize the cost of each volunteer's cruise fare...most of the Caribbean Islands at some point receive major Hurricane damage to their infrastructure

 

I applaud Carnival for being proactive and thinking outside the box....think of it as a "Peace Corps at Sea"....the younger generation (and baby boomer retirees) have embraced the concept of combining their vacation with volunteering....a cruise is the perfect vehicle to accomplish this dual mission

[skittl1321]

I know plenty of people in their 20's & older who volunteer for many projects in Central America & the Caribbean, some every year & they pay their own way. Some of the volunteers from my area do eye exams & surgery, test for glaucoma, fit donated eye glasses etc. in the Dominican Republic. I'd have to check the exact figure, but I think air fare & all was over $1000 last year. Many of the Elderhostel vacations are volunteer & educational opportunities both. I'd feel better about seeing how my money is spent by being involved with the project than just writing a check.

 

The amount of money isn't huge- it is the limited time of doing anything. It's 3 days. (2 days of training on the boat.)

 

I know an ophthalmologist who went and did nearly exactly what you described, but in Ecuador. He was there for 3 weeks. How much could he get done in 3 days?

 

Not to mentioned, that is very specialized work, and he was recruited for what he could do. What exactly can -I- get done in 3 days? It would make a lot more sense for me to spend $500-800 to get an oceanview on CCL or NCL, and send the other $1000 to an organization with volunteers who can actually be effective.

[mugtech]

You're right, there are better ways to donate. But I'll quibble with the idea that corporations or other businesses get "huge tax write offs" for donations. Their deductions are limited and can only offset up to 50% of their income (for some charities, it is only up to 30%). So if they have a campaign going and send in millions of dollars in donations, but don't show any operating income that year, they can't write it off at all. They can't carry it forward to another year either.

 

I think one reason CCL is making fathom a for-profit enterprise is that it is easier for a for-profit company to just add a division and not deal with the non-profit rules and regulations.

 

Unused charitable contributions can be carried forward to offset future taxable income in a for profit organization such as a corporation which files form 1120C. The amount allowed to be deducted in any year is 10% of the taxable income.

 

I agree the not for profit rules and regs are terrible and getting worse, no way any big business would want to file a 990 and 990T or 990PF every year, way too much detail involved.

[Nola26]

True, but I see it more like this, "Mom I need $1500 to be a volunteer helping needy families. Every one in in my sorority is going and I really need to be there. It will be a good experience for me." Mom loves the idea her angel is helping needy families and gladly gives her the cash. Mom doesn't know it's also a booze cruise. ;).

Oh, to be 22 again!

 

Yes, that could work for many, but not something my family could have provided. I'm sure Carnival has a plan to recruit customers.

[fshagan]

Unused charitable contributions can be carried forward to offset future taxable income in a for profit organization such as a corporation which files form 1120C. The amount allowed to be deducted in any year is 10% of the taxable income.

 

I agree the not for profit rules and regs are terrible and getting worse, no way any big business would want to file a 990 and 990T or 990PF every year, way too much detail involved.

 

Yeah, that's right. Limited to 10% of income and can be carried over for five years subject to the same limitation. Not sure where I got the 30% number. Maybe I HAVEN'T recovered from April 15th yet.

 

The corporation only reduces taxable income so assuming a 35% bracket the donation of $100 nets them $35 in tax savings. Not exactly a "huge tax write-off". They are still giving away $65 net of possible tax savings that they could otherwise line their pockets with.