SEATTLE, April 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Fathom, the
pioneer in social impact travel and Carnival Corporation's
(NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) 10th and newest brand, returned from its
inaugural voyage to its impact destination, the Dominican Republic, on Sunday, April 24. Fathom's inaugural voyage was a
major success as hundreds of guests joined Fathom for a unique
weeklong journey that left a lasting impact on each of them, as
well as an immediate impact on people in need in the
Dominican Republic.
"Feedback from our guests during the voyage was extremely
positive," said Tara Russell,
president of Fathom and global impact lead for Carnival
Corporation. "This first voyage provided more evidence there
is a growing market of guests who want to make a positive, direct
impact when traveling. Fathom gave our guests a unique way to leave
an impression on a very personal level within the community, as
well as have an extraordinarily rewarding experience."
Launched in June 2015, Fathom
provides the opportunity to travel with like-minded people, become
immersed in another culture and work alongside its people to create
enduring social impact. What sets Fathom apart is the long-term,
systematic partnership approach and unique business model of
traveling every other week to the Dominican Republic – a combination that
creates sustained and lasting impact.
"Our brand has been on an incredible journey, from the idea's
conception over two years ago through today," said Russell. "We set
out to do something special with Fathom by introducing the world to
a unique type of travel – travel with purpose. I want to personally
thank everyone who stood alongside Fathom, and had a hand in
getting us to where we are today. Without your support, we would
not be where we are today."
Making a Sustainable Impact
Fathom selected the
Dominican Republic as its first
impact destination, as it is a country of great beauty and rich
culture but also a country with great needs. The average
household income is less than $6,000
and more than 3 million Dominicans do not have access to piped
water. Yet the country has much potential – its natural resources
are plentiful, it has a good infrastructure that can allow for
positive impact, and its people are motivated to create better
lives for them and their families.
Impact activities in the Dominican
Republic include a wide range of projects focused on
economic development, education and the environment. During the
inaugural voyage, guests, depending on their individual passions
and skills, participated in projects they felt most strongly about,
and worked directly alongside local people and Fathom's partner
organizations.
"We have already accomplished a lot in a short period of time –
but there is still much to do," added Russell. "While we celebrated
and introduced the unique Fathom experience to our guests last
week, we are looking forward to taking our guests every other week
to the Dominican to continue making a profound and lasting impact
for people in the country."
Working with its impact partners Entrena and the Instituto
Dominicano de Desarrollo Integral, Inc. (IDDI), Fathom and its
guests in less than one week's time, made an immediate impact
including:
Student English Conversation & Learning / Community
English Conversation & Learning:
- Impact: Nearly 650 students and community members benefited
from effective foreign language interaction with native English
speakers.
- Why It Matters: English proficiency is the largest driver of
employment success in the Dominican
Republic economy.
Reforestation & Nursery
- Impact: Planted more than 2,400 trees.
- Why It Matters: With time, this will lead to more nutrient-rich
soil, reduction in soil loss, improved localized air and water
quality, an increase in localized biodiversity, and higher
agricultural yields.
Water Filter Production
- Impact: Produced 50 water filters.
- Why It Matters: In the Dominican
Republic, more than 3 million residents do not have access
to piped water. This access provides a significant reduction in
waterborne illness instances, and indirect benefits include better
work and school attendance.
Cacao and Women's Chocolate Cooperative
- Impact: Cleaned more than 200 pounds of cacao nibs and wrapped
more than 6,000 chocolate bars.
- Why It Matters: By helping improve production and increase
sales, it allows the organization to hire more local women, and
provide critical income in a region with limited employment
opportunities.
Recycled Paper and Crafts Entrepreneurship
- Impact: Nearly 600 sheets of paper produced.
- Why It Matters: Guests' support helps provide critical income
to the women, and ultimately allows them to expand their business.
It also helps overall employee morale.
Concrete Floors in Community Homes
- Impact: Poured concrete floors for two homes directly
positively effecting 20 people.
- Why It Matters: In the homes of poorer communities, the common
basic dirt floors are a genuine health risk. The new floors
provided a healthier and safer living environment for
families.
Making Time for Leisure
When not participating in
social impact projects, Fathom guests experienced fun and memorable
recreational, leisure and sightseeing activities in the
Dominican Republic. Whether
exploring ancient ruins, interacting with the abundant marine life
in the clear water, or lounging along the sun-soaked stretches of
surf and sand, guests made the most of their experiences in the
Dominican Republic.
The MV Adonia docked at Carnival Corporation's newest port
Amber Cove, located in the Puerto
Plata region, where guests had access to select shore excursions.
The port offers numerous sea and landside experiences, including
several beach getaways, kayak, paddle board and snorkeling tours,
ATV-like terracross buggy expeditions, Puerto Plata tours,
helicopter rides, fishing trips, horseback riding, deep sea fishing
tours and catamaran sailings.
Guests discovered that impact travel is far more than a
seven-day experience. On the return trip, Fathom helped guests with
ways they can stay involved by bringing the knowledge, inspiration
and insight back to their home communities.
Prices for the seven-day trips to the Dominican Republic start at $974 per person, excluding taxes, fees and port
expenses and including all meals on the ship, onboard social impact
immersion experiences, three on-shore social impact activities and
related supplies. Prices will vary by season. To secure a spot on
future sailings, a fully refundable $300 per person deposit is required for all cabin
categories and occupancy levels. Final payment is due 90 days prior
to departure. To reserve a spot on future sailings, guests may call
1-855-932-8466 or through a travel professional. Learn more at
www.Fathom.org.
About Fathom Travel to the Dominican Republic
Fathom is a
different kind of cruise that combines one's love of travel with
the desire to make a difference in the world. Fathom is defining a
new category of travel, Social Impact Travel. Part of the Carnival
Corporation (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) family, Fathom offers
consumers authentic, meaningful travel experiences to enrich the
life of travelers and work alongside locals as they tackle
community needs in the Dominican
Republic. Fathom is unique in that it leverages Carnival
Corporation's expertise and scale for a one-of-a-kind business
model to create long-term collaboration with its partner countries,
allowing for sustained social impact and lasting development.
Fathom will serve the sizable and growing market of potential
social impact travel consumers – approximately one million North
Americans – in addition to global travelers already pursuing
service-oriented travel experiences worldwide.
Sailing aboard the MV Adonia, a 704-passenger vessel redeployed
from Carnival Corporation's P&O Cruises (UK), Fathom will
engage, mobilize, educate and equip travelers on every Dominican Republic trip allowing for rich
personal enrichment and thousands of impact activity days per
visit– and tens of thousands of travelers a year to communities of
promise, providing unprecedented scale for impact.
About Fathom Travel to Cuba
Recently earning U.S. and
Cuban government approvals, Fathom will be the first cruise company
to sail from the U.S. to Cuba in more than 50 years. Fathom's
round-trip culturally immersive cruise itinerary initially will
feature experiences in the Cuban port cities of Havana, Cienfuegos, and Santiago de Cuba, providing travelers the
opportunity to enjoy a rich and vibrant culture that until now most
U.S. travelers have only seen in photographs. Designed for rich
immersion and ease of travel, the Fathom Cuban itinerary offers
passengers a comfortable cabin including all the amenities of a
modern hotel, plus the luxury of having to unpack only once. Every
night, Fathom travelers return to the comforts of the MV Adonia,
where they can relax knowing that all the details of getting from
location to location in Cuba are
handled.
For more information about Fathom or to book a voyage, contact
your Travel Professional, call Fathom toll-free at 1-855-932-8466
or visit www.Fathom.org.
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fathom-makes-successful-social-impact-debut-with-inaugural-voyage-to-dominican-republic-300256843.html
SOURCE Fathom