Vacationers aboard the new Oasis of the Seas cruise ship from Royal Caribbean will now be able to give back while getting a tan, as Royal Caribbean has announced that it will donate proceeds of certain room bookings to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida.
The cruise line has donated 1,000 staterooms during the Oasis of the Seas inaugural cruise on November 30 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a nonprofit organization that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses.
With 100 percent of the proceeds of those 1,000 staterooms going to the foundation, and with the staterooms starting at $750 each, this represents significant fundraising power.
"The generosity of sponsors like Royal Caribbean has greatly enhanced our ability to grant life-affirming, world-class wishes and is critical to the mission of the Make-A-Wish Foundation to bring hope, strength and joy into the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions," said Norm Wedderburn, president and CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida.
Not only will cruise guests be able to make a difference, but they will be able to see the difference they made, as many of the Make-A-Wish children will also be onboard the cruise with their families. Some of the children will even have their wishes granted during the cruise itself.
In addition to the Make-A-Wish ceremonies, the cruise will feature an official christening and naming ceremony for the Oasis of the Seas, which will be considered the largest cruise ship in the world. The ship boasts 16 decks and a 5,400-guest occupancy, and weighs 220,000 gross registered tons.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation has reached more than 174,000 children around the world since its inception in 1980, powered by a volunteer network of 25,000 people. 