The Cruise 4 Haiti group returned on November 21st, 2010.  After 8 months of planning, the group successfully accomplished it’s mission of raising money, gifts, and awareness for the people of Haiti as well as orphans in St. Maarten and San Juan.   Along the way, we also raised awareness about the opportunities that are available for you to combine vacationing with helping others.  Hopefully you enjoy the video and it sparks some ideas on how you may help others on your next vacation.

Over 30 humanitarian travelers joined our recent Cruise4Haiti, a pioneering voluncruise that raised significant funds and in-kind donations for charities assisting Haiti as well as provided aid to children in all three ports of call.

Our Cruise4Haiti group included the founders of three non-profit organizations, a doctor, a lawyer, humanitarians, families and teens, and a wide variety of travelers committed to giving back to others. In addition to group activities such as making holiday cards for orphans and assembling gift bags, the Cruise4Haiti cruisers enjoyed all of the fun shows and entertainment that Royal Caribbean’s ships offer their guests. We even came up with an event of our own – a benefit concert open to the entire ship.

Cruise4Haiti’s many accomplishments included:

* With the help of Royal Caribbean, delivered 6 pallets of aid to Haiti to benefit For Haiti With Love’s medical clinic, orphanage and food bank projects in Cap Haitien. Brought donations of food, medicines, school supplies, individual gift bags and 200+ personalized cards, toys, sports equipment, and clothing for 50 orphans and more than 500 needy children and their families. Our group was the first cruise passenger group to assist For Haiti With Love’s projects.

* Delivered 33 individual Christmas gift bags, over 100 personalized cards, and over 120 pounds of clothing, toys, stuffed animals, school supplies, medicines, sports equipment and toiletries to the St. Maarten Orphanage & The I Can Foundation. Our group was the first cruise ship or airline group ever to visit the orphanage. One group member is beginning the adoption process for one of the young children. In addition, our visit forged connections for this orphanage that will result in future visits and aid.

* Delivered over 75 pounds of Christmas gifts, infant & toddler clothing, stuffed animals, toys, books, medicines and baby items to La Casa Cuna de San Juan Orphanage. Our group was the first cruise ship group to visit this orphanage.

* Held benefit concert for the entire ship and raised money for our charities.

* Raised over $5500 in cash donations for our two charities, Airline Ambassadors and For Haiti With Love.

* Raised over $25,000 in in-kind donations for Airline Ambassadors and For Haiti With Love.

* Generated well over 3 million impressions through articles, blog posts and social media – thus significantly increasing awareness of opportunities to give back on a cruise (voluncruising), the outstanding humanitarian work of For Haiti With Love and Airline Ambassadors, Royal Caribbean’s cruise options and its significant ongoing support for Haiti, and the continuing needs of the Haitian people.

* Created and executed a high-profile special event mission for Airline Ambassadors, resulting in the launch of a new line of outreach voluncruise service programs at sea.

We organized the Cruise4Haiti after January’s earthquake to raise awareness of Haiti’s needs and help children and families in Haiti and the Caribbean. After many hundreds of hours of work – mission accomplished! Special thanks to all of you out there who supported our cause. Your generous assistance and heartfelt support made this project a success.

Haiti was somewhat spared last week by not taking a full direct hit by Hurricane Thomas. If you were like me, you still saw disturbing pictures of flooding along with video of all the debris and tent cities reminding us of the great need still in Haiti. Do you want to make a difference?? On 11.13.10, you can join us in Miami for the Airline Ambassadors Cruise4Haiti Bon Voyage Fundraising event. Details:

Bring your compassion into ACTION by joining the “Bon Voyage Party” for Airline Ambassadors Cruise 4 Haiti on Saturday, November 13, 2010 at the DoubleTree Biscayne Bay in Miami, FL.

Enjoy Haitian cuisine, music, art and move to the rhythms of King Wawa, Cska and Goldsmith Dorval! Opening Exhibit for Haitian orphans by award winning artist and AA flight attendant – Daggi Wallace. Raffle prizes and great auction items including trips to Rio, Hawaii and the Caribbean, cruises, restaurants, art and more!

Thousands of ordinary people responded with unprecedented compassion in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. Airline Ambassadors transported hundreds of medical personnel and millions of lbs of food, water and desperately needed medical supplies. They coordinated for 17 airplanes and are now building permanent houses and safe houses for children all over the country. Together we HAVE made a difference and are building communities where children and families have access to food, water, health care, education and a comfortable place to lay their heads at night.

Just by joining the Bon Voyage party you will support our important work building sustainable communities and bringing Hope for Haiti!
$50 in advance – airline rate
Reserve your spot now!

Artwork by Andre Blaise Monnin

Donate and Win!

We’ve already raised $370 in the first day of the raffle to benefit For Haiti With Love. Thank you so much for your fantastic support.

Remember, just a $10 donation will enter you in the drawing to win a great vacation at the San Juan Marriott Resort. This vacation package is worth $1000 and is the perfect getaway for single travelers, couples, and families with two children ages 12 and under. Just think of what a wonderful Christmas present this will make!

Donate to For Haiti With Love for a chance to win this 4-day/ 3-night vacation at the San Juan Marriott and help Cruise4Haiti. Visit the FirstGiving site and donate now through October 12, 2010 for a chance to win this fabulous prize. All proceeds will go to support For Haiti With Love’s projects in Northern Haiti.

A $10 donation will purchase 1 raffle entry – but for an even better chance, donate $18 for 2 entries or $25 for 3 entries. Remember, all donations are tax deductible and it’s for a fantastic cause. The children of Haiti urgently need our help.

The four-diamond San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino provides a relaxing environment for a vacation getaway. The winner will enjoy a luxurious guest room at the San Juan Marriott and access to the resort’s sun-soaked beach, full casino, spa, swimming pools, six dining venues, and a lobby lounge for nightly entertainment.

The resort’s location in the Condado Beach area of San Juan provides an excellent spot for exploring all that San Juan has to offer, including shopping in Old San Juan, the Plaza de Mercado and Botanical Garden, the fortifications of El Morro and San Cristobal, and countless options for dining and nightlife. For full details on the raffle and prize package, check out this blog post on the Cruise4Haiti site: http://bit.ly/ajDx23.

Thank you again for your generosity and support for our cause!

Imagine relaxing in a tropical beachfront setting, enjoying amazing picture-perfect views of the Atlantic Ocean while the palm trees sway in the breeze ….

Yes, this could be you at the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino - lounging on a hammock in the sun, playing in two elaborate pools and heading to the swim up bar for a drink.

Donate to For Haiti With Love for a chance to win this 4-day/ 3-night vacation at the San Juan Marriott and help Cruise4Haiti. Visit our FirstGiving site and donate between October 4th through October 12, 2010 for a chance to win this fabulous prize. All proceeds will go to support For Haiti With Love’s projects in Northern Haiti. This 501(c)3 charity has been active in Haiti since 1982 and runs the only free 24-hour burn/medical clinic on the island, as well as a food bank and an orphanage for over 40 girls. 

A $10 donation will purchase 1 raffle entry – but for an even better chance, donate $18 for 2 entries or $25 for 3 entries. Remember, all donations are tax deductible and it’s for a fantastic cause. For Haiti With Love urgently needs our help!

The four-diamond San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino provides a relaxing environment for a vacation or a pre-/post-cruise stay. The winner will enjoy a luxurious guest room at the San Juan Marriott and access to a full casino, spa, swimming pools, six dining venues, and a lobby lounge for nightly entertainment. This wonderful package will accommodate up to two adults and two children (ages 12 and under) and the estimated value is $1,000 if used in season.

The resort’s location in the Condado Beach area of San Juan provides an excellent spot for exploring all that San Juan has to offer, including the 16th and 17th century buildings (and shopping!) in Old San Juan, the Bacardi Rum distillery, the Plaza de Mercado and Botanical Garden, and the fortifications of El Morro and San Cristobal. Venture out a little further to see the natural beauty of the El Yunque tropical rainforest, go kayaking in the bioluminescent bay, glide through the air on a canopy zipline, and sample some of the island’s authentic food at Guavate Village. The island of Puerto Rico offers many unique experiences.

Thanks to our Cruise4Haiti partner, the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, for donating this wonderful prize!

We are excited to announce the Miami, Florida Bon Voyage party.
All all welcome.

In our “caravan of fun” which started in Los Angeles at the Galerie Lakaye, the Cruise4Haiti celebrations of service continue.

Come to the Airline Ambassadors’ Bon Voyage Party in the Ballroom at the Doubletree Grand Hotel in Miami with an open bar for two hours and hors d’oeuvres. Join us for spectacular views of the Miami Harbor, drinks, music and dancing. There will also be a live auction with original paintings and other travel items to win. This event is a great way to kick off our phenomenal Cruise4Haiti! Tickets are $55 per person online or $65 per person at the door and all funds go to benefit Airline Ambassadors’ work in Haiti.    

Award winning artist, Daggi Wallace, is opening her show of original paintings at the Bon Voyage party for Cruise 4 Haiti.  Daggi created portraits of 30 orphaned children from Haiti.  She is incorporating the kids own drawings as a background for her artwork, highlighting the children’s personal stories, hopes and dreams.   Funds raised from the sale of these paintings go directly back to help the children pictured in her work. You may pre-view the portraits on the artist’s website at http://daggistudio.com “   

Contact Airline Ambassadors to make arrangements.

@MelissaWitbeck, @JohnnyJet, @CruiseBuzz

Crusie4Haiti – cruise for a cause.

The kickoff for the Cruise4Haiti took place at the wonderful Galerie Lakaye art gallery in Los Angeles on Septermber 11, 2010.

Carine Fabius, Galerie Lakaye with Nancy Rivard, Airline Ambassadors

Galerie Lakaye was the perfect venue to host this kick-off fundraiser for Airline Ambassadors to celebrate their participation and support for the Cruise4Haiti.  The gallery features a number of esteemed Haitian artists and is owned by author and art curator Carine Fabius.

The property was packed to capacity.  The event was a huge success.  See for yourself, click here to see some photos from the event.

If you’d like to get in the holiday spirit and have fun giving back to others, come join the Cruise4Haiti on November 14th aboard Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas. It’s going to be a fantastic cruise!
 
Many people who cannot come have contacted us to find out what they can do to help. There are many other ways to support our cause:
 
* Help us raise money our two 501(c)3 charities, Airline Ambassadors and For Haiti With Love. Both have been very active in Haiti for years before the earthquake. We’ve set up two FirstGiving pages, one for Airline Ambassadors and the other for For Haiti With Love. Please donate generously to help our charities assist children and families in need in Haiti.
 
* Donate items to be auctioned at our Bon Voyage event and fundraiser on November 13th. All proceeds go directly to our charity and are tax deductible. Desired items include airline tickets, certificate for several nights of hotel accommodations or a week/ long weekend in your vacation home, tickets to theme parks and attractions, or items such as cameras, video equipment, iPods and other electronics, travel gear, jewelry and artwork. Donations must be received no later than October 22, 2010.
 
* Come to our festive Bon Voyage event and fundraiser at the Doubletree Grand Hotel Biscayne Bay in Miami on November 13, 2010. This event is being held by Airline Ambassadors in conjunction with Cruise4Haiti and all proceeds go directly to this wonderful United Nations affiliated charity. Tickets are $60 at the door and include two hours of free drinks and hors d’oeuvres. You’ll be able to bid on great prizes at the live and silent auctions and enjoy lots of other entertainment. Stay tuned to this blog for more details.
 
* Donate school supplies and other items that we can bring with us on the cruise to orphanages in Haiti, St. Maarten and San Juan. Items must be received no later than October 22, 2010. Needed items include:
 
- School supplies, including blue (not black) pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasers, geometry sets, crayons and colored pencils;
 
- Colored construction paper, scissors and colored markers;
 
- Girls and women’s shoes, from children’s sizes 6 to women’s size 8
 
- Boys shoes, for boys ages 4-15 years of age
 
- Nail polish, hair items (bows, brushes, hair ties), small mirrors
 
- Toiletries (small soaps, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, etc.)
 
- Small stuffed animals (such as beanie babies, etc.) and small toys
 
For more information, contact Nancy (KidTravel@aol.com), Carrie (cruise@cruisebuzz.com), or Rich (rtucker@cruisedeals.com). Thanks in advance for your help!

In Los Angeles on September 11, 2010? Join us for a fun Tweetup to support Haiti and Airline Ambassadors. Cruise4Haiti team member Cruise Buzz will be there with Airline Ambassador supporters. This is a great night out to celebrate Haiti.

Traveling Mom, an online survival guide for Moms who travel, is hosting a Twitter Party to promote Cruise4Haiti and the field of voluntourism and travel for a cause.

WHAT:  Twitter party to promote @Cruise4Haiti
WHEN:  Monday, August 9, 9-10pm EST
WHO: @CruiseBuzz @CruiseSource @TravelingMom @KidTravel @AAIAirlineAmb
HOW TO JOIN:  Use the hashtag #TMOMC4H
TOPIC:  Volunteer travel, Haiti, cruising

PRIZES

In the spirit of giving, Traveling Mom will randomly choose winners throughout the party, however, the prize you’ll win is a donation made to Haiti on your behalf.   Your name could be attached to one of the following packages.  Want a prize to take home?  Enter the raffle.

Prize #1:  Hygiene Kit: Towel, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, body powder, comb
Prize #2:  Sewing Kit:  Thread, Safety pins, Straight pins
Prize #3:  Friendship Bags: Ziplock bags, Colored pencils and crayons, Stuffed animals, friendship letter(s)
Prize #4:  10 packages each of Crayons, pens, and pencils

RAFFLE
Enter to win an international American Airlines ticket here

DONATE
If you want to donate here are some imporant numbers to keep in mind:

• $10 feeds a family of 4 for an entire day
• $15 provides electricity to All God’s Children Orphanage for a month
• $30 pays the monthly internet bill for a classroom
• $50 pays for a sanitation class in an after-school program for a month
• $100 provides mosquito nets for a neighborhood of 35 families
• $200 pays the salary of one teacher for a month

Thank you Access America for sponsoring the prize giveaways for the Twitter Party.