Helping Hands

A cruise can be your chance to give back while having fun.

By Cynthia Boal Janssens

We all know that cruising is fun. It is a great vacation with a superb value. But what we sometimes don't realize is that cruising can also provide an opportunity to do some real good. Don't be surprised if on your next cruise you have the chance to help out a charity, whether by volunteering, participating in an event, or giving a donation. Here are some examples of how your next cruise can become your next good deed.

Charities Set Sail

Nonprofit groups such as museums, orchestras, and university alumni groups frequently charter small ships or blocks of cabins on larger ships. They then sell the cabins to their patrons for the full (or even higher) rate and keep the difference in prices as profit for their cause.

"Sailings dedicated to supporting a single charity often come with the added perk of being partially tax deductible," explains Brad Ball, director of media relations for Silversea Cruises. "Silversea is offering two such trips this year, including a 12-night voyage in July from a remote Norwegian outpost on the rim of the Arctic Circle on Prince Albert II (Silverseas' expedition ship). And, since a portion of the cruise fare benefits the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation — a supporter of environmental initiatives like renewable energy — up to 30 percent of the cost of the trip is tax-deductible."

The line is also hosting a 7-night October sailing from Venice to Rome, led by celebrity chef Lidia Matticchio Bastianich. The trip, which is 35 percent tax deductible, benefits the James Beard Foundation, which supports culinary education, scholarship programs, and other foodie initiatives.

Reality television star Amy Roloff of TLC's Little People, Big World hosted a group cruise in June aboard Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas to raise money for her charity foundation (www.amyroloffcharityfoundation.org), which supports a number of charities, many of those devoted to helping children (she is the mother of four).

Another way cruise lines support charities is by donating cruises to charities' live auctions. "This is most popular at black-tie galas and balls," says Adrienne d'Annunzio, manager of guest relations and charity programs for SeaDream Yacht Club. "There is a small reserve on the voyage (which goes to the cruise line), however, it allows the charity to make thousands of dollars profit when selling the voyage."