FCCA Wraps Up 13th Annual Holiday Gift Project

The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association wrapped up another successful year with the completion of its annual holiday gift project delivering happiness and smiles to over 7,000 children in 31 destinations.

As the FCCA’s Holiday Gift Project comes to a close for 2008, close to 7,000 children in 31 destinations throughout the Caribbean and Latin America received the holiday of their dreams. Each year the FCCA, their Member Lines and our destination partners work together to deliver happiness to under-privileged children in these destinations. Santa paid a special visit to Hurricane ravished Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands, with some families still living in tents, it was important to make sure the children were not forgotten. Brian Been, Product Development Manager of the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board expressed his heartfelt thanks, “Truly, this project goes a long way in ensuring that the children not only have a bright Christmas but allow them to return to some degree of normalcy as they take the mantle as custodians to our ‘beautiful by nature”. We thank the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association for this unselfish act and look forward to future collaborations”. Associate Hotel Director of Celebrity Cruises’ Solstice stated, “ It was an absolute honor to be part of such a wonderful program and everyone who participated would do it again in a heartbeat”. In addition to delivering a wide array of gifts to the children in attendance, Captain Hempstead of the Grandeur of the Seas presented cheques valued at $2,000 each to the Rainbow Children’s Home, Youth Empowerment Foundation Project (YEP), and the Eslyn Henley Richez Learning Centre in Tortla, B.V.I. Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Office Mrs. Rosalie Adams conveyed Government’s appreciation to the captain for the surprise donations, “The money will be put to good use, it will be used to purchase some much needed teaching aids for the students of the Eslyn Henley Richez Centre; YEP plans to purchase software to help children who perform poorly in Mathematics; and the Rainbow Children’s Home will use the funds to assist with monthly expenses”. In its 15th year, The FCCA Foundation continues to improve the lives of citizens in the Caribbean and Latin America through projects such as this. The Foundation has impacted the lives of thousands providing $ 3 million in funding to a variety of organizations and causes. The following destinations participated in this special event: Acapulco, Mexico Antigua Aruba Belize Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Costa Maya, Mexico Cozumel, Mexico Curacao Dominica Eluthera, Bahamas Ensenada, Mexico Freeport, Bahamas Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands Grenada Guatemala Mazatlan, Mexico Montego Bay, Jamaica Nassau, Bahamas Ocho Rios, Jamaica Progreso, Mexico Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Roatan, Honduras Samana, Dominican Republic San Juan, Puerto Rico St. Kitts St. Lucia St. Maarten St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. St. Vincent & the Grenadines Tortola, B.V.I. The FCCA Member Lines are committed to working together with the FCCA and our destination partners to deliver holiday cheer. Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruise Lines, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International

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FCCA is a trade association composed of 11 Member Cruise Lines operating more than 100 vessels in Floridian, Caribbean and Latin American waters.