Taking Care of Our Friends and Neighbors
Every year the cruise lines that visit Alaska donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to organizations throughout Alaska, contribute gently used linens, instruments and furnishings to the state’s nonprofits and open their ships for use by charitable groups and trade associations.
Their charitable foundations also make significant contributions to major infrastructure improvements like the rebuilding of a popular Juneau playground destroyed by fire.
The lines also stepped up during the pandemic to help Alaskans and communities struggling with the loss of one entire cruise season and a second severely restricted season. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings donated $10 million across six Alaska port towns: Ketchikan, Juneau, Hoonah, Sitka, Skagway and Seward. The company said it made the donations directly to each port community to provide humanitarian relief from the ongoing cruise suspension.
“My heart breaks for Alaska and its wonderful people as we face a potential second year of zero cruise operations during the all-important summer tourism season, bringing yet another blow to Alaska’s tourism economy,” CEO Frank Del Rio said in the statement.
Norwegian also partnered with Royal Caribbean and SSA Marine to grant a dollar-for-dollar matching donation of $100,000 in 2020 to help save the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward.
While the $10 million was a one-time contribution, Norwegian has many long-term relations with Alaska nonprofits, including the Alaska Raptor Center in Sitka and the Sealaska Heritage Institute in Juneau.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Contributes $50,000 to Accelerate Flood Relief Efforts in Juneau
In a significant move to support flood recovery efforts in Juneau, Alaska, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NYSE: NCLH) has announced a $50,000 donation to the Juneau Community Foundation. This contribution is aimed at providing direct financial assistance to residents affected by the unprecedented flooding triggered by the release of water from the Mendenhall Glacier.
The recent flood, described as the worst in Juneau’s history, has caused widespread destruction, inundating homes and displacing numerous residents. NCLH’s donation to the Juneau Community Foundation will support a newly established fund aimed at providing financial assistance for needs that may not be fully covered by FEMA.
“We are deeply connected to the Juneau community, and witnessing the devastation from the recent flood has been heart-wrenching,” said Dan Farkas, executive vice president, general counsel, and chief development officer at NCLH. “Juneau is not just a destination for us; it’s a community we truly care about. ‘Strengthening Our Communities’ is a key pillar of our global Sail & Sustain program, and we feel a profound responsibility to stand by the residents of Juneau in their time of need. Our donation is focused on providing direct financial relief to help families rebuild their lives and facilitate a fast return to normalcy.”
Royal Caribbean Group Pledges Support to Buy Alaska Products
Royal Caribbean took a different approach to helping Alaska during the pandemic by hopping on board with the Shop Local Alaska program in support of keeping Alaska’s small businesses open for when cruise visitors returned to the state.
This is an initiative by the BuyAlaska Program and Voyij.com, an online marketplace exclusively for Alaska businesses. It was created due to the uncertainty of the 2021 cruise season in an effort to allow local businesses to survive another year without cruises.
The Shop Local Alaska Program was marketed to guests of the company’s cruise lines — Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises — around the globe who could browse virtual Alaska stores offering a wide variety of Alaskan products – from locally caught fish to Alaskan jewelry to Native art to clothing of the North. Any Alaskan-owned business could list their products on the Voyij Marketplace.
Holland America
Holland America Line contributes hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in cash and in-kind shipboard events to a broad range of charitable organizations internationally, nationally, in its key home ports of Seattle, San Diego, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and Vancouver, B.C, and via its six Community Advisory Boards in Canada’s Yukon Territory and Alaska. The company also provides hundreds of reduced-fare cruises annually to support charitable fundraising events throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Holland America is also the first and only cruise line to achieve Responsible Fisheries Management certification (RFM) by serving only fresh, certified sustainable and traceable wild Alaska seafood aboard all six of the line’s ships that sail to Alaska.
Princess Cruises
From donating recycled aluminum cans to Boy Scouts in Juneau to donating a portion of proceeds from the sales of Stanley the Bear, the cruise line’s plush bear, to local causes that support nature, animals and wildlife, Princess has a long history of philanthropy in Alaska.
The Princess Cruises Community Foundation, a nonprofit public benefit corporation, was established in 2008 to provide financial and in-kind support to non-profit organizations. The Foundation’s mission is to touch the lives of the people in the places the company’s ships visit through education, preservation of natural and historical global landmarks, responding to disaster relief and supporting global communities’ local health and welfare efforts.
Disney Cruise Line, Juneau: Crew Members Help Lessen Food Insecurity
While docked at the state’s capital, Disney VoluntEARS from the Disney Wonder spent their afternoon ashore at the Southeast Alaska Food Bank. There, the group helped to re-stock the center’s shelves to help provide access to nutritious food for local families. Additional investments from Disney Cruise Line will also help support the organization’s Bulk Food Purchase Program as well as benefit students participating in the Zach Gordon Youth Services meal package program.
Cruise Lines International Association
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) sponsors organizations and events throughout Alaska, along with scholarships for Alaskans interested in pursuing a career in the visitor industry and travel assistance for small businesses interested in attending the annual ATIA convention.