This fall, Crystal Cruises’ guests will be given the opportunity to “give something back” while stopped at Valetta, Malta.
Passengers aboard the Crystal Serenity’s 12-day Mediterranean/Holy Land Voyage can opt to “Go Green” while in Malta and help the environment and local economy by planting trees in the island’s only national park, donating food at a local charity and learning eco-conscious planting and harvesting practices at a local organic farm.
The optional excursion is nearly eight hours long, and costs $95 per person. The experience begins with a visit to Ta’ Qali National Park, where guests will plant trees and learn about the park’s conservation efforts. Following a guided tour and lunch at Ta’ Zeppi Organic Farm, guests will visit a local orphan refuge where they will donate food and interact with the children.
“This excursion affords guests the opportunity to contribute to the local needs in Valetta, and also gain a better understanding of the environmental efforts of the destination,” said John Stoll, vice president, land and port operations. “Like so many Crystal Adventures, this experience offers a new point of view for guests who want to explore destinations from a deeper, more informed perspective.”
The Valetta excursion is a prelude to a larger program, called “You Care, We Care,” debuting in 2011, a spokesperson for Crystal Cruises told Travel Market Report at a recent CLIA luxury and river cruising event.
As part of the larger program, in 2011 Crystal will offer one complimentary voluntourism shore excursion on every itinerary. Guests with an altruistic bent will be able to pay it forward in destinations like Peru, South Africa, Ecuador, and Mexico among others. At least 20 excursions will be made available throughout the course of the year.
“There’s been a level of interest from our guests on how they can help,” the spokesperson said, adding that agents have also informed Crystal their clients are inquiring about voluntourism.
Agents will be able to sign their clients up for the excursion before hand. Group sizes will be limited.
From the “Travel Market Report”
The photograph coined the Blue Marble was taken on 7 December 1972 by the crew of Apollo 17 on their way to the Moon on what turned out to be the last manned lunar mission. The iconic image was seen by many as a depiction of Earth's frailty and vulnerability. No humans since that mission have cruised that far out in space. For those of us earthbound denizens destined never set eye on it from above, we'll just have to see it up close, by exploring the Blue Marble.
The Blue Marble
Exploring the Blue Marble Mission
The cruise industry and it's partner cruise lines are tied indelibly to "things" environmental. It is where they make their living. Be it the seas they sail, the ports they visit or the passengers and crew they carry. This blog will be a brew of cruise business information, how our industry manages it's environmental obligations, information about the ports that are visited all sprinkled with bits of information from the "sciences". And yes, on occassion an opinion or two on various topics. I hope it will be informative, once in a while provocative and always entertaining. So please join me while we explore the Blue Marble.
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