Fathom – Cruising With Purpose And Passion
Jill and Viv in the Dominican Republic on Fathom Adonia
Fathom – Cruising With Purpose And Passion
WJ Tested: A New and Unique Cruise Concept
Allows You To Make a Difference
WAVEJourney joined Fathom’s inaugural Dominican Republic cruise on Adonia – April 17-24, 2016
How do cruising and volunteering go together? Here’s our short answer: With Fathom Travel’s (the newest brand within the Carnival Corporation portfolio) history-making social impact cruises to the Dominican Republic, passengers can enjoy a cruise vacation combined with the opportunity to participate in voluntourism activities.
IN THE BEGINNING:
WAVEJourney was invited to experience the inaugural Fathom cruise starting on April 17, 2016 (on the Adonia), and as we were intrigued (maybe also a tad skeptical) by the concept, we decided to take a firsthand look at how this all would actually work in real life.
Once we mentioned to our audience that we were taking this cruise, the questions and comments started rolling in – some asking for specific details for their family vacations and business teams, and others that were negative and deemed the concept unworthy before the first cruise even set sail.
A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it is not open.
Frank Zappa
So with Zappa’s quote in mind… WAVEJourney reserves the right to do our very best to keep an open mind until we have either real life experience or accurate facts to make an educated statement as to the merits and/or pitfalls on a subject. Fair? We think so.
Welcoming Fathom Inaugural Cruise to the Dominican Republic
WHAT IS A FATHOM SOCIAL IMPACT CRUISE?
Fathom President Tara Russell and Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald were on Adonia during the inaugural cruise. It is thanks to their vision to help less fortunate communities, and passion to bring a unique concept to fruition, that Fathom has been launched. The aim of this new and innovative company is to bring improvements in education, environment, and economic development to the Dominican Republic.
Arnold Donald (CEO Carnival Corporation) and Tara Russell (President and CEO of Fathom)
You won’t find a Cruise Director on Fathom, but you will find a group of about 15 enthusiastic and environmentally-aware Impact Guides that lead the onboard programs.
Fathom Impact Guides
While Adonia was docked at Amber Cove (Carnival Corporation’s private 30-acre waterfront property near Puerto Plata in the DR), most passengers on our cruise occupied themselves with a combination of social impact shore activities, optional cruise shore excursions, DIY exploring, and enjoying the Amber Cove Resort facilities – pool, restaurants, shopping, Duty-Free, zipline, waterslide, kayaking, paddle boarding, etc.
Amber Cove is Carnival Corporation’s private 30-acre waterfront resort in the Dominican Republic
SOCIAL IMPACT ACTIVITIES IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (passengers choose up to 3 social impact activities):
Community English Language and Conversation
- Cacao and Women’s Chocolate Cooperative
- Community English Conversation and Learning
- Student English Conversation and Learning
- Water Filter Production
- Reforestation and Nursery
- Recycled Paper and Crafts Entrepreneurship
- Concrete Floors in Community Homes
- Creative Arts, Music and Sports
POSITIVE SOCIAL IMPACT ON THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FROM THE INAUGURAL CRUISE:
In a country where 40% of the local population lives below the poverty line, where the average household income is less than $6,000, and where more than 3 million people don’t have access to piped water, any project that brings money, jobs, as well as positive social, economic and environmental assistance to the local communities, is a step in the right direction. So, we will let the numbers from the social impact activities during Fathom’s inaugural cruise (which spent approximately 72 hours in the Dominican Republic) speak for themselves…
Cacao and Women’s Chocolate Cooperative
- Cacao and Women’s Chocolate Cooperative:
- Activity: Cleaned 200+ lbs of cacao nibs; wrapped 6,000+ chocolate bars.
- Impact: the increase in production provides more income for the women in the cooperative (which will pay down their grant quicker).
- English Conversation and Learning:
- Activity: Passengers interacted with more than 650 students and community members.
- Impact: Learning and improving English skills provides better education and employment opportunities for locals.
- Water Filter Production:
- Activity: 50 clay water filters were produced.
- Impact: Local children and adults are healthier, and thus, they miss less school and work days.
- Reforestation and Nursery:
- Activity: Over 2,400 trees planted.
- Impact: Planning for the future of the country – trees help with better air quality, nutrient-rich soil, stabilization of the hillsides, and higher crop yields.
- Recycled Paper and Crafts Entrepreneurship:
- Activity: Approximately 600 sheets of paper were produced.
- Impact: Improved production of paper and crafts, which equates to more sales and increased income for the women who support their sick husbands and have children to look after.
- Concrete Floors in Community Homes:
- Activity: 2 concrete floors were poured in homes that house 20 people.
- Impact: Concrete floors reduce the risk of illness and disease that are associated with the typical dirt floors in many Dominican homes.
NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC:
We haven’t been able to come up with any negative aspect to the Fathom cruise concept. Everything we personally witnessed and all the questions we asked gave us a favorable impression.
Making Friends in the Dominican Republic
OPTIONAL SHORE EXCURSIONS IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (additional fees apply):
- Sightseeing: Top Ten Best of Puerto Plata; La Isabela, Columbus History and Folklore; Museums, Arts and Fort San Felipe
- Fishing: Deep Sea Fishing Tour
- Snorkeling: Two Reef Snorkel by Catamaran; Power Snorkel
- Adventure: Countryside Zipline Adventure
- Beach: Playa Dorada Beach Escape
AVAILABLE ACTIVITIES DURING CRUISE SEA DAYS (activities ran on various days and times):
Adonia Live Band Plays at the Pool
- Morning Meditation
- Morning Yoga
- Breaking Dawn Dance Party
- Trivia
- Dominoes Workshop
- Classic Board Game Night
- Karaoke
- Scavenger Hunt
- Fathom Book Club
- Cooking Class
- Spa (additional fees apply)
- Spin Class (additional fees apply)
- Fitness Seminars
- Wine and Paint Night (additional fees apply)
- Cocktail Demo
- Dance Classes
- Movies
- Outdoor Game Night
- Superpower Party
- Live Music – including local bands in the DR
Morning Yoga on Adonia
FATHOM SOCIAL IMPACT ONBOARD CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS (below classes and workshops were available on various days and times):
Impact Guide Jeff Leads a Cohort Group Activity
- Fathom Social Impact Classes: Being a Fathom Traveler; Empowering English Tutoring; Spanish Conversation & Practice; Spanish Phrases.
- Fathom Cohort Group Sessions: Getting to Know the DR; Fathom What’s Next.
- Fathom Workshops: The Story of Impact; Lifehack Bootcamp; Travelers of Fathom; Raising the Next Generation of Changemakers; Curiosity Advantage; Wheel of Life; Design Your Life; Visual Storytelling; The Story of You 2.0.
FATHOM SHIP:
At this time Fathom has one ship, the 30,200 tons, 352-cabin/704-passenger Adonia that most recently sailed as part of P&O’s fleet. Adonia is the smallest ocean cruise ship we have sailed on to date, and we thoroughly enjoyed the compact size, layout, amenities, and her wonderfully friendly and professional crew.
Fathom Adonia
ADONIA’S FOOD AND BEVERAGE OPTIONS INCLUDE:
The main dining room is the Pacific Restaurant and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Seafood Paella in the Conservatory Buffet
- The Conservatory Buffet is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, afternoon and late-night snacks. There is a 24-hour coffee/tea/filtered water station available.
- There are a variety of bars throughout the ship – Conservatory Bar; Crow’s Nest; Crystal Pool Bar; The Curzon Lounge; Anderson’s; Raffles (bar and coffee shop); The Glass House (wine bar).
- The Lido Cafe is near the pool for burgers and sandwiches from noon to 6 pm.
- Ocean Grill ($25 cover charge per person for dinner) – Dominican Chef Emil Vega created a unique menu featuring many of his favorite dishes. We sampled a number of items (chicharron – Dominican spiced roasted pork belly; mofongo and agauji – traditional ground pork pate; sancocho – traditional stew of pork, beef and chicken; Cuban bistec encebollado – seasoned beef fillet with caramelized onions and yucca fritters) and were in foodie heaven throughout the entire meal.
7-NIGHT DOMINICAN REPUBLIC CRUISE ITINERARY:
Fathom Travel – Dominican Republic Map and Itinerary
- Sunday: Embarkation on Adonia in Miami, Florida. Set sail for the Dominican Republic.
- Monday: At Sea – onboard Adonia sailing towards the Dominican Republic.
- Tuesday: Morning spent at sea with arrival in the Dominican Republic and dock at Amber Cove Resort around noon. Afternoon shore activities – social impact or optional excursion. Adonia remains docked at Amber Cove overnight.
- Wednesday: Adonia remains docked at Amber Cove. Social impact activities are in the morning and afternoon. Optional shore excursions throughout the day. Free time at guests own decision.
- Thursday: Adonia remains docked at Amber Cove. Social impact activities are in the morning and afternoon. Optional shore excursions throughout the day. Free time at guests own decision.
- Friday: Adonia docked at Amber Cove in the morning. Social impact activities, optional excursions, free time during the morning. Afternoon – Adonia departs Amber Cove and sets sail towards Miami, Florida.
- Saturday: At Sea – onboard Adonia sailing towards Miami, Florida.
- Sunday: Arrive at Miami, Florida in the morning and disembark Adonia.
Adonia in Amber Cove
WHO WILL ENJOY A FATHOM DOMINICAN REPUBLIC CRUISE?
If you enjoy cruising, or want to experience a cruise that is very different than the mainstream ocean cruises offered by every other company, Fathom is a terrific option. If volunteering about 4-6 hours of your vacation time per session on a few days in the Dominican Republic appeals to you, Fathom is a terrific option. If you want to have an authentic local experience and interact with people while they work, assist them to increase their productivity, or help them improve their English language skills, Fathom is a terrific option. If you want to sail to the Dominican Republic on a smaller ship that is not a typical cruise and have 3 nights/4 days to rest, relax, or explore and not do any impact activities, Fathom is a terrific option. If you want to take a cruise with a maximum of 704 passengers who are like-minded in terms of helping others achieve their goals and enhance the lives of the people they meet, Fathom is a terrific option.
Local Women Cooling Off in the Dominican Republic
BOTTOM LINE:
Were there some areas of Fathom’s inaugural Dominican Republic cruise and onshore impact activities that could use a few tweaks to improve the experience? Sure, but they were relatively minor and nothing more than what we would expect with the launch of any new business. When it’s the first time something is put into motion, it is a learning curve to see how it all actually works in real life. As an example, the impact guides had only been practicing their program workshops with each other or presenting to the wall – it’s a whole different thing when you have to put theory into practice. Was the Fathom team interested in how they could make improvements so the experience can be the very best for passengers travelling with them? Absolutely!
Recycled Paper and Crafts
WAVEJourney spent a week filled with fun, community and laughter. Our Fathom social impact cruise provided an uplifting experience, where we enjoyed interacting with locals who were as eager to learn about us as we were about them. It was amazing to see the faces of pure joy and delight from the Dominicans we encountered and shared time with – they were blown away that foreigners would spend vacation time and money to visit their country in the hopes of helping them improve their lives. For us, witnessing the sense of accomplishment and empowerment from the women in our Community English Class as they learned simple English phrases was priceless.
Making friends at the Community English Session
We are excited for Fathom’s future, and look forward to watching them grow and develop as time goes on. We are also keen to hear how the ongoing social impact programs in the Dominican Republic are working out to improve lives in the local communities. As Fathom has developed impact programs with local partners Entrena and IDDI, we are optimistic that these social impact programs will bring further economic advantages to the poor and give them opportunities not otherwise possible. WJ thinks Fathom is a very good thing!
Kids in the Dominican Republic
Note: Fathom offers cultural enrichment cruises to Cuba on alternate weeks. No social impact activities are offered on the Cuba cruises.
Note: WAVEJourney were media guests of Fathom from April 17-24, 2016. Read our full disclosure statement to see our review policy, and see that this has no effect on our articles, reviews, and/or opinions.
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