Princess Cruises has presented a check to the American Heart Association (AHA) for $832,000, the result of the line’s fundraising cruise this past February to support heart health. The special sailing was fully themed around this cause and was part of the company’s “Cruising for a Cause” program.
According to Princess, the funds were raised from a portion of each guest’s cruise fare and a 100 percent matching amount from the cruise line.
“We are pleased to have presented such an enlightening cruise experience, as well as raise money to educate and provide resources to combat heart disease which is the leading cause of death in men and women in the United States,” said Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises.
“Because we care about the health and well-being of our employees and guests, supporting the American Heart Association was a great partnership.”
This special cruise, which fittingly took place over Valentine’s Day aboard Ruby Princess, included a variety of activities and educational opportunities focused on heart-healthy living, including training in the American Heart Association’s Hands-Only CPR; seminars on how to better manage stress, diet and exercise; a survivor’s reception for those who had overcome heart disease; complimentary blood pressure screenings; and a fundraising walk on deck, patterned after AHA’s successful HeartWalks.
“The American Heart Association is extremely grateful to Princess and guests aboard the Cruise for Heart for helping raise awareness about heart disease and stroke,” said Al Royse, American Heart Association chair-elect. “Thanks to their generous donation, we can help even more people improve their heart and brain health.”
A lineup of special guests on the cruise included a renowned cardiac surgeon, a celebrity chef, a fitness expert, an award-winning author, a four-time Super Bowl champion, and even Bernie Kopell, the actor who played the doctor on the television series The Love Boat. The festivities were capped off with a Ruby Red Gala party, onboard renewal of vows ceremony and heart-warming wedding of a couple who had been affected by heart disease.
This cruise was the company’s second fundraising voyage. Princess Cruises previously raised $600,000 for veterans’ causes last November aboard Caribbean Princess, with donations made to Operation Homefront and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.
