Oceania Cruises has teamed up with the American Cancer Society (ACS) to hold the organization’s Relay For Life at Sea fundraising effort onboard two of its ships, Insignia and Vista, with a goal to raise $150,000 for the society by the end of 2024.
The collaboration invites guests and crew members to join in the effort that raises money for cancer research, patient support programs, and other advocacy activities.
Under the program, an off-shoot of the ACS’s land-based Relay For Life fundraising initiative that debuted in 1985, participants engage in a “friendly competition” by walking as many laps as they can around the ships’ fitness tracks. Each guest or crew member who joins the effort donates $25.
The relay was held during Vista’s current voyage, a 22-day itinerary that departed on June 19, 2024 from Istanbul and will conclude in Barcelona. The event also was held on Insignia during her current world cruise, a 196-day sailing that left Miami on December 29, 2023 and ends in New York on July 12, 2024.
The two Oceania Cruises ships will hold a gathering of participants at the end of their respective voyages to recognize those who walked in the relay. Prizes will be given to winners in various age groups.
“This initiative reflects Oceania Cruises’ commitment not only to delivering exceptional travel experiences but also to making a positive impact in the communities we touch, consistently aiming to foster a spirit of unity,” said Frank A. Del Rio, president of Oceania Cruises.
“We look forward to seeing not only our guests, but our officers and team members, come together to celebrate survivors, honor those we’ve lost, and contribute to the fight against cancer,” added Del Rio.
Fundraising campaigns are not new to the cruise industry, as several lines have participated in various programs in recent years. Holland America Line, for instance, sponsored an “On Deck For a Cause” event on all of its ships in 2022.
Guests were invited to donate $25 to join a 5K walk during their cruise, with proceeds going to Direct Relief, a global aid organization that provides lifesaving medical resources to Ukrainians.
Fundraising Program Will Soon Expand Across Fleet
The ACS Relay For Life at Sea program will expand across the Oceania fleet in the coming months.
The cruise line operates eight small ships, with Vista being the newest. The 1,200-guest ship entered service in May 2023 following a gala christening event in Valetta, Malta. In honor of the line’s focus on cuisine, chef and food personality Giada De Laurentis served as godmother.
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Vista was the first in the line’s new Allura class. The second, named Allura, is under construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy, and will debut in summer 2025.
Her inaugural sailing will depart Trieste, Italy, on July 18, 2025, cruising six days to Athens, Greece, and calling at Rijeka, Croatia; Ravenna, Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; and Kotor, Montenegro.
Insignia’s next cruise sails roundtrip from New York on a 51-day “Epic Northern Hemisphere” voyage visiting ports in Greenland, Iceland, Scandinavia, British Isles, Baltics, Germany, France, and Canada. Vista will remain in the Mediterranean through mid-November 2024, sailing Eastern and Western Mediterranean cruises before repositioning to Miami for a winter series of sailings in the Caribbean.
Booked guests who wish to participate for the benefit walk can register in advance at the ACS web site or after embarking their ship by scanning the QR code in Oceania’s onboard newsletter, Currents.
