Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
— Margaret Mead
Dear Sweet voluntouristas,
Thank you so much for your interest in participating in our Sweet community service excursions during our Sweet Caribbean Cruise, Nov. 8-15, 2009. I can assure you that they are going to be both extremely fun and profoundly meaningful. I had the pleasure of previewing these projects in April. My heart was in my throat as we toured beaches, schools, parks and hospitals sorely in need of our sweetness.
As I surveyed these places, I was filled with energy. Instead of sadness and hopelessness, I felt an unwavering certainty, a tremendous gratefulness and an unshakeable resolve. Sweet can change the world as we know it for the better.
How does it work? Our projects are different than anything you’ve ever done. Our projects are celebrations of life and connection, our connection to one another and to the larger world community. We’ll clean up beaches while playing games. We’ll paint the children’s ward of a hospital while Sweet artists serenade us. We’ll transform the way the world thinks about volunteering because if it’s more fun, more people will do it. And if more people participate in the solution, we can solve really big problems while having the time of our lives.
I know you’re all wondering why there is a charge to volunteer. There are real costs involved in getting folks to these projects, purchasing the supplies for these projects and feeding our wonderful volunteers. No one is making money on these excursions. In fact, some of our partners in the ports are donating their services and supplies, in order to make these excursions affordable for our guests.
Speaking of our partners in the ports, we’re working with some of the sweetest people on the planet. Denise Oxley has made it her mission to educate tourists about the poverty in Belize City and to find ways to empower Belizeans while helping them. An incredible and driven woman who moved to Belize from Canada four years ago, Denise is spending her retirement years making life better for Belizeans.
In Costa Maya, a local councilman spent his day showing us all the options for volunteers in his city. There were so many places to contribute. While we could not do them all in a day, we are committed to returning to this beautiful city by the sea for years to come.
There are many more tour operators, business people, politicians, community organizers and locals you’ll meet on our excursions. Sweet is so proud to be providing the hands and hearts for these magnificent projects.
Do you have to participate? No. No. And no. You make a difference by simply taking a vacation. It’s that easy. That’s the beauty of Sweet. Even if you don’t volunteer, you’re a part of something bigger.
Sweet excursions will be available on the NCL web site when it opens for excursion booking about 30 days prior to our sailing. We’ll send you an email when it’s time to book. We expect these excursions to fill up fast, so be ready to book early.
This is the beginning of something big, something I look forward to growing with all of you. Let’s make the world Sweet.
To infinity and beyond,
Shannon
COSTA MAYA, MEXICO
$44
Minimum capacity: 30
Maximum capacity: 147
Time: 3-5 hours
Looking for something completely different on your Caribbean vacation? This is a great opportunity to have friendly competition while cleaning the beaches of Costa Maya, receiving recognition from the local government for all your efforts and relaxing at our tropical paradise beach club with an open bar, restaurant and a wide variety of activities available.
The people of this beautiful town of Mahahual are constantly cleaning the coast line to enjoy the beach as much as visitors. However, those hands are not enough to clean the large quantities of garbage that the sea continually washes ashore. About 85 percent of the garbage (mostly plastic) comes from countries other than Mexico.
Come and be part of this fab beach clean up. After a 45 minute bus ride from the Costa Maya Port to the Uvero Beach Club, you will receive a short briefing on the area and the project. We’ll register teams (8 people maximum), then grab our bags, put on our gloves and start cleaning up the beach. Pay attention to what you find! We’re running two contest, one find the weirdest thing and one to find the item from the farthest away. Winner receive a special certificate from the local government.
Afterwards, enjoy our beach club and a delicious Mexican buffet of chicken fajitas, salads, barbecue ribs, quesadillas, nachos, guacamole and more! Refresh yourself with a mai tai, sweet margarita or a choice of beverages from our open bar. If you’ve still got energy to spare, you can play beach volleyball, swing in a hammock or have a dip in the warm and blue Caribbean. For your comfort and convenience, shuttles will return to the ship every hour.
• Guests will be in teams of 2 – 4 people
• Contests for fab prizes for who can find the weirdest thing on the beach and who can find the piece of garbage that’s traveled the farthest.
• Guests will be able to see the difference that they have made in the clean up immediately
• Open bar and Mexican buffet lunch after beach clean up.
• Kayaks & beach volleyball complimentary
• Wheelchair-friendly resort for guests who don’t mind missing out on the clean up, but want to share in the celebration.
$189
Minimum capacity: 2
Maximum capacity: 12
Costa Maya has become one of the hottest dive destinations in the world. Until recently, this destination was known only by the local fisherman. Very few places in the world can offer such unspoiled diving! One way to keep the diving unspoiled is by doing your part to protect it.
Come join Dreamtime Dive Center in Costa Maya as we organize a reef clean up! You begin with a short shuttle ride through the small village of Mahahual (also known as MahaWOW!) to an eco-friendly dive center. Here, you will be briefed on Project Aware reef clean up procedures, then board a custom made dive boat and shore launch to a dive site impacted by 2007 Cat 5 Hurricane Dean. Dive with us and help us gather debris left from the most powerful hurricane to make land fall in 40 years.
After your dive, you may return to the ship or stay and experience the local culture and beautiful beaches of MahaWOW! The village is thriving with beach front shops, restaurants, bars, arts & crafts booths and more. If you choose to stay in Mahahual, you will be responsible for your transportation back to the ship. Taxis are abundant and they will gladly return you to the ship.
• Dive center is eco-friendly
• Dive site is a part of the reef that was impacted by the 2007 Category 5 Hurricane Dean
• 5 percent of the reef still needs work to revive it.
• Guests will gathering debris left on the reef.
• After this dive guests will have an understanding of the power of mother nature and experience the gratification of doing their part to protect this fragile ecosystem.
• A portion of the excursion fee will be donated to the local school that was heavily damaged in the storm.
• Excursion open to certified divers only.
BELIZE
$99
Minimum capacity: 10
Maximum capacity: 24
Sweet and NCL are partnering with Hand Wash Hand, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping others to help themselves. This tour launches a new project to create a children’s storytime corner and mini-library in an underprivileged school. It is geared toward 6-10 year-old students.
Once completed, your group will invite the children to hear the first story read in their new mini-library and Sweeties will sign their names on the wall. Next, you’re off to tour Belize City as you make your way back to the pier to enjoy an authentic Belizean lunch and after party at the famous Wet Lizard Bar & Restaurant.
All proceeds from this tour will be donated to Hand Wash Hand to support the Story Time Corner Projects. Lunch, soft drinks and water is included. Cameras and paint smocks are highly recommended.
• Organized by Hand Wash Hand, a non-profit organization dedicate to helping others to help themselves.
• Create a children’s storytime corner and mini-library in an underprivileged school.
• Guests are encouraged to bring books (in English) geared toward children 6-10.
• Guest may bring school supplies and sporting equipment to donate as well.
• Guests paint the story corner and add a tree with bare branches, creating a place for the children to post their names on a leaf.
• Guests will invite the children to hear the first story read in their new mini-library and sign their names on the wall.
• Includes tour of Belize City and lunch at a local restaurant.
Mail books to HAND WASH HAND in Belize.
$139
Minimum capacity: 20
Maximum capacity: 40
• The Lifeline Foundation is a non-profit charity trust geared towards raising money to benefit children at schools and orphanages who are in dire need of assistance, whether it be feeding programs, medical care, clothing or educational materials.
• Guests enjoy an open-air city tour aboard the Calypso Train as we make our way to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.
• The mission is to let out those artistic talents and brighten the pediatric ward, painting cartoon characters, glow stars and spreading cheer throughout the children’s ward.
• The other goal is to transform the children’s ward into a magical, bright place.
• Painting will be done sort of like paint by numbers after a local artist sketches the design.
• If guests want to bring any toys as donations, they are most welcome.
• After painting, guests will go for an authentic Belizean lunch and party at a nearby outdoor cafe.
ROATAN
Children’s Computer Center
$149
Minimum capacity: 20
Maximum capacity: 25
Be a part of bettering E-Learning Centers of Roatan. This facility is operated by Partners in Education – Roatan, which is an internationally recognized organization. This exciting day is sure to tug at your heart strings when you not only assist with beautifying the outside of the learning center building with a fresh coat of paint, but you will also witness the joy of giving in the eyes of the center’s beneficiaries as you assist in installing and setting up two new computers for the children and adults of the center to use. The proceeds from this tour financed these computers, so you will see your volunteer actions first hand. These computers will teach all ages to read and write, which opens up a whole new world to them. Once you finish up at the center, you will be taken over to Bay Island Beach Resort where you will have lunch and be given the opportunity to snorkel “the spooky channel,” enjoy the splendor of the island and reflect in your contributions to a better world. Your return to the ship follows the scenic route of the community of Flowers Bay.
COZUMEL
$79
Minimum capacity: 10
Maximum capacity: 40
• Guests will go by open air vehicle, which will allow the participants a great view of the city and surrounding area on their way to Carlos Canseco Community Park.
• Carlos Canseco was the founder of the Rotary Club in Mexico, with his recent passing it was decided to rename the park in honor of him.
• Carlos Canseco park volunteers will work side by side with neighbors and members of the rotary club on painting, replanting of various garden areas and replacement of trash receptacles.
• The guests and the community volunteers will enjoy lunch together in the park.
• All guests will receive a commemorative T-shirt from the voluntour. There will be time for photos in the park with the community volunteers and a group photo.
$85
Minimum capacity: 10
Maximum capacity: 40
• Project is in Parque Punta Sur Ecological Reserve.
• Guests will be organized into small groups to do the beach clean up.
• Guests will learn about the importance of the activity to the dunes and ecological reserve.
• Once the clean up is complete, guests are invited to the Punta Celarain lighthouse for cold bottled water, fresh sliced fruit and delicious sandwiches.
• After lunch and time visiting the lighthouse and museum, guests will go to the mangrove replanting location.
• A team of biologists will explain why the mangroves are so important to the ecology of Cozumel.
• Each participant will receive an official certification as a “Cozumel Island Eco-Guardian.”
Tags: ecotourism, Sweet Caribbean Cruise, volunteer, voluntourism
