CruiseOne® and Cruises Inc.® Raise More Than $108,000 for Make-A-Wish® at 2013 National Conference Onboard Norwegian Breakaway

Fort Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) October 08, 2013 -- On the heels of receiving a Community Involvement Magellan Award from Travel Weekly for its support of Make-A-Wish®, CruiseOne® and Cruises Inc.® hosted fundraising events during its week-long National Conference onboard Norwegian Breakaway and raised more than $108,000, shattering last year’s donation and surpassing this year’s fundraising goal of $70,000. As a result, Make-A-Wish will be able to grant 10 wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

The main objective of Make-A-Wish is to give children who are battling life-threatening medical conditions the opportunity to feel stronger, more energetic and able to deal with their illness. “Giving to others is a fundamental part of many world views and it aligns with our core philosophies,” said Dwain Wall, senior vice president and general manager of CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. “We are very lucky to have chosen a career in leisure vacation planning. Every day we get to help people realize their dreams by making sure their vacations are as special as they can. Vacations are the source of many people’s most cherished memories, so helping to make children’s wishes come true is the perfect fit for CruiseOne and Cruises Inc.”

Agents literally took an active approach to fundraising by participating in innovative activities such as “In the Park after Dark,” a fundraising event on the ship’s ropes course one evening; Zumba@Sea – Dance For Wishes, an exhilarating work out and dance party all-in-one; and the “Run Like a Champion, Cruise Like a Norwegian” marathon at sea, where World Travel Holdings Business Development Director Sean Tolkin ran a marathon and was joined by different employees and agents during each mile. What’s more, agents who were unable to attend were still able to support Make-A-Wish by making online donations through the fundraising websites for “Zumba@Sea – Dance For Wishes” and “Run Like a Champion, Cruise like a Norwegian” marathon. There also were prize drawings and silent auctions with noteworthy prizes such as cruises, iPads, wine and more.

“We are thrilled with the results of this year’s conference,” said David Williams, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. “The generosity of companies like CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. will help us continue moving closer to our vision of making every eligible child’s wish come true.”

The annual CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. National Conference focused on the personal and professional development of agents using interactive workshops, dynamic speakers, teambuilding exercises and strategic business conversations with key executives from World Travel Holdings, cruise lines and land vendors. This year’s theme - Collaboration, Passion and Innovation - reflected the company’s goals for 2013 and beyond.

To join CruiseOne or Cruises Inc. and sell dream vacations, visit http://www.CruiseOneFranchise.com or http://www.SellCruises.com.

About CruiseOne® and Cruises Inc.®

CruiseOne® and Cruises Inc.® are part of World Travel Holdings, one of the nation’s leading travel retail networks. With a mission of delivering a remarkable experience, vacation specialists at both brands use cutting edge technology and strong relationships with every major cruise line and many tour operators to provide consumers the lowest possible pricing on cruise and land vacations. For more information, visit http://www.CruiseOneFranchise.com or http://www.SellCruises.com.

About Make-A-Wish®

Make-A-Wish® grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true can have positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illnesses, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Based in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world’s leading children’s charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 25,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 38 minutes. It has granted more than 226,000 wishes since its inception in 1980; nearly 14,000 in 2012 alone. Visit Make-A-Wish at wish.org to learn more.

Rachel Shapiro, CruiseOne and Cruises Inc., http://www.WorldTravelHoldings.com, +1 954-958-3664, [email protected]