In addition to its Care to Play: Carnival for St. Jude Kids shipboard fundraising campaign, the line serves as the Official Celebration Partner for St. Jude, supporting birthday parties, proms and other celebratory events at the Memphis hospital.
Carnival said it is on track to raise $8m by 2017 through a range of activities shipboard and shoreside. These include Groove for St. Jude, a dance activity where passengers make a $10 donation and receive a Care to Play t-shirt and wristband, and the Beary Cuddly program where kids can build their own stuffed animal with optional accessories such as medical scrubs, all available for purchase with proceeds benefiting St. Jude.
Planned for this year is a special bingo game with a portion of each card going to St. Jude, as well as a water slide activity with a $1 donation for each ride during a specified time on board. And when passengers buy a designated bakery item from on-board shops or prior to their cruise on carnival.com, Carnival donates a portion of each item sold to St. Jude.
Carnival has revamped its St. Jude portal, www.carnival.com/stjude, which includes information on the partnership and a chart reflecting progress toward the line's fundraising goal.
