Royal Caribbean to Grant Wishes Onboard Oasis Of The Seas

MIAMI, Oct. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- When Royal Caribbean International
officially names Oasis of the Seas - the world's largest and most
revolutionary cruise ship - on Nov. 30, 2009 from Port Everglades Cruise
Terminal in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the renowned cruise line will be doing more
than making wishes come true for vacationers, it will be granting wishes for
children across the country through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Royal
Caribbean will be hosting an inaugural celebration-fundraiser onboard Oasis of
the Seas and has donated 100 percent of the sales from 1,000 of the ship's
staterooms for this once-in-a-lifetime event to the non-profit Make-A-Wish
Foundation, which grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical
conditions. Tickets for the event begin at $750 per person. Guests who
purchase one of the staterooms and wish to continue their adventure onboard
will receive an exclusive discount price, beginning at $650 per person, on a
four-night cruise package sailing to the cruise line's private beach
destination, Labadee, departing the morning following the event on Dec. 1
(rates based on double-occupancy and stateroom package).  


Wish kids and their families will participate in the onboard festivities
during the celebration on Nov. 30, including the official naming ceremony of
Oasis of the Seas, and will enjoy the ship's world-class entertainment
amenities during the spectacular inaugural event. Onboard amenities for
guests' enjoyment will include two rock-climbing walls, two FlowRider surf
simulators, four unique types of pools in the Pool and Sports Zone, spa
treatments at the Vitality Spa and Fitness Center, and an acrobatic diving
show in the AquaTheater. Additionally, guests will enjoy a special dinner
featured in the Opus Dining Room after which they can catch side-splitting
comics in Comedy Live, relax in one of the ships many lounges, or join in
world-class gaming in the Casino Royale. 


The Make-A-Wish celebration-fundraiser is part of Royal Caribbean's ongoing
support of the organization. Since 2000, the cruise line has hosted more than
1,300 children who wished to go on a cruise to destinations around the world
and has contributed more than $2.8 million in in-kind services and $372,000 in
discount savings through its Wishes at Sea program. Through employee and guest
fundraising efforts, Royal Caribbean has also raised more than $480,000 and
460,000 frequent flier miles, used to secure airline tickets for children's
wish travel and help the Make-A-Wish Foundation conserve critical financial
resources. 


"The generosity of sponsors like Royal Caribbean has greatly enhanced our
ability to grant life-affirming, world-class wishes and is critical to the
mission of the Make-A-Wish Foundation to bring hope, strength and joy into the
lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions," said David
Williams, Make-A-Wish Foundation of America president and chief executive
officer. "We hope that people across the nation will support the Foundation by
joining us for this special inaugural cruise celebration and fundraising
effort, enabling us to bring smiles to the faces of even more children -
children who are waiting for wishes."


Anyone interested in attending the Nov. 30( )festivities and/or booking the
exclusively discounted four-night cruise to Labadee departing Dec. 1 should
contact Cynthia Paez, Royal Caribbean International, at (877) 202-1520, ext.
12751, or cpaez@rccl.com, Monday - Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST.  


When she launches in December 2009, Oasis of the Seas will be the largest and
most revolutionary cruise ship in the world. An architectural marvel at sea,
she will span 16 decks, encompass 225,282 gross registered tons (GRT), carry
5,400 guests at double occupancy, and feature 2,700 staterooms.  Oasis of the
Seas will be the first ship to tout the cruise line's new neighborhood concept
of seven distinct themed areas, which includes Central Park, Boardwalk, the
Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness
Center, Entertainment Place and Youth Zone.  The ship will sail from her home
port of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.  Additional information is
available at www.oasisoftheseas.com. 


Royal Caribbean International is a global cruise brand with 20 ships currently
in service and two under construction.  The line also offers unique cruise
tour land packages in Alaska, Canada, Dubai, Europe, and Australia and New
Zealand.  For additional information or to make reservations, call your travel
agent, visit www.royalcaribbean.com or call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN. Travel
professionals should go to www.cruisingpower.com or call (800) 327-2056.


The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening
medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill
his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest
wish-granting charity in the world, with 65 chapters in the United States and
its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000
volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes and has
granted more than 180,000 wishes in the United States since its inception. For
more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit wish.org and discover
how you can share the power of a wish.

Tags: Royal Caribbean Oasis Fundraising