Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA)

Pembroke Pines, FL. (December 21, 2011) For 16 years, the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Foundation’s annual Holiday Gift Project has delivered presents and smiles to thousands of underprivileged children throughout the Caribbean and Latin America with the help of the FCCA Member Lines and their crews that fill in for Santa and use their ships as sleighs. Now, for the first time, the annual Holiday Gift Project included Ft. Lauderdale, Florida as one of the recipients of the project’s goodwill.

To do so, the FCCA Foundation partnered with Fort Lauderdale resident, Essie Reed, known to all as "Big Mama,” and her Team of Life organization, along with the Broward Schools Head Start Program. As part of the Holiday Gift Project, the FCCA and the crews of Crown Princess and Grand Princess ensured that close to 300 children in Ft. Lauderdale received holiday gifts that, for some, were the only presents they unwrapped this year.

“We are pleased to extend the good work that the FCCA Foundation has been doing for the past 16 years to our very own community of South Florida,” said Kevin Sheehan, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line and chairman of the FCCA. “It’s important to take care of those children in need here in our local community, as well as the hundreds in the Caribbean. It’s gratifying to see the Foundation continue to grow and partner with local charities who have children that are counting on them for some holiday cheer.”

“On behalf of all the officers and crew onboard Crown Princess and Grand Princess, as well as all of us at Princess Cruises, we are honored and privileged to bring a little holiday cheer into the lives of some of those who could use a little cheer, especially at this special time of the year,” said Stephen Nielsen, vice president, Caribbean & Atlantic shore operations, Princess Cruises.

“I’m glad that we were able to extend the scope of the Holiday Gift Project this year and include children from an area that we have not done so previously,” shared Michele Paige, president of the FCCA. “This brought some happiness to children who really deserve it.”

In its 18th year, the FCCA Foundation continues to improve the lives of citizens in the Caribbean and Latin America through projects such as this. The Foundation has impacted the lives of thousands and provided $3 million in funding to a variety of organizations and causes.

The FCCA Member Lines are committed to working with our destination partners to deliver holiday cheer.

Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International

Created in 1972, the FCCA is a not-for-profit trade organization that provides a forum for discussion on tourism development, ports, safety, security, and other cruise industry issues and builds bilateral relationships with destinations’ private and public sectors. By fostering an understanding of the cruise industry and its operating practices, the FCCA works with governments, ports and private sector representatives to maximize cruise passenger, crew and cruise line spending, as well as enhance the destination experience and increase the amount of cruise passengers returning as stay-over visitors. For more information, visit F-CCA.com and @FCCAupdates on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.