Press Release
April 24, 2001
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL -- Festival at Sea which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary of providing theme cruises
for African American will host its largest single charter to date. It began in 1992 with 250 passengers wanting
to experience something different and now has topped three thousand passengers. Festival at Sea also has two additional
annual cruises, one which sails the Eastern Mediterranean.
This year, Carnival’s Triumph will start the 7-night Western Caribbean cruise on July 14 from the Port of Miami.
Festival at Sea is one of the most popular African American cruises in the nation and activities on board will
include concerts, jazz shows, deck parties and comedy performances by Kings of Comedy star, D. L. Highly. Past
onboard entertainment has included The O’S, Whispers, Ashford & Simpson, Cool & the Gang and others.
One of the highlights of this cruise will be an overnight stay in Nassau, where Festival at Sea passengers will
enjoy a funky, 2-day stay in Nassau and Paradise Island. Horizons is working with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
to develop a spectacular onshore program to include a dockside concert and local entertainment with Junkanoo and
Bahamian music.
On shore activities will include golf and tennis tournaments and the 2nd Annual Black America’s Cup Yacht Race which made its debut last year in St. Maarten. Passengers will be shuttled to entertainment venues including Arawak Cay, a spot Bahamians frequent to enjoy native foods and old island charm. Passengers will have plenty of time to shop and enjoy the island, and hopefully return for a longer visit.
Cruise passengers historically spend the least amount of money during their short stay but this extended trip
is designed to break the stereotype. This shore excursion comes during the off-season and will help create shopping
traffic on Bay Street, in the Straw Market and other shopping areas. Local Bahamian vendors are encouraged to participate,
thereby creating a more festive environment. Festival at Sea’s generous passengers will donate new children’s books
to The Bahamas Ministry of Education’s library program as part of their annual book drive. Last year, the libraries
of Trinidad were the beneficiaries of more than two thousand books. In the past 10 years Passengers have also contributed
more than $140,000.00 to the United Negro College Fund.
African American travelers are becoming one of the fastest growing segments in the travel and cruise industry.
They spend more than 35 billion dollars annually on travel, and are likely to spend more money shopping than their
counterparts, according to Black Meetings and Tourism Magazine. If this event is successful in Nassau, overnight
programs will be created in other destinations during upcoming cruises. Horizons Marketing Group specializes in
African American travel and has created a conference where you can learn how to market to this growing segment.
The conference is in its 5th year and will be held in Miami, Florida during September.
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CONTACT:
Andy Ingraham, President Horizons Marketing Group Intl. Inc. Tel:954-792-2579 Fax:954-792-2739 horizons@gate.net www.africanamericantravel.com