FUND RAISER CRUISE FOR ST. MATTHEW

INTRODUCTION:

Monsignor Mike Yarbrough and a 21 of St. Matthew parishioners took part in a unique Fund Raising activity in July 2007.  They took a 7-day Western Caribbean Cruise aboard the Carnival CONQUEST out of Galveston, TX.  The ship’s itinerary had our cruisers visiting the ports of Montego Bay, Jamaica; Grand Cayman City, the Cayman Islands; and Cozumel, Mexico.  A group photo after one of the “formal” nights shows our cruisers had a GREAT time.

Esther and Roger Rubio, St. Matthew Parishioners and owners of ET TRAVEL LLC like to say, “A Cruise is the Best Vacation that Ever Happened to a Photo Album”.  Esther and Roger proposed a cruise fundraiser to Monsignor Mike as a way to raise money for St Matthew.  Carnival Cruise Lines offers a program known as “Cruising for Charity.  This “Matching Program” makes raising money fun and easy.

YOUR CRUISE:

Your Carnival Cruise Ship becomes your “Home Away from Home” while traveling from one exciting destination to another and having your kind of fun every sunny day, every starlit night while unpacking once and only once!  Your cruise provides the opportunity to visit destinations and Ports of Call you might not otherwise see.  While in these Ports of Call, you can purchase optional Shore Excursions, which provide an insight into the sounds, sights and cultures of these exciting destinations.

Imagine how nice it is to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner without getting a bill.  Your meals are included in the price of the cruise.  And every place you dine has an ocean view.  Enjoy spectacular entertainment in a gorgeous showroom where there’s not a bad seat in the house and no cover charge.  And of course, there are absolutely great activities for your children.  Carnival’s Camp Carnival is divided into several age groups giving them the opportunity to experience cruise life with their own peers.

What type of activities can you experience on a Cruise?

Play a round of Golf in a new destination

Snorkel or Scuba dive in the warm waters of the Caribbean

Explore the underwater world of the Caribbean

Visit tropical gardens

Take an exciting “flight-seeing” tour

Visit ancient ruins of civilizations of long ago

Fabulous bargains in Duty Free Shopping areas

And many more activities

Here is a sampling of pictures from the St Matthew cruise.

TOURS

Our group celebrated several Special Events while On-Board the Carnival CONQUEST

Our Cruise adventure was such a grand success that we want to ANNOUNCE the Fund Raising Cruise for 2008.  Monsignor Mike has agreed to a St Matthew Fund Raiser aboard the Carnival SPIRIT to Alaska.  Dates are June 18 to June 25, 2008.  Prices start at $2024 per person for an Interior Stateroom based on double occupancy.  Price includes round-trip air from San Antonio, the cruise, all government taxes/fees, trip cancellation insurance, pre-paid gratuities and a $35 per person donation to St Matthew.    This cruise can be priced from any city so be sure to invite your out-of-town family and friends.