Holland America Line passengers have helped raise $450,000 for Ukrainian relief in ten months.
The funds have come from passengers donating $25 each to participate in 5k walks on every cruise across the line’s fleet of 11 ships.
The ‘On Deck for a Cause’ initiative began in March 2022 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Donations from passengers are going to California-based global humanitarian aid organisation Direct Relief.
The fund raising on ships across six continents came after a pledge of $3 million to charities helping Ukrainian refugees from the family foundation of parent company Carnival Corporation’s chairman Micky Arison and his wife Madeleine.
The Dutch government and city of Rotterdam chartered HAL ship Volendam between April and September as part of a larger effort to accommodate 50,000 Ukrainians who fled the war in their homeland.
HAL president Gus Antorcha said: “Our guests and team members, who love to explore the world, wanted to do something to make a meaningful difference for families in a part of the world that desperately needs humanitarian aid.
“We knew our guests were generous, but their support has well exceeded our expectations, with donations totalling $450,000.”
Direct Relief has already provided more than 1,000 tons of medical material aid requested by the Ukrainian Health Ministry.
The charity’s chief executive Thomas Tighe said: “We’re grateful to Holland America Line and its guests for this tremendous fundraising effort in which people took time during their vacations to make a difference.
“Their support will further help us in providing lifesaving medications to Ukraine, ranging from cancer therapies to treatments for chronic health conditions.”