Fathom Is Still Trying to Explain the Meaning of a Social Impact Cruise

When Carnival Corporation announced its newest brand in June — a one-ship line called fathom — the focus was so fixed on volunteer activities in the Dominican Republic that the world's largest cruise ship company didn’t even use the word “cruise” to describe the experience. As the date for the first sailings approach in April, much has changed. The lower-case f has been replaced by a capital letter, for one, and executives are now calling the voyage a cruise (with the caveat that there are no Broadway shows or casino games). “We say we’re a different kind of cruise for people who want to make a difference,” said Tara Russell, president of Fathom and global impact lead for Carnival Corp. "We think of it almost as cruise-plus today and we think of it as almost all-inclusive." And, in a game changer for the travel industry, the U.S. and Cuban governments have been moving for more than a year to normalize relations, making travel to the island nation easier. Carni