by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 2:05 PM ET, Mon October 7, 2024
Carnival Cruise Line is taking its support of Hurricane Helene relief efforts to new heights—literally.
Christine Duffy, the cruise line’s president, will go skydiving on October 19 to raise money for victims of the devastating storm. She is hoping to raise $50,000 to benefit the Gary Sinise Foundation, which is supporting the first responders and military who are working to bring relief to communities in Hurricane Helene’s path.
Duffy will participate in a tandem dive with the nonprofit Round Canopy Parachute Team, as well as members of the USSOCOM Para-Commandos, the U.S. Special Operations Command's premier aerial parachute demonstration team.
Duffy will jump from the “Tico Belle,” a C-47 aircraft flown during the D-Day landings in Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944.
The dive will take place as Carnival Paradise departs from Tampa for a cruise chartered by the Special Forces Legacy Initiatives.
During the Carnival Cruise Line sailing, special forces alumni, their families, Gold Star families and friends will enjoy a five-day cruise to the Bahamas. It will also bring together Green Berets who have served from the Korean War to the present for a reunion.
“I’ve never jumped from an airplane before, so I think this effort is worth at least $50,000 for the Gary Sinise Foundation and their efforts to support military and first responders assisting with hurricane relief,” says Duffy. “Saying that Carnival is America’s Cruise Line and the favorite cruise line for active-duty military and military veterans is one thing, showing it is another story, and I’m always ready to jump at the chance to prove it!”
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
