This post is the first in a series written by our family about our experience with Fathom: Impact Travel and our cruise on the Adonia to the Dominican Republic. We sailed courtesy of Fathom but received no payment for our time or these posts. We would happily pay for this experience and plan to sail with Fathom again as a family.
Lately I often feel like I’m on a fast-spinning carousel and wish I could put my feet down and stop for a spell. With five children, life naturally tends toward hectic—jobs, school activities, social obligations, family outings—and the calendar can look overwhelming. We love our busy life, but sometimes we crave a chance to unplug and slow down. When the opportunity came to sail with Fathom, Carnival Corporation’s impact travel brand, we didn’t hesitate—we jumped at it.
Calling the Fathom Travel Experience “just a cruise” doesn’t capture it. Yes, the Adonia sails from the Port of Miami to Amber Cove in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, but the similarities to a typical cruise end there. Rather than the usual quick port stop and overnight sail, Fathom spends three days ashore. That extended time lets you move beyond the polished tourist areas and meet the Dominican Republic as it is: colorful, warm, and welcoming. As our local guides said again and again, “We have big challenges, but we have big love.”
Transformative is the single best word for the experience. Tara Russell, President of Fathom, said, “It’s not easy to do something the world has never seen.” Maybe not easy, but from the moment we boarded the Adonia it was clear that Fathom’s model of impact travel is unique. The whole trip felt like love in action and real transformation.
Onboard, passengers were assigned to cohort groups. These groups took classes together—visual storytelling, English tutoring, Dominican history—and served as a space to process expectations before the on-ground activities and to reflect afterward. Cohorts helped us see the experience through different perspectives and deepened what we learned ashore.
We chose impact activities to give our family a broad range of experiences. On our first day ashore we did Community English Tutoring together. We were bused to a remote village where an organization matched us with residents and led us to their homes. Inside, we tutored conversational English—basically, we chatted. Because tourism fuels much of the local economy, English conversation skills are valuable. Spending a few hours talking and using the tutoring materials could genuinely help residents gain access to better job opportunities.
From a parent’s point of view, I worried briefly that two adults and five kids might not be that useful in a short session. Our Impact Guide, Michelle, had reassured us, “Don’t feel under-qualified! Speaking English is all you need.” She was right. My children connected with people they’d never met, helping adults learn simple phrases like “Hello. My name is…” and celebrating when someone nailed it. The most powerful moments came when the locals taught our kids Spanish phrases in return. Watching my children realize they were helping others—and learning at the same time—was unforgettable.
After the tutoring we walked together back to the community center. One of the matriarchs linked arms with me and leaned close as we walked. I tried to read the signs we passed and laughed when I realized I didn’t understand them at all; she smiled indulgently and patted my arm. Back at the center, translators helped us share and reflect on what we had experienced.
Photo courtesy of Fathom.org
My 16-year-old son received a warm, affectionate bear hug from a woman named Doris, who blessed him and kissed his cheek. My younger sons received fist bumps, hugs, and playful hair ruffling accompanied by the phrase “¡qué lindo!”—a clear expression of fondness even without translating every word. By the time we returned to the ship, my 18-year-old had a Facebook friend request from one of the women he had tutored; she left a note saying she would never forget their time together. Those messages captured how much the exchange affected both sides—real connection and mutual transformation.
Photo Courtesy of Fathom.org
The next day our family split up. My husband took the four older boys on a reforestation project, and our youngest and I joined a women’s cacao cooperative called Chocal. There we learned their story: women who used local cacao resources to build a factory and market products across the Dominican Republic. Meeting the cooperative’s CEO—who left school early to raise a family, later returned to finish high school, earned a bachelor’s degree, and is now pursuing an MBA—was inspiring. These women create local jobs, keep families close to home, and reinvest in their community.
At Chocal we sorted cacao beans, sifted roasted cacao, and helped package chocolate bars. We laughed, learned about their goals, and worked alongside Fathom passengers from around the world. The cooperative said our help increased productivity and earning potential that day. Whether or not we made a major measurable impact in a few hours, the visit changed us: I will never take a chocolate bar for granted again.
We definitely went to learn about the Dominican people and culture and to contribute, but we also returned transformed. For our final half-day in port we relaxed: lazy river pool time at Amber Cove, zip-lining for the kids, and amazingly good iced coffee from Café el Cibao. As we walked back down the pier to the ship, none of us wanted to leave. The colors, sounds, scents, and, most of all, the people had captured us. My husband and I even joked about the real estate signs and daydreamed about moving to the DR.
Shipboard life on the Adonia also stands apart. Crew and passengers mixed easily—staff dined among guests, and our kids played table games with crew and Impact Guides. That informal, friendly atmosphere removes the typical distance you see on many other cruise lines while remaining professional and attentive. The staff’s willingness to engage and support guests helped make the trip extraordinary.
If you’ve ever traveled wishing for a deeper understanding of a place, Fathom is for you. If you want to explore beyond the tourist shops, to watch your children grow through meaningful service, to work alongside grandparents or siblings, or to try a service trip without starting from scratch—Fathom offers those opportunities. It’s for anyone seeking connection, learning, and purposeful travel.
Above all, if you want love in action and genuine transformation, Fathom delivers an experience that stays with you long after the voyage ends.
