Review: Fathom Dominican Republic Cruise

Eudaimonia: (also known as Eudaemonism) is a Greek word, which refers to a state of having a good indwelling spirit or being in a contented state of being healthy, happy and prosperous. In moral philosophy, eudaimonia is used to refer to the right actions as those that result in the well-being of an individual.

Also a core value of Fathom Impact Travel.

Let me start by saying I can't wait to get back on a Fathom cruise!  Never have I seen a travel product that is so aligned with my values.  Check it out...

The Concept:  Voluntourism.  It's a thing, and Fathom is making it accessible to all.  Do you want to have a great time, stay safe and comfortable, and still make an impact?  Do you want to make your vacation SO much more meaningful?
Don't forget the kids!  This is a very rich experience that you should consider for your kids (minimum 8 years old).

The Adonia:  I was worried about the small size of the ship, but I ended up loving it. It's very easy to navigate and conducive to making new friends.  You get to know your fellow travelers because not only is it an intimate atmosphere,  but we are also all here for a common goal.  

Are there stage shows, ice skating rinks, or water slides?  No.  But there are many activities you won't find on other lines, such as morning and evening meditations, yoga, workshops that teach you spanish phrases or how to use your smartphone camera to it's fullest (and many other workshops), wine & paint nights, local musicians coming on board for a pre-dinner show, and so much more.

In Amber Cove, you will find a water slide, zip line, giant pool, sky bar, paddle boarding, kayaks, and other activities.  It's really fun to stay here for a few days, only sharing with another ship for a few hours here and there.  You start to feel like you own the place.

Impact Activities:  You can see all of the Impact Activity options here, but I will focus on the ones I chose.  I did Water Filter Production, Cacao & Women's Chocolate Cooperative, and Recycled Paper & Crafts Entrepreneurship.  I enjoyed all 3 and they were all different.  Making water filters, knowing how important clean water is, felt very impactful.  It was also quite fascinating and in a beautiful setting in the mountains.  At the Cacao factory, we helped the ladies by doing some of the time consuming busy-work so they could focus on producing chocolate.  It doesn't sound exciting but I felt like I was making a difference and the tasks were kind of relaxing - like coloring (side note:  I am loving that adult coloring books are now a thing, and they are a great item to bring along to pass the time during layovers and the like).  At the paper recycling facility, what stood out was these ladies' spirits, and that was the highlight of the trip for me.  We worked, but we also sang and danced (and got lots of hugs).  I look forward to returning so I can do the activities that I couldn't fit in this time.  

The Crew:   The crew on the Adonia are like gentle little fairies, fluttering about to make sure you feel well taken care of.  They are used to an elderly british clientele, so they are very reserved.  I wanted to bring my dinner servers (Ashly and Sumanta) home with me, and my cabin steward, Veronica, was exceptional.

Dining:  First and foremost, the waitstaff is phenomenal.  They made every evening a lovely experience.  The food on the ship is fine.  Everything I have eaten has been tasty but there were many dishes that just weren't appealing to me, so I sometimes struggled to make a choice.  One night I just had 3 appetizers and the waitstaff was completely accommodating.  The ship has been serving a british clientele for many years so there are a lot of Indian spices.  Many of my friends would love this, and I wish I liked them but I just don't.  There was also a LOT of lamb.  Again, it's a matter of personal taste.  Something I really appreciated was real cheese.  In my omelet was real cheddar and not that weird shredded american you get on some lines.  And in the buffet was an assortment of nice cheeses and crackers (my favorite snack).  Ocean Grill is the ship's sole specialty restaurant ($15-25 per person), and that was spectacular.
I had lunch on site for two of my impact activities, and those meals were the best of all.  One was a delicious sancocho (stew) and the other was rice and chicken.  Both came with a tasty avocado salad and some other sides.

Being a completely new product there are some glitches to work out, but I will be singing it's praises from the mountain tops.  I have already recommended it countless times and I just got ff the ship a few days ago.  I really hope this concept catches on and spreads all over the globe.

There was a lot of talk on the trip that started with "I wish I had brought...", so I thought I would put together a list of important and/or not always top-of-mind items.

I recommend you bring the following:

• Sunscreen, sunscreen, and more sunscreen - Consider putting on a base layer of lotion before you even get dressed (so you don't end up burned all along the edges of your swimsuit) and then reapply frequently.  I use spray for reapplication because it's easy.
• Hat - This is for more sun protection and will give your eyes a rest from the glaring sun.
• Insect repellent - I use these patches.  They were recommended by a friend who is allergic and I have never used anything so effective.  You should test them out first or bring something else as backup just in case these don't work as well for you.
• Bandana - I can't think of an item that takes up less space but has so many uses.  You can use it to cover your head and/or neck, dip it in water and tie around your neck to cool off, use it as a dust mask, wipe your sweat or anything else, tie it onto something to make a handle or knapsack, use it as a bib if things are getting messy...just bring one (or some).
• Chewable Pepto Bismol (or candied ginger if you like to keep it natural) -  It's a small ship and you do feel the movement more than on a large ship.  You will also find yourself on a bus traveling on curvy mountain roads on the way to and from your impact activities.  Sometimes it affects me and sometimes it doesn't, but it sure is nice to have something on hand that works FAST if I need relief from nausea.  It turns out that I like to be rocked to sleep.
• Earplugs - Have you ever had a vacation ruined because of lack of sleep?  I have, and it's awful.  This is another item that takes up almost no space, but can be a vacation-saver.  Trust me on this one.
• 2 pairs of sneakers - Anytime you need sneakers, you should probably bring two pairs, because they take a long time to dry if they get wet.  I realize that if you are flying this is not ideal, but do it if you can.  Skechers Go Walk shoes changed my life.  They are super light, comfy, and slip-on (which I prefer).
• Cash - I am so terrible about this.  At a lot of the impact activity sites there will be a gift shop and they don't take cards.  They are very simple little set-ups and you're probably going to want to buy some things.  The items are inexpensive so you don't need a ton of cash, but bring some.  If you are going into town on a non-Fathom excursion, please use a neck wallet or cash belt (something that goes under your clothes).
• Hand-held fan - This is the first trip where I forgot to bring one, and I missed it.  It's just nice to have and doesn't take up a lot of space in your bag (I use a sling bag for my day trips, but any type of backpack is good).  

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.  We look forward to hearing from you!