Voluntourism heats up as cruise passengers are offered an easy way to participate in the Caribbean

Traveling just for fun and relaxation is fine, but the trend these days is to do something a bit more meaningful. Problem is, it's not usually easy to find experiences you can participate in. Ritz-Carlton Hotels has been offering a program called Giveback Getaways that pairs guests with local volunteer experiences. Now a company called ShoreTrips is inviting cruise ship passengers to take four or five hours to give something back to the people of the Caribbean. Help plant a garden, prepare lunch at a senior center, join a community clean-up effort.. there are lots of possibilities. Doing something good in the places in which you visit gets you deeper into a culture then you would otherwise have the opportunity to get; a trend that is set to grow for the foreseeable future.