When 17-year-old Jonathan found out that wish granters with the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of Louisiana were sending him on the Caribbean cruise he requested, he was in a state of disbelief. According to the teen, “I did not know what to do with myself. I was absolutely ecstatic and could not find the words to express the way that I felt.” But Jonathan kept his cool and even managed to skillfully handle another momentous occasion – his high school graduation the night before his wish trip.

Jonathan’s Make-A-Wish^® adventure started when his family was picked up by a limousine early the morning after his graduation and taken to nearby Lafayette Regional Airport. A local television station interviewed the family, consisting of Jonathan, dad Will, mom Rita, and sister Lauren, before they departed for Miami, Fla., aboard American Airlines. They stayed for a night in Miami to rest up for their adventure and then hopped on board their own charter bus. Jonathan was surprised and commented, “We had an entire bus all to ourselves. It was kinda funny, actually, because I was really not expecting to have an entire bus for my family and me.” On the way to the boat dock, the driver toured Miami and made a point to show them the headquarters of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., the corporate sponsor of Jonathan’s wish and the force behind the Foundation’s Wishes at Sea program.

When they boarded the majestic ship Voyager of the Seas, Jonathan was immediately captivated by the sculptures, architecture, rooms, and gadgets. By the first day, he also had high praise for the maître d’, who he called “so cool,” and Jonathan’s waiter and assistant, who he called “the best.”

The adventurous teen’s first stop was in Haiti in an area called Labadee. That night, he and his sister checked out the Vault Disco, and Jonathan reported they “had a blast.” Snorkeling definitely became the activity of choice for the teen, as he did some underwater exploring off the islands of Grand Cayman, Jamaica, and Cozumel.

In other highlights, he climbed the Dunns River Falls in Jamaica, which is a hot spot for hiking with its waterfalls, springs, and caves. The activity he called “the greatest” was taking pictures underwater in Cozumel. He also watched a sunset and sunrise, attended shows on the ship, played games, and visited the captain of Voyager of the Seas.

Jonathan offered his appreciation to both Royal Caribbean International and the Make-A-Wish Foundation in a letter sent after the trip: “I’d like to thank the Make-A-Wish Foundation and all the people who helped make my wish come true. It was a great week for my family and me.”

“Our sincere thanks for granting our son his wish and giving him such great memories. Your special kindness was greatly appreciated and will never be forgotten. You will forever be in our hearts.”

-Jonathan’s parents