MIAMI (April 15, 2025) -- Inter Miami CF and Main Partner Royal Caribbean once again brought a magical experience from ship to pitch this April during World Wish Month as the two local powerhouses together with global nonprofit Make-A-Wish granted the wishes of 23 children with critical illnesses through a lifechanging, four-day experience from April 12 to 15. This marks the second full team Make-A-Wish initiative held by Inter Miami CF and Royal Caribbean; the first initiative took place in September 2024. With this special initiative, Inter Miami and Royal Caribbean are honored to uphold the promise they forged together at the inception of their partnership: to create memorable experiences for families and fans everywhere.
The wish kids and their families came from across the country to fulfill their heartfelt wish of meeting the Inter Miami CF First Team including Club captain Lionel Messi. Leading up to this event, Royal Caribbean hosted a day of unforgettable adventures on the world’s best family vacation, Icon of the Seas, named by TIME as one of the World’s Greatest Places in 2024.
A wish has long-lasting impacts on children and the wish community long after the wish experience. Parents, wish alumni and doctors overwhelmingly agree that wishes are a necessary part of the medical journey serving as a coping mechanism and a turning point during treatment, but for every wish granted there are two more children waiting for their wishes.
According to the Make-A-Wish 2022 Wish Impact Survey , a growing body of research demonstrates how wish-fulfillment promotes mental and emotional well-being for children and their families who are facing trauma stemming from a critical illness. Perhaps the most overwhelmingly positive feedback on the impact of a wish came from the pediatric doctors who participated in the survey. More than 90% of the doctors said they witnessed their patients overcoming feelings of sadness, hopelessness, anxiety and depression after their wish. Furthermore, 95% of the doctors reported the wish improved their patients' emotional and physical well-being. Most notably, 75% of the doctors went as far as to state that a wish could improve a child's medical outcomes.
“Helping wish kids and their families build memories to last a lifetime is at the core of Royal Caribbean’s Wishes at Sea program and our multiyear partnership with Make-A-Wish. We are inspired by these families and love being a small part of making their wishes a reality,” said Samantha Riepe, VP, Marketing, Royal Caribbean International. “We are thankful to be able to join with Make-A-Wish and Inter Miami CF to make these dreams a reality from ship to pitch.”
The special, multi-day experience kicked off on April 12 in Miami on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas as part of the vacation brand’s multi-year “Wishes at Sea” program with Make-A-Wish. On board Icon, families received the VIP treatment from start to finish and indulged in a day of adrenaline pumping thrills and unrivaled ways to chill, including a viewing of the first theatrical rendition of "The Wizard of Oz" at sea and endless thrills at Category 6 Waterpark, the largest waterpark at sea featuring six record-breaking slides.
"We are honored to collaborate once again with Make-A-Wish to create special memories for each wish kid here today,” said Camila Jocelyn-Holt, Inter Miami’s Director of Community Engagement. “Providing this unforgettable experience together with our Main partner Royal Caribbean is a true testament to our shared goal of making a positive impact on all we meet.”
After a fun-filled day on board Icon of the Seas, on April 15 each wish child and their family arrived in South Florida where they were welcomed to Chase Stadium, Inter Miami’s home, and got to experience first-hand the Club’s motto “Freedom to Dream” as each of their wishes came true in real time. The day kicked off with each family getting their very own field-level suite where each child received several gifts including a team-signed personalized Inter Miami CF jersey with their name, specially curated food and beverage options and additional Inter Miami CF gear. From these suites, the wish families received an up close, private viewing of an Inter Miami CF practice, offering an exclusive look at how the players and coaching staff prepare for a match.
Each child made their debut as honorary Inter Miami CF players, taking turns entering the field through the player tunnel and were greeted by their name and photo displayed on the scoreboard high above the stands. Following a heartwarming interaction with their fútbol heroes, including Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Drake Callender, Benjamín Cremaschi and more, the once-in-a-lifetime experience ended with a group photo and trio of unique experiences involving Inter Miami CF Head Coach Javier Mascherano, as well as Fafa Picault, Yannick Bright, and Maximiliano Falcón to commemorate the day.
World Wish Month builds upon the foundation of World Wish Day celebrated every year on April 29, the anniversary of then-7-year-old Chris’ wish to be a police officer in 1980.
“April is recognized as World Wish Month, a time when we invite everyone to join our mission that started 45 years ago,” said Leslie Motter, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. "Every hour of every day, more than three children are diagnosed with a critical illness. We are incredibly grateful for the support of WishMakers like Royal Caribbean and Inter Miami, who play a crucial role in making these life-changing wishes possible that can that bring hope, strength and joy."
Fanatics, the official sports partner of Make-A-Wish, supported these heartfelt wishes as part of its financial commitment to the wish-granting organization and enhanced the experience by providing additional fan gear for each wish kid.
This special initiative builds on the shared commitment of two hometown favorites: Royal Caribbean and its decades-long track record of celebrating and contributing to the destinations it visits and Inter Miami’s commitment to harnessing the power of fútbol to do good since the Club’s inception.
About Inter Miami CF
Club International de Fútbol Miami, known as Inter Miami CF, is an American professional sports team in its sixth season in Major League Soccer. Inter Miami plays and trains at its 34-acre centralized facility, which includes Chase Stadium, a 50,000-square-foot training center and seven fields in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In addition to the MLS team, the Club fields MLS NEXT Pro team Inter Miami CF II and has a youth Academy for ages U-12 to U-19. Inter Miami CF Main Partners include: Royal Caribbean, Fracht Group, JPMorgan Chase, Baptist Health, Florida Blue, and Polkadot. Please visit www.intermiamicf.com for more information.
About Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean International , part of Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL), has delivered memorable vacations for more than 50 years. The cruise line’s game-changing ships and private destinations revolutionize vacations with innovations and an all-encompassing combination of experiences, from thrills to dining and entertainment, for every type of family and vacationer. Voted “Best Cruise Line Overall” for 22 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards, Royal Caribbean makes memories with adventurers across more than 300 destinations in 80 countries on all seven continents, including the line’s top-rated private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.
Media can stay up to date by following @RoyalCaribPR on X and visit www.RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com. For additional information or to book, vacationers can visit www.RoyalCaribbean.com, call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN or contact their travel advisor.
About Make-A-Wish®
Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Founded in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the #1 most trusted nonprofit operating locally in all 50 states throughout the U.S. Together with generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 20,000 volunteers across the country, Make-A-Wish delivers hope and joy to children and their families when they need it most. Make-A-Wish aims to bring the power of wishing to every child with a critical illness because wish experiences can help improve emotional and physical health. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 615,000 wishes worldwide; more than 390,000 wishes in the U.S. and its territories alone. For more information about Make-A-Wish America, visit wish.org.
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