STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A Florida travel agency has announced it is planning two 2026 fundraising cruises, with profits benefitting the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
Expedia Cruises has planned two special fundraising cruises, one departing from Brooklyn and the other from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Profits from 150 cabin sales of each cruise will go directly to the foundation, according to Erica Aylward, a cruise consultant with Expedia Cruises in Venice, Florida.
Aylward said she was inspired to organize the charity cruises after attending a Tunnel to Towers home dedication for a paralyzed police officer in Florida.
“It inspired me and gave way to an idea of how we could help give back to this incredible organization,‘’ she said.
Aylward, who was born on Staten Island and is also a registered nurse, said she was working at what is now Northwell Staten Island University Hospital, in Ocean Breeze, when the horrific events of 9/11 unfolded in 2001.
Her husband at the time, who is now retired, was a firefighter assigned to Engine 217 in Brooklyn, she recalled. “We experienced firsthand what Tunnel to Towers has done for our community, and now first responders and veterans across the country,‘’ she said.
Aylward, referring to the Land O’ Lakes, Florida, home dedication by the organization, said, “Tunnel to Towers is very near and dear to my heart; the dedication changed my life.”
Tunnel to Towers was founded in memory of firefighter Stephen Siller by his brother, Frank Siller, of Westerleigh, the current CEO and chairman. Stephen Siller lost his life after running through the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel in response to the Sept. 11 terror attack.
In all, Aylward said she’s hoping to donate about $80,000 to the organization.
The MSC Meraviglia
The MSC Meraviglia will depart Brooklyn on Jan. 11, 2026, for an eight-day adventure, with stops in: Port Canaveral, Florida; Nassau, Bahamas; and Ocean Cay, Bahamas, before returning to Brooklyn on Jan. 18.
Prices for the MSC Meraviglia cruise are: $1,567 per person for a cabin with a balcony, $1,417 per person for a cabin with an ocean view, and $1,277 per person for an inside cabin. Suites are also available.
Retired FDNY Lt. Joseph LaPointe, of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, will be onboard the MSC Meraviglia.
“The Staten Island community has always been incredibly generous in supporting the Tunnel to Towers Foundation,‘’ he said. ”This donation will honor the courage and commitment of those who keep our communities safe."
Celebrity Summit Cruise
The five-day Celebrity Summit Cruise will depart Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 17, 2026, and return on Feb. 21, 2026, with stops in Key West, Florida, and Nassau, Bahamas.
Prices for the Celebrity Summit Cruise are: $1,176 per person for a balcony cabin, $1,076 per person for a cabin with an ocean view, and $1,026 per person for an inside cabin. Suites are also available.
Both cruises include a classic drink package, free WiFi, and gratuities.
For more information or to make a reservation, contact Aylward at 941-740-0073 or eaylward@expediacruises.com.