My name is Ken Rush, Cruise Director for Royal Caribbean International and currently assigned to Allure of the Seas. While onboard I am in charge of all of the activities and entertainment.
Royal Caribbean International as a company sponsors quite a few charities and one of them is a personal favorite of mine, Make-A-Wish® which grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions.
Every week onboard we hold a Make-A-Wish, “Walk for Wishes” event where guests have the opportunity to make a donation to Make-A-Wish and receive a complimentary t-shirt that reads, “I helped grant a wish”. Then if they choose, they may go for a group walk 2.25 times around our jogging track. Guests really enjoy doing this and on Allure I have seen us raise anywhere from $1,000 to $4,000 a week for this great activity.
The month of June is my favorite month onboard as that is what Royal Caribbean calls, Destination Joy. In addition to “Walk for Wishes”, all of our ships feature many other ways for our guests to contribute to this wonderful charity. In June 2012 on Allure we held live auctions, casino tournaments, a crew raffle, crew donations, and more.
The LIVE auction is one of my favorite events to host. Guests bid on everything from a Galley tour with the Executive Chef to Free Bingo for the entire cruise to dinner with the Captain and so much more. It is amazing how much the guests donate because they know the money goes straight to Make-A-Wish. We sometimes even have guests who walk up and will give $1,000 or more just as a single donation because they want to and don’t want anything in return.
June of 2011 was the most rewarding however because I was challenged by the Executive team onboard (Captain, Hotel Director, Staff Captain, Chief Engineer and Human Resources Manager) that if we raised over $20,000 in one week, I would completely shave my head bald. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do this and if you have heard stories about me, you may know that my hair is very important to me….haha…anyway, I accepted and we did raise $23,000 so they shaved my head LIVE on camera to a packed audience that loved it!
I loved it as well because this is a great charity. I have met many Make-A-Wish children and families and when you see the look on the children’s faces you can see they are having the time of their life because of their wish being granted. It is a wonderful feeling. I will continue to support this charity personally and professionally! What about you?
Ken is AWESOME! We have sailed with Ken on 15 different cruises, Just wish we could have seen the head shaving in person
Thank you for your comment, Harry. We hope to see you onboard again soon.
You definitly are one of the most memorable Cruise Directors that we ever had on one of our many RCCL cruises! Good to see you are involved with a charity as special as Make A Wish Foundation. You look great bald too!
Happy Sailing and wishing you and your staff a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
The Johnson Family!
We appreciate the comment and the compliment, Johnson family! Happy sailing to you, as well.
I have enjoyed being a part of your “Walk For Wishes”. It was a fun thing to do not to mention the fact that the money went to children that needed some “JOY” in their like!! We have a cruise coming up in 2013 & plan on WALKING again. Thanks for having this Charity on board as it is a very good cause!!
By The Way……” THE SEA IS CALLING” , I LOVE the commercials !!!
Thanks again, Gwendolyn. ( member of crown & anchor with 11 cruises with RRCL !!! YOU ARE THE BEST !!! )
Thank you for being a part of Walk For Wishes, Gwendolyn. We appreciate your comment.
I was there when you did that Ken and it was an awesome auction too I got a Britto butterfly for 700.00 ,love it and love the Allure also . We went on the Oasis this past month and you can not be compared in any way .You are the best thank you
Thank you for your comment, Elaine. It means a lot to us.
Ken, what a great job raising that money. What a wonderful charity gift and you still look great. Keep up the good work!
Thank you, Jo Ann.
love ken cruised with him on freedom ships love him in the quest game
we did the walk on oasis of the seas and wear our tshirts proudly
all the best to a great guy and we hope soon to sail with him
great guy ken
hope to cruise w u soon
did the wish found walk
luv tshirt wear proudly
HOPE TO CRUISE W/KEN SOON
AND DO THE WALK WITH HIM
Thank you both, Shelia and Maurice, for supporting Royal Caribbean so proudly.
Ken, I’ve had the opportunity to cruise with you many times. I have to say that you’ve never looked better because the beauty of your selfless act transcends the mortal stuff we’re made of.
KUDOS! I was already a fan. Now I’m a fan with exponentially amplified respect for you.
Happy holidays!
Thank you for your heartfelt comment, Paul. Happy holidays to you and yours.
Ken: You are one of the best cruise directors in any cruise line. You followed in the steps of the great Jeff Arpin!
Thank you, Susan!
I have sailed Royal Caribbean since the 70″s – Nordic Prince- Song of America – and many others . I look forward to the cruises you are on. You are truly the very ultimate and all my clients are assured of having the best cruise when I know you are the Cruise Director. Part of Royal Caribbean’s greatness is YOU and your fabulous staff. You make the Cruise – along of course with the fabulous food and facilities onboard.
Continue to sail!
Best regardds – Annette Gordon- Rubinsohn Travel
Thank you for your comment, Annette.
Ken is awesome nice to see the face of the party from in land. Thank you for a great time hope to be on the allure soon.
We hope to see you onboard Allure of the Seas soon, Samuel. Thanks for your message.
well done ken we loved the cruise a week ago now seems like only yesterday. I would like to say that Allure and her sister Oasis are the best ships ever. Thank you Ken and Royal Caribbean for a awesome holiday and me and my family will see allure in 11 months.
Thank you again
Malvin Hobbs
We were on the Allure just last month on the Western Caribbean cruise. It was only our 2nd cruise. Ken was an absolute joy to have as our cruise director. The morning Rush show was just what we needed to get the day started. When Ken came on with his Jamacian hat and dreedlocks I laughed so much. Thanks Ken for a job well done and being involved with Make a Wish Foundation. Your crew was just fabulous!!
Thank you for your kind words, Ann.
Ken is the best sailed with him twice no like him and he does love his hair we are going to crusie with him again on the Jan 20 2013 cruise can’t wait to see him again
Thanks, Joan, we look forward to having you back onboard soon.
As the father of a 16 year old daughter that has been granted a wish by this unbelievable organization, I can only hope that there will be a walk on the Freedom of the Seas the week of 3/24/13. Doing the walk will be one of the highlights of our trip.
Thank you for coming up with such a great idea.
Having your daughter onboard will be a highlight for us, Mike. We look forward to your cruise.