History

In February of 2006, National bestselling author, Kendra Norman-Bellamy received a call from the owners of a local travel agency, asking that she consider hosting a cruise. Having never met the owners or heard of their organization, the call was completely unexpected. When asked what kind of cruise it would be, the response was, "Any kind you desire to make it. It's totally up to you." The initial in-person meeting of the minds took place over lunch on February 20th and after much thought and prayer, Kendra accepted this exciting challenge and thus, Cruisin' For Christ was born.

This opened door gave Kendra the opportunity to tread on new waters (pun intended) and to plan an event that would highlight her passion for the written word on a whole new level. With absolutely no experience in planning a celebration of this magnitude, Kendra embarked on the mission of building a dream team that would help make Cruisin' For Christ a voyage to remember. A firm believer that the Lord places people in the lives of His people for a reason, she solicited the professional assistance of people that God suddenly put in her path (some of which she'd never personally met) to partner with her to reach a common goal.

The purpose of this cruise is to set in place another platform by which to promote inspirational and positive artists and artistries. Through it, the talents of noted authors, national comedians, gifted speakers, and award-winning recording artists would come together with ministries, businesses, avid readers, music lovers, vacation-goers, and others to celebrate the artistries that glorify God.

The inaugural cruise took place on the Carnival Glory and set sail from Orlando, Florida's Port Canaveral on August 25, 2007. During its seven-day journey, Cruisin' For Christ made visits to Key West, Florida, Cozumel, Mexico, Progreso, Yucatan, and Nassau, Bahamas. Offered events included authors' and entertainers' panel discussions, gatherings for singles and couples, a fashion show, Bingo tournament, comedy showcases, and workshops geared toward writing, health and spiritual empowerment.

Even with such an extensive schedule of events, Kendra insists that the list of activities isn't the ingredient that sets Cruisin' For Christ apart from the rest.

"This is not just your ordinary gathering of people getting together to have fun or to go on vacation," she says. "Although CFC strives to bring aboard some of the industry's most respected Christian writers and entertainers, this reaches far beyond arts and entertainment. Cruisin' for Christ is just what it says. Our mission is to celebrate Christ...period. There is no hidden agenda. From the moment we set sail, we want the Lord to move upon the face of the waters. We want lives to be changed just because they share ship space with us. We want people to be blessed simply because of our presence. We want God to use us to win souls for His Kingdom. This is ministry."