Carnival Corporation & plc launched its Celebrity Apprentice Charity Challenge, an online consumer contest running alongside the upcoming season of NBC's "The New Celebrity Apprentice," which premieres on January 2 at 8 p.m. EST.
The Challenge was designed to support the contestants’ charities (while also driving viewership and engagement). It will build on Carnival Corporation's sponsorship of the show’s two-part season finale, set to air on February 6 and 13.
Beginning today and running through the end of the season, viewers can visit www.ApprenticeCruiceChallenge.com to learn about each charity and vote for their favorites. For voting, consumers will be entered into a weekly prize pool for cruise giveaways including a cruise per year for life.
In addition to fan voting, Carnival Corporation will donate to the charities of contestants voted off the show each week. Carnival Corporation's donations to all 16 of the contestant's charitable groups as part of the Celebrity Apprentice Charity Challenge will total $145,000.
This season's 16 celebrity contestants and the charities they are representing:
- Laila Ali, The Women's Sports Foundation.
- Brooke Burke-Charvet, Operation Smile
- Eric Dickerson, Young Warriors
- Boy George, Safe Kids Worldwide
- Matt Iseman, The Arthritis Foundation
- Carrie Keagan, The Humane Society of the United States
- Carson Kressley, The True Colors Fund
- Lisa Leslie, The Semper Fi Fund
- Jon Lovitz, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Vince Neil, Keep Memory Alive
- Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, North Shore Animal League of America
- Kyle Richards, Children's Hospital Los Angeles
- Chael Sonnen, Hire Heroes USA
- Porsha Williams, HOSEA HELPS
- Ricky Williams, Dr. John E. Upledger Foundation
- Carnie Wilson, The Weight Loss Surgery Foundation of America
Each vote cast will automatically enter the fan into that week's pool, as well as the larger pool for grand prizes. The grand prize winner and runner-up will be announced following the season finale. Weekly winners will be chosen after each episode: voting will close each week at 8 p.m. EST on Monday ahead of the show, and will reopen for the following morning at 2 a.m. EST.
Carnival Corporation and four of its North American brands will be showcased in the season finale. A recently launched television programs that showcase adventures aboard each of the company's 10 cruise line brands air on NBC nationwide on Saturday mornings.