Politics - Time for giving back - Cruise lines are sending their ships on rescue missions in the Caribbean following Irma
Cruise lines on rescue missions following Irma in the Caribbean - time for giving back!
The cruise companies, normally not known for being generous, or altruistic, act humanitarian, after Irma milled through the Caribbean. In my hope their lending of ships is not cashed by aids for the people. Pictures here in Europe did show the destruction Hurrican Irma made in the paradise of which the cruise lines take their profits.
This catastrophy is a time of giving back as the islands in first place need support and rebuilding. The cruise lines made fortunes with their cheep priced cruises, and taking as much revenue even from the islands itself, despite having an impact in the local economy - but the big profit is made by the lines, not the locals.
Irma´s destruction in St.Maarten - courtesy Dutch Defense Ministery on Weather.com
Following devastation in the Caribbean due to Hurricane Irma earlier
this week, cruise lines are lending their massive ships to the relief
effort, transporting provisions and picking up stranded tourists.
The cruise companies have a social responsibility, not only a responsibility to their shareholders!
The cruise companies have a social responsibility, not only a responsibility to their shareholders!
Hurricans are normal in the Caribbean and are caused by water temperatures above 26°, the earth´s rotation and permant currents of air and water. The name for this tropical storm system is from the native people, the Taíno, and means "destroying wind". And Irma did what her name meant - destroying, lifes and existences. This category 5 hurricane but was not normal because of its force. Irma´s eye milled over the islands and hitting now East Florida, is in its strength a result of the "non existing global warming"!
And surprise, surprise prior to landfall in Florida a certain person declared the state of desater for Florida ... honi soit qui mal y pense ... there is certain golf hotel threatend ...
Hurricane Irma - courtesy NASA - courtesy Weather.com
Surprisingly I have seen disguting offers swapping around in the internet for special bargain travels in the destroyed region ... That is sick! Sick are those offering these "trips" and sick are those going for the these "desaster tour"!
Great Britain, France and the Netherlands did send troops and needed supports into their Caribbean teritories.
Great Britain, France and the Netherlands did send troops and needed supports into their Caribbean teritories.
Speaking from ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL’s ENCHANTMENT OF THE SEAS, where the Miami-based cruise line evacuated its employees on a course away from the storm,
president and CEO Michael Bayley told Saturday that
four ships will be used for Irma relief efforts. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE,
based in Miami, also announced plans Friday to deploy one ship to pick
up stranded tourists in the Caribbean.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN’s ships,
several of which are sailing empty due to storm-induced cancellations,
are fully stocked and staffed, Bayley said. Those resources will instead
be used to aid in relief efforts across ports in the Caribbean that
were badly hit by Irma.
A pair of passengers aboard the ROYAL
CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL cruise ship LIBERTY OF THE SEAS look from their
balcony as other passengers disembark, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, at
PortMiami in Miami. The Galveston, Texas-based cruise ship was scheduled
to return to the city Sunday but was diverted to Miami, because of
Hurricane Harvey - courtesy
Wilfredo Lee
AP
"We have been such a part of
the Caribbean and South Florida communities for so many decades. We are
worried and anxious,” Michael Bayley said. “At the end of the day, we want to
try to help as much as we can."
"The MAJESTY OF THE SEAS, which can fit 2,767 guests at
maximum occupancy, is sailing to St. Thomas and St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands to drop off water, ice, food and other provisions on
Tuesday. The ship will offer meals to first responders before sailing
with displaced tourists to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the airport is
operational and where travelers can catch flights home," Michael Bayley further said.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN is working
closely with authorities in the U.S. Virgin Islands to determine which
tourists it needs to transport. The number is estimated to be between
1,500 and 3,000 people.
ADVENTURE OF THE SEAS, which
is set to sail from San Juan Saturday on a seven-night Caribbean
itinerary, will divert to St. Maarten / Saint Martin and arrive on the Dutch and French
island Sunday morning. The ship will also drop provisions in St.
Maarten.
Michael Bayley said ROYAL CARIBBEAN
is working with the U.S. Department of State to coordinate an evacuation
for 200 to 300 American tourists still on the island. Due to
cancellations from the storm, the ship is sailing with several hundred
empty cabins to accommodate the additional guests.
"Displaced travelers can catch a flight from airports at different ports,
or sail back with the ship to Puerto Rico, where it will arrive next
week," Michael Bayley said.
Waves from Hurricane Irma break over the Southernmost Point monument in
Key West, Florida, as the storm approaches the Florida Keys.
"Displaced travelers can catch a flight from airports at different ports,
or sail back with the ship to Puerto Rico, where it will arrive next
week," Michael Bayley said.
The cruise line’s Empress of the Seas is in the Gulf of
Mexico standing by to assist Floridians once Irma passes. The ship will
likely sail to Key West or the Tampa Bay area, depending on Irma’s final
course, to drop off provisions or pick up travelers as needed.
ENCHANTMENT OF THE SEAS, the ship Michael Bayley
is on with Royal Caribbean employees and their families, will sail back
to South Florida after the storm and also drop off provisions in Key
West. "It has some room to accommodate additional passengers if need be," Michael
Bayley said.
“It’s a very emotional time
for everybody, being on Enchantment of the Seas with 2,700 of my
coworkers and colleagues. We are all anxious about our homes in Miami,
Fort Lauderdale, Broward and Miami-Dade County,” Michael
Bayley said.
Also deploying a ship to the relief effort is NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE.
The line’s Norwegian Sky,
with room for 2,004 at double occupancy, is en route from Cancun,
Mexico, to St. Thomas to pick up about 2,000 tourists stranded on the
island before Hurricane Irma hit it on Wednesday. The ship is expected
to arrive in St. Thomas Monday evening.
“Norwegian Cruise Line is
working closely with the FLORIDA-CARIBBEAN CRUISE ASSOCIATION and the
governor of St. Thomas to execute this rescue mission,” announced in a statement Friday. “Acting as a responsible corporate citizen
and supporting the destinations that our ships operate in is a core
value of Norwegian Cruise Line.”
by Alexa Ard / McClatchy
Hurricane Irma slammed Cuba overnight. It's now headed for South
Florida, but it won't stop there. Forecasters predict the storm
continuing on through next week possibly hitting Georgia and South
Carolina.
flodded Havana - courtesy Ramon Espinos AP Havana
While the water temperature in the Gulf of Mexico is around 31°, Irma will "recharge from, as its eye is milling along the coastal line - half on land and half on water. Irma itself is covering an area similar to France, more than 600,000 km²!
Hurricane Irma - courtesy NASA
"Tourists who are injured or have medical needs will be prioritized, but
the list of evacuees will be organized by the government of St. Thomas,"
said NORWEGIAN spokeswoman Vanessa Picariello.
The NORWEGIAN SKY is en route to St. Thomas to pick up about 2,000
tourists stranded on the island before Hurricane Irma hit it on
Wednesday. The ship is expected back at Port Miami Thursday.
"The line's larger NORWEGIAN ESCAPE is in Cozumel, Mexico, full with 4,000 displaced guests who were unable to secure a flight home after NORWEGIAN ESCAPE and NORWEGIAN SKY docked in Miami Thursday. Guests who have been
able to snag a flight home from Mexico may get off the ship," NORWEGIAN
said. The ship will leave Cozumel Sunday morning.
Due to devastation to major
ports in the Caribbean, including St. Thomas and St. Maarten, the NORWEGIAN ESCAPE will sail only on western Caribbean itineraries until
November.
Not to be outdone,
Doral-based CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES is delivering supplies to St.Kitts via
the CARNIVAL FASCINATION from San Juan this week. "The line is also
scheduled to deliver supplies to Grand Turk," said spokeswoman Jennifer
De La Cruz Sunday.
The line is in communication
with officials in the Caribbean and working to develop a plan to
deliver supplies on an immediate and long-term basis via future
scheduled sailings, she said.
Arnold Donald, CEO of parent
company CARNIVAL CORPORATION, has sent a letter to leaders of multiple
Caribbean islands asking how the company can best support their relief
efforts, and CARNIVAL's foundation arm is putting together plans for
donations to the Caribbean and Florida following Irma. The company
donated $2 million to the Houston/Galveston area after Hurricane Harvey.
"CARNIVAL is unable to send
cruise ships to pick up displaced passengers," De La Cruz said, "because
all of its ships are housing guests from voyages that were altered due
to the storm."
The major cruise companies, each on their own are supporting the Caribbean which is in desperate need of help. Barbuda is made uninhabitable by Irma ... Americas back yard needs help not America first!
The major cruise companies, each on their own are supporting the Caribbean which is in desperate need of help. Barbuda is made uninhabitable by Irma ... Americas back yard needs help not America first!
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