Cruise ships still find a Haitian berth | World news | The Guardian
You can travel to Haiti to help the relief effort by military cargo plane, coast guard, or cruise ship, although military and coast guard vessels don’t enjoy the same amenities as a Royal Caribbean Cruise luxury liner.
Sixty miles from Haiti’s devastated earthquake zone, luxury liners dock at private beaches where passengers enjoy jetski rides, parasailing and rum cocktails delivered to their hammocks.
Amenities aside, the military does have the luxury of learning the island culture by mingling with dead Haitians in the earthquake zone, while taking in the local scenery, even if it means moving bodies or slabs of concrete out of the way to relish breathtaking views of charming villages reduced to rubble. Nothing captures the spirit of Haiti more than a walk through a local marketplace cluttered with decaying carcasses, crushed trinkets, and smoldering native crafts.
If the earthquake has you all shook up, no problem, man, just take a zip line excursion over a white sandy beach where the only debris you’ll see are washed up shells and seaweed.
In Royal Carribean‘s defense, they do employ hundreds of Haitians and are providing help in the relief effort.
“We also have tremendous opportunities to use our ships as transport vessels for relief supplies and personnel to Haiti. Simply put, we cannot abandon Haiti now that they need us most.”
But do they have to have such a damn good time doing it?
Should Royal Caribbean have stuck to their itinerary and docked sixty-miles from the earthquake zone?
You go Lauren..You said it better than I! There is something perverse about it.
And YES they should have changed their Itinerary even if it meant exacting some benefit to their passangers for the change in plans.
Carl
Oh incidently..check out my latest post on Ma Promenade. I think you will find it interesting .
http://mapromenade.blogspot.com/
Thanks, Carl. I agree. If anything, they should have designated the trip as a relief effort, not a port-a-call for tourists. I'll stop by http://mapromenade.blogspot.com/.
Hi Lauren.
I wish i would have seen this story earlier ,then i could have tweeted it sooner!
I can't believe it ,i must be living in a different world-era all together.
So much contempt for the suffering of others it makes me just furious.
I don't want to be part of this part of "humanity".
It honors you to bring this story out.
Will.
Will: I think inhumanity is more apropos. I was furious when I read the article after hearing about it from my husband. Thank you for your support and help in getting the word out.
Lauren: I caught the story before I ran out this morning and was planning on catching up with it tonight, and I share in your anger.
I understand that the cruise industry helps the Islands but it seems so insensitive at this difficult time to be there for anything other than humanitarian efforts. We were just talking the other night how the cruise lines who may have older ships not running tours might help by sending some into the area without passengers to act as temporary housing for the displaced, or even makeshift medical centers for the volunteer doctors and nurses who are helping the injured.
Tourism is a huge and important industry for the Caribbean, but to think that folks are vacationing, laughing and partying so close to the tragedy is simply unforgivable and infuriating.
Humanity is going down the drain, Lauren. I think the two opposing themes in this story are called compassion and self-interest and the referee is called ethics. Who do you think will win?
Amenities aside, the military does have the luxury of learning the island culture by mingling with dead Haitians in the earthquake zone – Holy Eucharist! haha. I'm sorry, but this one made me laugh.
I think Royal was damned if they don't and damned if they didn't.
By coming into port, money is coming into the country. They need it. Is it possible that Haiti asked them to continue to visit bringing their business?
Many of the islands visited by cruise ships are not as nice as the areas the tourists see.
Stopping at port and enjoying the
beauty of the islands doesn't make Royal inhumane.
Is it uncomfortable? Yes, a bit.
Am I glad I wasn't on that cruise? Yes.
Would I have chosen that particular cruise for its ports of call? No.
Well said, Lauren. I must admit, when I saw this on the news I was absolutely stunned. Thanks for spreading the word.
J: I totally agree. It was damn insensitive.
Ryhen: Satire is a lethal literary weapon.
ReformingGeek: Agreed. That's one cruise I'm glad I didn't book.
Me-Me: Ditto! Absolutely shocking. Thanks for the support.
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Thank you for some other wonderful post. Where else may just anybody get that kind of info in such a perfect manner of writing?
Many of the islands visited by cruise ships are not as nice as the areas the tourists see. I’ve a presentation subsequent week, and I am at the look for such info.
Thank you so much. I wrote this post a while ago. It was such an awful news story. I had to speak my mind.
I really appreciate your kind words.