Cruise lines help to evacuate victims, deliver supplies and collect donations for affected areas
By
Rebecca Gibson |
The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), its Member Lines and its destination partners have joined together to help the victims of the recent hurricanes in the Caribbean and on the US East Coast.
FCCA has committed US$500,000 to provide necessary relief supplies, including semi-permanent structures for shelter and schooling (to be constructed by Platinum Member Eventstar), sleeping pods, cots with mattresses and blankets, canned food and other various supplies. It is also working directly with destination partners to ascertain needs and with Platinum Members Eventstar and Tropical Shipping, as well as Member Lines, to assist with the acquisition and delivery of the supplies.
“I wish words could bring back the lost lives, rebuild the catastrophic damage and support people physically and emotionally in this time of need, but there are no words,” said Michele Paige, FCCA president. “However, the FCCA is fully committed to taking every possible action to help our partners during this tragedy, as they are not just our partners, but more like our family. Our Member Lines and Platinum Members like Eventstar Structures and Tropical Shipping have also shown their commitment to this family, and we cannot thank them enough for their tireless relief efforts and astounding donation commitments that will help bring this family back together.”
With the help of Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Sky, FCCA coordinated the evacuation of nearly 1,000 stranded visitors and displaced residents in St. Thomas. The ship’s crew provided 15 pallets of personal donations, including toiletries and clothing, and the line has since delivered 35 pallets of supplies to St. Thomas.
Royal Caribbean International’s Adventure of the Seas and Majesty of the Seas helped to evacuate a total of 1,700 people from St. Thomas and St. Maarten, as well as employees and their families on Enchantment of the Seas. In addition, it will deliver a total of more than 20 pallets of medical supplies, 5,539 gallons of water, 7,831 gallons of milk, 4,200 rolls of toilet paper, 67,500 garbage bags, and animal supplies.
Parent company, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., has also committed to match donations up to US$1 million by passengers and crew to aid Hurricane Irma relief efforts. The company will also work with FCCA to coordinate relief efforts in Dominica due to Hurricane Maria.
Disney Cruise Line has committed to providing meals and bedding for people, as well as storage for supplies and power-utility vehicles. The line will donate US$2.5 million to aid humanitarian relief efforts across Florida, the Caribbean and other areas impacted by Hurricane Irma. It has also promised to match contributions from Disney employees to eligible relief and recovery organisations dollar for dollar.
In conjunction with the Miami HEAT Charitable Fund and the Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation, Carnival Corporation has pledged up to US$10 million to fund relief and rebuilding efforts in Florida and the Caribbean. The corporation has also partnered with St. Kitts to deliver supplies, created a programme enabling travellers to donate directly to Hurricane Irma recovery efforts, and set up a matching fund through its Community Foundation for employee donations to support hurricane relief via the American Red Cross.
Carnival Corporation’s P&O Cruises UK brand has launched a campaign to support hurricane relief through donations directly to UNICEF, and ships in its Princess Cruises brand will match donations from passengers and crew up to US$100,000. Meanwhile, 11 ships in its Carnival Cruise Line fleet are to carry supplies to affected areas throughout Florida, Caribbean island nations and parts of the Bahamas.