Cruise lines extend aid to hard-hit Caribbean islands
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In addition to water and other drinks, Adventure of the Seas on Sept. 10 brought canned foods, shelf stable milk, gloves, rags, line, batteries, sanitizer, plastic cups, utensils, toilet paper and other much-needed provisions to St. Martin.
In addition to water and other drinks, Adventure of the Seas brought canned foods, shelf stable milk, gloves, rags, line, batteries, sanitizer, plastic cups, utensils, toilet paper and other much-needed provisions to St. Martin.
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The cruise industry continues to expand its aid efforts in the Caribbean in the wake of hurricanes Irma and Maria.
Royal Caribbean this week dispatched one of its 24 vessels, the 3,114-passenger Adventure of the Seas, to hard-hit Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St. Croix on a humanitarian mission that will include delivering relief supplies and evacuating people trying to get off the islands.
Adventure normally is based in San Juan, Puerto Rico but had been diverted to Florida after the storm barreled across the island late last week. It was free this week after Royal Caribbean canceled its Saturday departure out of San Juan. Royal Caribbean also has canceled next week’s sailing of the vessel so it can continue helping with the relief effort. The ship will be bringing evacuees from affected islands to Fort Lauderdale.
More: FEMA charters cruise ship to house relief workers in St. Thomas | Royal Caribbean diverts ships to Irma relief efforts
Adventure is just the latest ship from a major line to be devoted entirely to humanitarian work in recent weeks. Both Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line sent idle vessels to St. Thomas and St. Maarten — the Dutch side of the island of St. Martin — in the days after Irma hit to deliver relief supplies and evacuate stranded travelers.
Cruise lines also are loading relief supplies for affected islands onto Florida-based ships that are departing for the Caribbean on regular sailings with passengers.
Cruise giant Carnival says it is delivering water, food, clothing and other critically needed items to several hard-hit islands on the Caribbean.
Carnival’s parent company, Carnival Corp. (CCL), together with two other entities associated with its chairman Micky Arison — the Miami HEAT Charitable Fund, and the Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation — also have pledged up to $10 million for relief and rebuilding efforts in the Caribbean and Florida in the wake of the storms. Carnival Corp. is the parent company of Carnival, Princess Cruises, Holland America, Costa Cruises and several other lines.
More: Cruise ships could be back in St. Thomas by end of October | Is your Caribbean cruise port open? A port-by-port look | Cruises out of San Juan in flux
“Be assured, we will continue to bring many resources to bear for those impacted (by Irma and Maria) by providing ongoing help and support in the coming months,” Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald said Tuesday during the company’s quarterly conference call with Wall Street analysts.
Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL), the parent company of Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises, has pledged to match donations of up to $1 million that aid hurricane relief efforts. Norwegian Cruise Line’s parent company has made a similar pledge to match donations of up to $1.25 million. On Wednesday Norwegian’s sister line Oceania Cruises said it would make a donation of $500 per cabin to relief efforts for every new bookings on select Caribbean voyages sailing from December 2017 through April 2018.
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A Royal Caribbean cruise ship made an unscheduled stop in St. Martin on Sept. 10 to deliver supplies and pick up stranded travelers.
USA TODAY
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