"Water, Water Everywhere?"
September 19, 2005
How Carnival Cruise Lines and FEMA are Trying to Make Things Right A number of displaced Gulf residents and relief workers who are dealing with Katrina's aftereffects are now finding themselves surrounded by water again. Yet it's a relief for many. Now, they're finding shelter in a most-unlikely place: on a cruise ships.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had signed a 6-month lease with Carnival Cruise Line for three of its ships to be used as temporary housing for the victims of Katrina. Still, while Carnival Cruise Line is treating its new passengers very well, it's still not what one would call a pleasure cruise.
With countless homes, infrastructure, and roads ruined from the effects of Katrina, thousands of people of the Gulf Port region have been left without anywhere to go, let alone a way to get there. So while the cruise ships will provide temporary relief, people have a hard road ahead.
"Our house is standing, but it's totally destroyed," said Dara Hinden-Mason, a resident of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi who boarded Carnival Holiday in Mobile. "We're homeless." She and her family doubt they will ever return to live in the Gulf region.
She and her family were among 150 evacuees in similar conditions, victims of Hurricane Katrina, who boarded Carnival Cruise Line's Holiday on September 18th, now docked in Mobile, Alabama. Heretofore, they had been sheltered in a Red Cross facility in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Carnival Holiday is one of three Carnival Cruise Line ships "the other two being Sensation and Ecstasy" that were leased by FEMA to house victims. The price paid: $192 million. Carnival crews will operate the ships, which will be at the disposal of the U.S. Military Sealift Command.
Still, while the initial plan was to move some of the victims who where housed in Houston's Astrodome to Carnival Cruise Line's Sensation and Ecstasy, many people voiced concern when it came to the idea of living on the vessels. When a FEMA worker asked Fredie Martin, 80, who fled on a floating air mattress, whether she wanted to move to a liner in Galveston, she said: "Get away from me, woman. I've seen enough water."
Rather than being moved onto the Carnival cruise ships, Sensation and Ecstasy, the majority of people wanted instead to locate missing family members before relocating yet again. Still, many others were reluctant to board the ships simply because they found the idea of being surrounded by water too oppressive.
So, after 5 days of sitting idle in the water in the Port of Galveston, the Carnival Cruise Line ships relocated to New Orleans. Now, Sensation and Ecstasy will be used to provide housing to the thousands of workers and their families there to assist in the rebuilding and relief projects. "They are bending over backward for us," said Captain Bryson of the New Orleans police of Carnival Cruise Lines. He has been taking advantage of the ship's game rooms, workout centers, and free hot meals. "They are treating us like we're on a cruise."
So, while the people of Pascagoula, Mississippi who boarded Carnival Holiday, will not be able to gamble in the casinos, use the onboard pools, or purchase alcohol, they will be able to experience many of the ship's open spaces and be given three meals a day. They will eventually be offered transportation back to Pascagoula, MS, where many of them have employment.
Still, even in the midst of this crisis, Carnival Cruise Lines had to spend some time focusing on their customer service. The company said people who had their trips canceled on the three ships could receive a full refund or book a trip on another cruise ship. Other future travelers are being switched to another boat. All told, Carnival Cruise Lines rebooked 100,000 passengers on other cruises.
Hopefully, most of the people who had booked cruises on Carnival's ships will understand the necessity of the situation. "This inconvenience to our guests will provide desperately needed housing for thousands of individuals affected by this tragedy," said Bob Dickinson, Carnival president and chief executive officer. In fact, it's just one example of the many ways in which every American will be sacrificing, in some form or fashion, for what will be the biggest humanitarian relief effort in American history.
