Comments on: Should we be drinking pina coladas on Royal Caribbean’s beaches in Haiti

By: Biff Jones

Biff Jones — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:10:39 +0000

After the tsunami hit Phuket Island the government of Thailand sent out the word that the best thing people could do was return to Phuket as tourists to help the people who depended on that money for survival.

By: MJ’s Travel Favorites 1-24-10 | Traveling with MJ

MJ’s Travel Favorites 1-24-10 | Traveling with MJ — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:21:50 +0000

[...] Consumer Traveler discusses whether or not cruise ships should continue to make Haiti a port of call. Whether is taxes already strained resources of a poor country, or helps stimulate the economy, will not be something everyone agrees on, but this article lays out arguments for each side. [...]

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:31:30 +0000

RCL couldn’t just leave “the ship as a floating hospital or temporary housing unit” as there are multiple ships that call on Labadee and those ships also call on other ports.

RCL is raising revenue for Haiti simply by continuing to cruise there. People are being employed and money is being spent. If they stopped calling on Labadee it would actually do far more damage to the country’s economy.

I agree with the suggestion that they could provide donation drop boxes, or some other means to help provide another means for raising money.

By: Linda

Linda — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:29:54 +0000

People vacation all over the world. Life doesn’t stop due to a tragedy anywhere including NYC. Should people have stopped going to NY after 9/11? Think. I would spend money on Labadee that I normally would not have if I were on a cruise right now knowing that the donation was helping the people of Haiti. I have been at Labadee & would feel good knowing my presence is providing jobs to many employed by RCCL as I did in 2003 when I was there.

By: Karen C.

Karen C. — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:45:25 +0000

While Haiti may have always been a poverty-stricken country, they haven’t always been a country where people are losing their lives and often their limbs because there aren’t ways to help them. I’m amazed at the comments — seems like a “let them eat cake” kind of attitude. Here’s what a pr pro is saying about Royal Caribbean: “Even if they are donating one million dollars, you can’t have pictures of people sunbathing and cruising. Their judgment just boggles the mind. Royal Caribbean should have used the ship as a floating hospital or a temporary housing unit for those who lost homes.”

By: Sandra Sheldon

Sandra Sheldon — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:46:05 +0000

RCCL made the right decision. Opening the complex to the Haitians (80 miles is a long way to walk) instead of continuing its current use, would destroy its purpose in the long run – to provide jobs and income to the local population. As a frequent cruiser, I too would feel uncomfortable frolicking on the beach, but would probably try to help the local economy by donating and also buying souvenirs, etc. BTW, Haiti has always been a poverty-stricken country and foreigners have been frolicking on the beach in Labadee for years.

By: Frank

Frank — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:26:56 +0000

Life went on after Hurricane Katrina. Why not, Haiti? The World has a very short attention span. This country will lay in ruins for many years to come.
I’ve been to Haiti. I was shocked by the poverty of this country. They had very little to live with, now they have nothing.

God shook it’s foundation. I only pray it’s people can rebuild their lives.

By: Karen C.

Karen C. — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:18:29 +0000

I think the most humane thing would be for Royal Caribbean to keep hiring the staff that they do but open the complex to feed and shelter those Haitians that they can–I’m sure there are many, many who need it. Just saw a news piece on the Today Show about a restaurateur who is feeding about 1000 people a day gratis. I can’t imagine that people on the cruise line could be frolicking there knowing the suffering that’s happening nearby.

By: Judith Siess

Judith Siess — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:52:13 +0000

RC should definitely make it easy for cruisers to donate to the relief effort–put donation jars everywhere, suggest putting in an amount equal to what they spend on the island.