Now on dry land, evacuees spurn cruise berths

[Scurrilous]

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/12597063.htm

Three Carnival cruise ships chartered to house Katrina evacuees in Texas and Alabama are being moved because of a lack of interest.

<snip>

"They offered private rooms with high-thread-count sheets, maid service and three hot meals a day.

But that wasn't enough to persuade people such as Tammy Garner to step aboard one of three Carnival cruise liners sent to Galveston, Texas, and to Mobile, Ala., to house evacuees.

''When I left my house, water was up to my chest. We swam out,'' said Garner, a 31-year-old mother of three who fled New Orleans.

Garner, who claimed a cot at the Astrodome in Houston, said she planned to move into an apartment and enroll her children in Houston schools. She wanted no part of a cruise ship."

<snip>

"The cruise liners will now head to New Orleans or Gulfport, Miss., where they likely will house workers helping with relief efforts.

The federal government will pay Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines for the ships regardless of whether they fill up."

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. Glad the survivors didn't fall for that trick

These cruise ship can become hell-hole death traps in no time, when diseases break out.

[Vickers]

2. "The federal government will pay Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines for..."

"... the ships regardless of whether they fill up."

And freepers are complaining about the $2,000 cards? Holy shit.

[Missy M]

3. The government will pay Carnival Cruise Lines regardless of whether..

they fill up. What a deal for Carnival. Again, the big corporations will make out like bandits after a tragedy. I didn't think this was such a good idea from the beginning.

[KitchenWitch]

4. I think the only advantage would be the privacy

and being able to lock one's door...but yeah, they can be floating petri dishes in the best of times.

[Missy M]

6. Yes they can and they would still be in pretty close quarters....

isolated somewhat from the rest of the world. I think the survivors need some wide open spaces after what they went through.

[KitchenWitch]

7. Oh, I couldn't agree with you more

but I can't imagine what it must be like to be, say, on the floor of the Astrodome with my cot, what I could carry, and thousands of other people...It must feel dehumanizing...reminiscent perhaps of the camps our government put the Japanese in during WWII.

[Missy M]

11. I don't know how the people did it. I'm not sure I would have made it..

but I guess the desire to survive is very strong. I think all the survivors of the hurricane deserve the Medal of Honor for being the bravest of the brave.

[Frustratedlady]

13. Who Owns Carnival Lines?

Anyone know? It might be interesting to see who their board members or shareholders are. You guys are so good at tracking down information. That decision was made awfully fast...someone had a lightbulb go off in their heads and I'm sure they weren't charitable thoughts. Sorry, but I'm very suspicious about this situation. It's almost as though people are trying to figure out what they can "sell" to the government and get some of that money.

[Scurrilous]

14. This thread may have the info you seek:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1759876

[Frustratedlady]

17. Thanks!

I guess that sometimes you are better off to be left in the dark. Now, I'm REALLY mad! }(

If I ran my household the way this administration runs the US, it would be a disaster. How much more can the US take? Change that to: How much more can the US afford?

[flordehinojos]

5. and ...

is there a connection between, "The federal government will pay Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines for the ships regardless of whether they fill up." and jeb bush of florida... it seems these florida companies, or corporations, or cruise lines based in florida, the state where jeb bush is gag-gag-gag:governor are getting a white house sweet deal, just like halliburton, of dick cheney fame, is also getting a sweet deal, gag-gag-gag!

[Frustratedlady]

9. That POs me!

It is this type of mismanagement that really POs me! It's like this administration throws money around and, if noone gloms onto their irresponsible idea, they shrug and move onto another stupid idea. At first, it was portrayed as Carnival Lines donating the ships...then, I heard it was going to cost $249M for 6 months.

Is anyone accountable for anything?

[WildClarySage]

8. Are there schools on cruise ships?

[Scurrilous]

10. I don't think so...

...they'd probably have to bus children to whatever schools were closest to the port where they're berthed.

[gademocrat7]

12. What a sad state of affairs

Displaced citizens being treated so badly. This administration's blatant disregard for people who have suffered and lost everything is truly despicable. Their high regard for corporate profits is disgusting. IMPEACH NOW!!!

[HoosierClarkie]

15. WTF

The people just got away from water, why in the hell would they want to be surrounded by it. geesh!

[Eurobabe]

16. jes an excuse to take the whole misadministration

on a holiday gig -- they knew no evacuees would want to stay on a floating death trap with 2 more months of hurricane season!!

[Merlot]

18. I took a cruise once under the best of conditions - it was clasutrophobic

I wouldn't want to live on a cruise ship. People are smart, because if they took the cruise ship dea, theyld be stuck for A LOT longer there. People would think they were ok and forget about them. But sicnce the're in shelters, there will be more effort to empty them out and find permanent housing.

These people may have lost their homes, but they haven't lost their wits!