Action Item: A Refuge Solution: Cruise Lines ! Join other progressives.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

Action Item: Contact cruise lines and ask that they assist in the humanitarian effort in the Gulf Coast by housing storm refuges.

Here are two cruise lines, their toll-free numbers and Web sites.


Major Lines

Carnival Cruise Lines, 800-327-9501, www.carnival.com - Address to Bob Dickinson, President

Celebrity Cruises, 800-437-3111, www.celebritycruises.com - Address to Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO





BTW, THEY ARE DOING JUST FINE.....

http://www.newstarget.com/006270.html

Double-digit increase in bookings on cruise lines for 2005

Cruise lines are expecting to see an 11 percent increase in volume over 2004 according to statistics from the Cruise Lines International Association, the cruise industry's marketing arm.

[Ediacara]

1. This is a really bad idea

1) Cruise ships are already full of people.

2) Mega-Cruise ships have room for a maximum of 1,500 people. Do expect the cruise lines will donate 100 ships? Additionally, most rooms on a cruise ship are large closets, and not as luxurious as many assume.

3) The hurricane has shifted sediment underwater, and is extremely shallow anyway. Any dredged channels are now filled. Any cruise ships would have to anchor miles offshore to be safe or would risk running aground and perminent damage.

4) Trapping people on a ship is almost worse than trapping them in the stadium (granted they have plumbing, food, and water), but a better plan would be to move people to land, rather than sending them to a marginally nicer prison.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

2. Well, I just heard on CNN that the government is considering it.

I would love to hear the positive ideas you have. I suppose being on a ship, docked as close as possible to where these people once lived, would be worse than what I just heard described..People with cuts all over their legs and feet. Barefoot, hungry, thirsty, wandering literally aimlessly on the deserted interstate????

[Ediacara]

4. 400 small boats will be 100x as helpful as 400 cruise ships

Taking people to land rather than trapping them in a floating prison is the only realistic option.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

5. right. what land. In case you haven't noticed there is water everywhere.

[Ediacara]

6. *sigh*

The entire continent hasn't sunk.....

[MaineDem]

3. If these were US flagged vessels I might possibly agree

I think only one or two ships in Hawaii fly a US flag.