15 miles from Labadee !!!!

[Michidoeme]

Best scenario to help : All passengers would book the Labadee excursion, and RCC to donate all these proceeds. The passengers would forsake their (paid) lunch and drinks there, would just go hungry for a couple hours until dinner time, and RCC would leave the provisions there to be brought to the really starving Haitians.

 

Then nobody would have to feel guilty for the stop over and some badly needed provisions would get to the island fast.

[sidari]

The Guardian and Daily Mail ! .. having read their reports and responded to them online i remember why i no longer buy newspapers and have not done for almost 10 years !! the other daily`s that Nellydean mentions in her post like the scum(sun) will probably turn the report around so that the quake was directly under Labadee!

 

I notice in the report that there is no mention of fat beer swilling people from the UK on those ships? after all American owned ships only carry Americans right?

Never believe everything you read in newspapers or hear on radio!

 

Hysteria seems to take over when things like the Quake happen`s and lets face it how many of those commenting on the Guardian and Mail online had actually heard of Labadee or even knew where it was beforehand? or even cared about Haiti ?

 

Yet the know all`s jump on the bandwagon telling cruisers they are the Devil`s children for even considering going to Labadee while 100 miles away people are suffering, and even show their total ignorance by suggesting Labadee be used by Freight ships! they clearly have no idea of the layout of the island.

 

Yes the ships need to continue to go there and need to continue to drop off the aid they are carrying, the passengers still need to get off the ship and even if they are only helping a very small percentage of people there by buying their wares that is better than not helping anyone at all.

 

Stop the Hysteria about whether RCI should pull out their ships and go elsewhere because that is not helping anyone, least of all the people of Haiti.

 

On the Good news front former work colleagues (UK fire and rescue service) who are in Haiti have rescued around 5 people from the rubble including a young child.... :)

[Mark_K]

ignorance AGAIN.

 

tsunami had about 200,000 dead. this had about 200,000 dead.

 

this will rank as one of the top 5 natural disasters in history.

 

maybe you should get some education

Probably not even top 10, but does it really matter where it ranks?

[TravelerThom]

Apparently your not to bright...and this has nothing to do about me being selfish! My point is that the situation in Hatti is a known issue. Catastrophic by the way...To put people at sea because they (RCI) don't want to anticipate a possible problem, is not a satisfactory resolution to the issue if it were to come up in the near future. To summarize: I understand that RCL has rights..but this is a unprecedented event in history that a large company needs to keep an eye on. RCL needs to think outside the box. The "what if scenario"...Prepare themselves and think of what the customer would need if things would change..

 

Do you get it?? Or do I need to send it via Morse code!

There is no question that this is a catastrophe, but it is not even close to the largest magnitude earthquakes or the largest loss of life in an earthquake, so calling it an "unprecedented event in history" detracts from your argument.

 

I disagree with your point "that the situation in Hatti is a known issue". Certainly there is no doubt about the fact that the recent earthquakes caused an enormous amount of destruction in Port au Prince and surroundings. The situation developing from those facts [ie will major rioting develop?] is, however, unknown. Safety and security at Labadee depends on what happens to civil order in the Labadee area, and is only indirectly related to the known fact that Port au Prince suffered a major catastrophe.

 

While I disagree with a lot of RCI's policies, I am in concurrence with what they have done so far. I feel sure that RCI is keeping a close eye on civil order in Haiti, and especially on civil order in the area surrounding Labadee - even if they don't care about me and you, they care about their half billion dollar ships. RCI certainly has people looking into availability of other ports if they have to cease going to Labadee for an extended period of time.

 

Are you booked on a ship that is scheduled to stop at Labadee? Are you past Final Payment? Have you looked at the contract that you have to agree to before you will be allowed to board? If so you should know that "Tell you what..if they put me out at sea for an extra day they will be refunding a large amount of money" is not going to happen.

 

BTW if you are going to try to insult me you might try doing it in coherent English. It is not "your not to bright", but rather 'you're not too bright' - but you did get two out the four words correct:rolleyes:. And the country is Haiti, not Hatti.

 

Thom

[vafatboy]

Going to Haiti may seem like a bad thing, but please remember the locals can really use our money. I would go and spend. Tip well and you will be helping the locals many of whom have familiy that has been effected.

[Cruzaholic41]

how narcissistic can you be? to honestly enjoy yourself and feel that you have contributed by giving some tips is crazy.

 

I always get a kick out of how CC members like to create aka screen names on threads like this. :rolleyes:

 

So, who are you really?

[temple1]

I had posted (on the Labadee thread that was pulled) that we have apprehensions about going on to Labadee ,(week of Jan 24 sailing) due to potential violence or disease. We noted on that post that if the ship does not stop there, the announcement would likely be “due to sea or weather conditions …” ( you know the speech)

 

We have been on many sailings when we could not make it to port. (Costa Maya, Grand Cayman, Coco Cay and have never had anything but a sea day)

 

 

We will assess the situation but at this point we expect to stay on board if the ship does stop there. It will be our first time (in close to 50 sailings) that we have not gotten of at a port.

 

M

 

In the past RCCL has been very honest about not going to Labadee due to civil unrest in the country.

[hawkshoe]

Best scenario to help : All passengers would book the Labadee excursion, and RCC to donate all these proceeds. The passengers would forsake their (paid) lunch and drinks there, would just go hungry for a couple hours until dinner time, and RCC would leave the provisions there to be brought to the really starving Haitians.

 

Then nobody would have to feel guilty for the stop over and some badly needed provisions would get to the island fast.

 

This may be your best scenario, but that does not mean it is the best. Provisions are there for the Haitians already and they aren't getting to them due to logistics. What makes one think that food brought to a port over 60 miles away will get there faster than that which is already on the tarmack in POP? Honestly, perhaps the best way to help is to donate money which I am willing to bet many of us here have already done.

[amybeth4]

How in the world are the people of P-a-P going to get a thousand hamburgers and some corn on the cob from Labadee? They can't even get the provisions that the armed forces have dropped out of the planes yet!

[lcguy]

Actually the poster is correct. We Americans, as well as RCI, are not being viewed in a positive light regarding the Labadee thing.

 

I just posted a link to an article in the Guardian on one of the other Haiti threads. It's a good read if you come across it.

 

Great... US pledges $100 million, thousands of troops, corporate donations coming in, private donations coming in also in the millions. We Americans sure do suck, don't we?

 

The US is just the most generous country in the world. Go figure.

[lcguy]

I always get a kick out of how CC members like to create aka screen names on threads like this. :rolleyes:

 

So, who are you really?

So true. I have my thoughts. ;) Could it be.......... jj?

[Cruzaholic41]

So true. I have my thoughts. ;) Could it be.......... jj?

 

Looking at the comments made and the writing style, my thoughts are leaning toward someone who is always Giving' Misinformation Again. ;)

[jdickm]

My husband and I and our 4 children will be going Feb 13th and this is our first cruise ever...I am extremely concerned about our safety going to Haiti...on the news today they are talking about looting, shooting, riots...people moving towards other ends of the Island..

[lcguy]

looking at the comments made and the writing style, my thoughts are leaning toward someone who is always giving' misinformation again. ;)

aaaahhhhhhh..... ;)

[sidari]

jdickm .... please do not worry about your cruise and Labadee, if it is felt that it is to hostile for the passengers and ship to be there RCI will not let you off but will merely make that day a sea day.

 

Go and enjoy your cruise.

[wilsonqbc]

The are helping the best way they can by continuing to call there.

thinking and grieving does not help anyone.

 

As for the looting and all, the news just shows you a very small picture of downtown area.

 

Canadian Reporters and Aid workers who were there before the Quake & are still there say that;

The people are very well behaved and very very thankful, they mentioned yesterday that is is nothing like the picture you are getting on CNN & Fox.

apart from one street or so in the downtown area.

 

They were very poor before all this, and need all the help they can get.

only thing that really bothers me is there were rescue crews from Bolivia, China, Norway, California, Florida. ect. who where there within hours. while others were quite slow to respond planning and all.

enough said, debate all you want but RCCL is doing the best they can to help and TV news and papers just like to stir the Pot.

 

Bash me all you want, and stop believing everything you see on TV and read in newspapers and on the Internet.

Thank You RCCL for you compassion, and a well though out very complex decision for them. when the times are tough the tough get going and do not run away.

[Cruzaholic41]

Bash me all you want, and stop believing everything you see on TV and read in newspapers and on the Internet.

Thank You RCCL for you compassion, and a well though out very complex decision for them. when the times are tough the tough get going and do not run away.

 

You are correct. DH is in Haiti right now. Violence and looting is occurring, but not nearly on the level portrayed by the media. He compared the looting to what you would see following a hurricane here in the U.S. It happens, but the vast majority of people are in helping mode, not chaos mode.

[matj2000]

Maybe RCCL can create a new shore excursion where they bus you into Port Au Prince and help search/rescue for trapped victims, or work in a first aid station for the day. That way they can really feel good about going to Labadee..

[wilsonqbc]

You must be Rush Limbaughs cousin you friggen idiot

[temple1]

You must be Rush Limbaughs cousin you friggen idiot

 

LOL - Post of the day? I've wanted to put that in my response to a number of folks but have restrained myself. Thanks

[CruisinManiac]

You are correct. DH is in Haiti right now. Violence and looting is occurring, but not nearly on the level portrayed by the media. He compared the looting to what you would see following a hurricane here in the U.S. It happens, but the vast majority of people are in helping mode, not chaos mode.

Ditto - A missionary from our area just returned. He was there when the earthquake struck. He was surprised with what the media was saying, and said that there is actually very little of that going on. He also said that there is plenty of food in the hills of Haiti. The people that live up there grow crops, and had very little damage because they live in huts. The day after the quake, the ladies were walking down the hillside and into town to sell their crops, just like any normal day of the week. I found that interesting.

 

The main problems are no shelter, clean water and of course the injuries and deaths/bodies.

 

I saw on the news this morning that there are still U.S. college mission workers that are missing. :eek:

 

Maybe RCCL can create a new shore excursion where they bus you into Port Au Prince and help search/rescue for trapped victims, or work in a first aid station for the day. That way they can really feel good about going to Labadee..

 

I know where you are coming from, but I don't think that would be wise. ;) I myself which I could be there to help...and feel helpless that I cannot get there.

 

Cruzaholic41 - Is your DH a doctor, minister, mission worker...?

[seaofwonder]

Ditto - A missionary from our area just returned. He was there when the earthquake struck. He was surprised with what the media was saying, and said that there is actually very little of that going on. He also said that there is plenty of food in the hills of Haiti. The people that live up there grow crops, and had very little damage because they live in huts. The day after the quake, the ladies were walking down the hillside and into town to sell their crops, just like any normal day of the week. I found that interesting.

 

The main problems are no shelter, clean water and of course the injuries and deaths/bodies.

 

I saw on the news this morning that there are still U.S. college mission workers that are missing. :eek:

 

Yes, from Lynn College here in FL (Boca Raton). Poor families.

 

As for the media....well, that is what they do. They seem to think that their viewers cannot handle stories about people in poverty helping one another....like we somehow expect the violence and that is what we want to see.

Me personally? I'd rather not see looting and violence.

 

Oh, and they blow things out of proportion....like people fighting for water. No s*&% sherlock! You haven't had anything to drink in days...and someone throws a water bottle. What? Do you think they are going to circle around it and say "Hey, who would like this bottle?" No. Our survival instincts kick in and we will do whatever is possible to preserve ourselves. When you don't know if another bottle will be dropped of course you'll grab it.

 

As a side note....they were showing the military handing out food/water yesterday and everyone was in nice orderly lines (I'm guessing the presence of semi-automatic weapons has a nice way of instilling order).

[marci22]

As a side note....they were showing the military handing out food/water yesterday and everyone was in nice orderly lines (I'm guessing the presence of semi-automatic weapons has a nice way of instilling order).

 

I read another report that said lines weren't working. The aid workers began picking out groups of 10 from various points in the line because people were cutting in front and people waiting in back were not getting anything. I don't think any one report is a true indication of what is going on.

[AnglerGirl]

Even CNN admitted yesterday's looting video was the only they'd seen in all their days on the ground. We need to digest what we're seeing from the media with an educated slant. Labadee and Port au Prince are world's away on a map. The movement of people out of Port au Prince is not due to looting. If your home was destroyed, your infrastructure gone, and your family killed, you'd move to. *Most in-towners have family in the countryside in Haiti and that is where many are heading.

[AnglerGirl]

Nevertheless......

 

The contract to which you agreed clearly states they can change itineraries at any time' date=' for any reason, without notice......

 

Acceptable or not...you agreed to it.[/quote']

 

Congratulations. You continue to win the ultimate sh*t stirrer award. How tactful you remain.