Hurricane and Haiti

[mjmagee]

Any news on how the hurricane may have impacted Labadee?

[cb at sea]

Haiti is a mess....major flooding...wind damage and deaths. It's a very poor country with no resources to help themselves. Very bad government, which is why any help given them does no good.

[mom says]

Given the horrible devastation that we are seeing today in Haiti, I doubt that the state of a cruise ship playground will be high on anyones list if priorities for some time. At least anyone actually in Haiti. We may well have to wait for a report from one of the affected cruise lines for first hand news. Oasis is the next ship due in, on the 7th.

[lvz2cruz]

Haiti is a mess....major flooding...wind damage and deaths. It's a very poor country with no resources to help themselves. Very bad government, which is why any help given them does no good.

 

World Vision is on the ground there as well as other established aid agencies. Money given to them will be used to help the people.

It is heartbreaking to see those with so little lose it.

Makes me feel guilty when I worry about how my day on Labadee will be affected.

[debshomespun]

It was reported on the RC boards, little to no damage in Labadee. Someone had posted they spoke with a friend that lives in Haiti earlier today. Also, Adam Goldstein had reported the same. The East coast was receiving much of the damaging weather. There are mountains on Haiti, and this would shield the west coast and the NW area from some of this weather. This is where Labadee is located.

 

RC Allure is supposed to be in Labadee on Friday. This may change tomorrow, once it is daytime, and any damage can be assessed.

 

Prayers go out to everyone in the path of Matthew.

Edited October 6, 2016 by debshomespun

[TitanSMES]

My apologies to all if I offended anyone with my flippant remarks. I did not realize the damages and loss of life until I got home from work . I actually used to be a member of the Red Cross DSHR system. I went on a lot of disasters such as: New Orleans, Oklahoma City bombing, and various other places. Thoughts and prayers with victims and my friends in the Southeast.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[griffy116]

Last report I saw on the news was the death toll in Haiti was 284 and rising, with many more missing. Heartbreaking and tragic.

[NorthernLite]

Haiti is a mess....major flooding...wind damage and deaths. It's a very poor country with no resources to help themselves. Very bad government, which is why any help given them does no good.

 

You can give to established groups who have been either based in Haiti or the Dominican Republic well before the earthquake. The Episcopal Relief and Development Fund was based in the DR at the time of the earthquake and were some of the first to arrive over the mountains with water, food and first aid. They work on long term goals of education and housing without trying to convert anyone. They have now moved base to Haiti but their legacy in the DR lives on and they continue to help aid children caught in the sex business there. It is an excellent charity and you are not dunned for even more after you send a gift.

 

Habitat For Humanity has a Haitian branch based on the same sweat equity as the US version. This is a Christian oriented charity although non-denominational.

 

Heifer International also works in Haiti training farmers who are to receive an animal/animals on how to house and care for them. After that animal has young every other or every third is then passed onto help another family in need.

 

I agree that most monetary help directly to their government from other governments appear to do little good. But there are many non-government organisations (NGOs) that do terrific things that last.

[SPacificbound]

Haiti over 800 dead and counting. Those poor souls, they didn't have a chance.

[champagne123]

Over 900 and climbing.:(

According to people on the Allure, Labadee is untouched. Even the Cabanas and Bungalows totally in tact.

The Allure provided food/water/toiletries to Labadee yesterday. If you have a cruise to Labadee soon (we leave on the Anthem) and many people are going to bring a canvas bag filled with clothes/toiletries. If you have a cruise coming up and Labadee is one of your stops, even if it is just one gently used outfit, a toothbrush, a bar of soap....etc. Please try!!! :)

[Living4acruise2day]

Over 900 and climbing.:(

According to people on the Allure, Labadee is untouched. Even the Cabanas and Bungalows totally in tact.

The Allure provided food/water/toiletries to Labadee yesterday. If you have a cruise to Labadee soon (we leave on the Anthem) and many people are going to bring a canvas bag filled with clothes/toiletries. If you have a cruise coming up and Labadee is one of your stops, even if it is just one gently used outfit, a toothbrush, a bar of soap....etc. Please try!!! :)

Someone posted this early this morning. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE READ IT....and not ONE reply. Really? Check yourselves people. You really make me sad. Royal Caribbean has a much more heartfelt and generous attitude.

Edited October 8, 2016 by Living4acruise2day
ssssss

[Von & John]

Both NorthernLite & Champagne123 have provided suggestions for assisting the people of Haiti, I offer one more.

 

Yesterday, I pulled out a potholder we bought while visiting Labadee. It's never been used & still has the tag on it for "The Pot Holder Project" - created by the Women of Milot Entrepreneurial Network, supporting women-owned businesses in Haiti.

 

The link to their website is womenofmilot.com

 

On previous cruises to hard hit areas, we've happily donated clothing, school supplies, toiletries & money to the communities. It's nice to hear the Allure donated food, water & toiletries on short notice after the storm hit. It's going to take immense future assistance for the people & Haiti to recover.

[wwcruisers]

Over 900 and climbing.:(

The Allure provided food/water/toiletries to Labadee yesterday. If you have a cruise to Labadee soon (we leave on the Anthem) and many people are going to bring a canvas bag filled with clothes/toiletries. If you have a cruise coming up and Labadee is one of your stops, even if it is just one gently used outfit, a toothbrush, a bar of soap....etc. Please try!!! :)

 

Someone posted this early this morning. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE READ IT....and not ONE reply. Really? Check yourselves people. You really make me sad. Royal Caribbean has a much more heartfelt and generous attitude.

 

My question would be: is this something that RCCL is organizing, to help the folks in Haiti? Sure -- you can bring whatever you want, to help out. But, you can't just walk through the gate in the barbed wire fence that surrounds the RCCL compound in Labadee. I would definitely want to touch base with RC or X to make sure that they are taking donations of clothes and toiletries, to assist in the relief effort. If not, I'm sure that they could suggest ways for their passengers to help the stricken residents of Haiti.

Edited October 8, 2016 by wwcruisers

[NorthernLite]

The cruise lines have always allowed left over food and bottled water to be picked up and taken home by the workers at the beach. We were there right after a hurricane that killed almost 50 from landslides. Yes, a few grumbled about the cloudy water for snorkling but most ate before going ashore and brought and left bottled water with the workers. All the RCCL ships helped bring food, water and medicine in after the earthquake also as it was the only undamaged docking facility left. Few Navy ships could get in due to size until one closer to Port au Prince was partially repaired. That was on an Azamara ship and we also tipped people for things the workers didn't do as did many others. Anything that takes stress off the worst hit areas is a good thing and cruise ships keep people working. I also doubt that anyone would say anything if you took a bag of clothing, heavy duty plastic drop clothes or diapers ashore and forgot them there.

[boscobeans]

I sent the following off to RCCL Corporate, maybe they can organize something along the lines of my suggestion..

 

"After many cruises to Labadee on both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity going back

to before there was a dock and we tendered from ship to shore, I feel that

something might be done to help Haiti.

 

After the Earthquake we saw a great amount of charity from RCCL to the Haitian

people and large amounts of lifesaving supplies off loaded in port.

 

Now after yet another devastating hit by nature the people who have never

recovered from the earthquake are faced with even MORE hardships from the

hurricane.

 

Although we are not booked on a cruise ( The Navigator of the Seas ) that will

be stopping in Labadee until March of 2018 we would like to think many fellow

cruisers would be interested in donating towards a Help Haiti type of fund.

 

Passengers on RCCL (all lines) could add a donation to the price of their booked

cruises which would go to supplies that would help the people of Haiti.

 

A small Help Haiti type event on each Caribbean sailing could be organized to

recognize those who contributed or wish to do so to the fund. We do use a part

of Haiti and this could be OUR way of expressing our appreciation to those less

fortunate.

 

Please think about this and the people of that struggling country.

 

Thank You "

 

(any thoughts on the idea?)

 

bosco

[mom says]

While your heart is in the right place, I think it would be better to donate directly to established relief organizations such as the Red Cross, CARE, or the Salvation Army, than to ask a 3rd party to do it.

[kevinyork]

I sent the following off to RCCL Corporate, maybe they can organize something along the lines of my suggestion..

 

 

 

"After many cruises to Labadee on both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity going back

 

to before there was a dock and we tendered from ship to shore, I feel that

 

something might be done to help Haiti.

 

 

 

After the Earthquake we saw a great amount of charity from RCCL to the Haitian

 

people and large amounts of lifesaving supplies off loaded in port.

 

 

 

Now after yet another devastating hit by nature the people who have never

 

recovered from the earthquake are faced with even MORE hardships from the

 

hurricane.

 

 

 

Although we are not booked on a cruise ( The Navigator of the Seas ) that will

 

be stopping in Labadee until March of 2018 we would like to think many fellow

 

cruisers would be interested in donating towards a Help Haiti type of fund.

 

 

 

Passengers on RCCL (all lines) could add a donation to the price of their booked

 

cruises which would go to supplies that would help the people of Haiti.

 

 

 

A small Help Haiti type event on each Caribbean sailing could be organized to

 

recognize those who contributed or wish to do so to the fund. We do use a part

 

of Haiti and this could be OUR way of expressing our appreciation to those less

 

fortunate.

 

 

 

Please think about this and the people of that struggling country.

 

 

 

Thank You "

 

 

 

(any thoughts on the idea?)

 

 

 

bosco

 

 

 

I think that's a well meaning idea however I cruise to switch off from the world and relax, not be enticed to give to charity. I do that at home.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[dkjretired]

While your heart is in the right place, I think it would be better to donate directly to established relief organizations such as the Red Cross, CARE, or the Salvation Army, than to ask a 3rd party to do it.

 

When the earthquake hit, the Royal Caribbean ships which includes Celebrity took the supplies donated to those organizations into Haiti through Labadee. They were able to get there when others could not.

Edited October 22, 2016 by dkjretired