Gov. Blanco said they would love cruise ships

to come in and help evacuate. How can we pressure the cruise companies to help out?

It could be put to good use.

I think I'm going to put together a list of major cruise lines though. I think DU should create a PR nightmare for those who refuse to help.

some ships??? I'm sorry... they shouldn't need to be bought. I hope I heard her incorrectly..

but I'm thinking if we created a PR nightmare, they could be convinced to "help" for free.

believe me, I'd be doing it. I was hoping others would have ideas. :(

Our government could strongarm them (wtf--they strongarm everyone else) and threaten not to let them dock on US soil if they refused--or they could give them the $75 million that they tried to bribe the Sunni's with to sign the Constitution.

that our government isn't going to strong arm them. So...perhaps we should?

and tell them its pay back time.

the cruise lines would only do this if they have the assurance of the government that they will pay for any damage to the vessels.

I know its good idea, but from the chair of the CEO, imagine how he must feel to put a $400 million ship in an area where the ships safety could be compromised?

I've taken over 25 cruises on RCCL and am also a stockholder, so I'll drop them a fax and pray for the best. :)

but other people are putting their lives and property on the line. Why should the cruise lines be exempt just because it would be a financial risk? IMO, they have a duty to help if they can.

He could order them to do it.

to be said in so few words, and said it all in those few words..

Excellent.

Redstone

Arr! Arr!

Seriously, though. We commandeered commercial passenger ships for troop transports during WWII. I'm sure there an obscure Executive Order somewhere that allows the President to do that.

WWII. However, before we do this, it seems we could give them money to make it worth their while. I mean I don't mind tax money going for humanitarian reasons, not war.

but shouldn't we be encouraging them to cut rates? Or to agree to help in the first place?

I'm not sure if they've even been contacted at this point, but perhaps some emails suggesting how happy we'd be if they helped in any way that they could would be useful?

the usual floor shows and other entertianment involved. They could probably cut back on the fancy food too to plainer fare that families will probably like better anyway.

if they come forward. After all they have a big expense in fuel and crew, to begin with, not to mention everything else like food and water.

ships are booked a year in advance. No way are the cruise lines, all but one of which operate under foreign flags, going to cancel paying customers to come to the aid of disaster victims. It's not going to happen.

operate under foreign flags for tax purposes only. I believe most of them are American owned.

The cruise lines are not going to put themselves through the hassle of voluntarily cancelling a bunch of cruises and having to offer mega bucks worth of refunds and incentives for rebookings, not to mention covering non-refundable airfare for thousands of passengers. And, even if they grew a conscience and wanted to help, their insurance carriers would never allow it.

they're saying that they'll be needing housing for people for MONTHS- those cruiseships would end up trashed, plus the economies of all the regular ports, and destination ports where the ships normally operate would be greatly affected.

they were talking about using them for immediate evacuation purposes. As far as trashing the ship, yes, that's possible...and that's where the government steps in and pays for damage.

doesn't overland evacuation make more sense?

ship of any sort gets there people will have either drowned or died of dehydration. Local boats or helicopters, possibly those troop transport helicopters would get a bunch out.

use NO as their port ordinarily.

in order to board passengers/supplies.

piers since the Bronze Age. They anchor off shore, preferrably in a harbor and they row into shore with long boats, life boats or small boats with outboard motors. Well in the Bronze Age, they pulled the shallow draft ships on the beach. If there was no beach, they anchored and swam ashore. Odysseus could tell you all about it.

This is how myself and my parents went ashore in northern Chile for years when we lived there back in the forties. We were met by a small boats with outboard motors. We climbed down a ladder on the side of the ocean liner. Our baggage and trunks were lowered into the boats and we were taken ashore to a marina where the small fishing boats unloaded and docked. This marina was too small for the ocean liners, which is why they anchored in the harbor.

I see no unsurmountable problem. It will be a BIG project, but if people get all their resources together, land, air and sea, I think it could be done. It should be tried anyway instead of walking away saying it can't be done. Life boats could be used. The life boats on ocean liners hold a lot of people.

I should have searched for that. :dunce:

much earlier so I'm glad you posted your thread. I wonder if it was someone who got this idea online who called Larry King or if this idea has been floating around somewhere else as well.

edit to add - I certainly thought it had some potential. How many options are there for movable rooms for thousands of people which include plumbing, kitchen facilities, etc.

Trucking tents/trailers in and setting them up will be enormously expensive, time consuming, plus you need the plumbing and food, etc. and a pain in the ass plus where do you set it up at - it can't be in NOLA. We are talking refugee camps.

but the Governor said they'd been considering it, and would greatly appreciate the help.

they're saying that they will need to have housing for people for MONTHS-

tents/quanset-hut type buildings make A LOT more sense....or even floating dormatories- but using luxury cruiseships wouldn't be very feasible.

considering using them for long-term housing. They were discussing evacuation.

and where would they dock to pick people up?

doesn't overland evacuation make more sense?

There are plenty of places around Louisiana with working ports. As for over land evacuations, they can't exactly drive cars into downtown New Orleans right now.

so tell me again- why would cruiseships be preferable to overland travel...?

although frankly, most of them are in the Persian Gulf.

put humanity before money.

After reading this thread, I happen to think I wouldn't want another industry in our country to go belly up though... maybe if it would take the chance by at least meeting the costs...without profit.

I don't know... but God, it doesn't seem after all of this, to just let more human beings die because money took priority. This just overall sucks.