This latest fiasco begs for an explanation. Let us know if the media ask potential ‘guests’ why they are not leaping at the chance.
I suppose if Muffin’s question
occurs to many refugees, that might do it.
Or FEMA only could organize 18 people out of XX thousand. Or people just love sleeping en masse on cots in a stadium and lining up for public toilets and MREs.
Ooops, apologies, the media have asked them their reasons, and got answers. From earlier in this very thread:
“FEMA spokeswoman Mary Margaret Walker said … the people in the shelters didn’t want to pack up and go someplace else.” --FEMA statement, omits any reasons.
“For residents, another immediate relocation is simply too much, too soon.”
“Some residents prefer to focus on finding family members”
“time to explore options for getting on with their lives.”
“All are struggling to comprehend the dramatic changes that have happened to them in less than a week.”–I’d take that to mean sandbagged.
“I done seen enough of water.”
“She hopes to find an apartment for herself and her children,” --this may be practical, as FEMA is giving out $2000 debit cards (to everyone? selected evacuees? “Katrina Caravan can also use gas cards, which are given to those who have cars but lack money to buy gas.”–indicates the cards are not for everyone) --This would be my category, get out of any shelter and start running my own life.
“transportation and housing offered by groups in the North or Midwest are not as attractive to Louisiana residents as destinations farther south,” --this refers to some buses that have become available, but the bus group wants to take them to destinations of their own choosing.
“Webb said she felt great relief in having learned Monday night the whereabouts of her 9-year-old daughter, Tika Diggs, who is in Florida.” --can you imagine?
“The Webb family was headed this morning for Paris, Tenn., where Tracie Webb’s brother, Rev. Marvin Diggs, is a pastor.” --some do have a place to go.
“the Astrodome population dwindled to about 3,000 on Wednesday from an estimated 15,000 over the weekend, with many people seizing on local job opportunities and inexpensive housing.”
From an item under “Hurricane Digest” in the 7/8 San Francisco Chronicle.
“Because of a building boom in Houston over the last few years, there is a glut of affordable housing in this city of 4 million people. Hotels are also offering a 14-day stay at no charge to storm survivors.”
It’s beginning to make sense. Who wouldn’t go for a job and a place of their own rather than go to another shelter?
Another Carnival employee checking in.
Word from my office big wigs is that the ships are being used as housing for the workers rebuilding the city. The last week we’ve been going through the process of cancelling thousands and thousands of guests’ bookings who were on those ships. The Carnival Conquest now sails out of Galviston (as mentioned) and anyone who was booked on the Ecstacy is now automatically moved to the Elation. Also, although the port in Mobile, AL is fully operational, the Holiday won’t be sailing any passenger cruises out of it until about March.
Guests and travel agents have been calling non-stop for updates and information on the situation, many of them calling to verify rumors. We are doing our best to keep everyone up to date and hope to help out the situation in the Gulf states as much as humanly possible.
Umm, what about all the people already booked on the Elation? The ship only has 1026 rooms!
Sunday and Monday the crowds got so ugly we had to call in the Port Of Galveston Police to handle all the screaming about how Carnival had “stolen our money! And we’re pressing charges!” Thursday’s mob was over 250 ‘guests’. One man had been reassigned only to discover the ship was overbooked. He said, and I quote, “I’ve been here all day! You people have screwed me and it will take Mace to get me out of here.” (It didn’t, BTW.) Sunday’s ship was only overbooked by 8 cabins but those ‘guests’ were just as vocal.
They made my supervisor cry.
Cancelled.
Carnival will be issuing every guest that hasn’t chosen to rebook to a different ship a 100% refund on their money. The process is a bit slow, but it is happening. Those guests yelling about stolen money are misinformed. I have had guests complain about redirected air travel though. If they didn’t book their air through us, the airline they did book through is responsible for either transfering or refunding the flight costs; a lot of the airlines aren’t being as generous as they could be. If they booked through Carnival, we took care of them. The guests booked on the Conquest were automatically redirected (or will be) to Galviston. Those booked on the Sensation were cancelled and refunded (or will be).
A region is devestated, a city is wiped off the map,and cruiseline ships are used in the recovery effort. Those that scream at cruiseline employees about their money being stolen when their cruises are re-scheduled or refunded should spend some time in NO. Assholes. :mad:
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Some people need to change their perspective.