In The Aftermath Of Hurricane Dorian, Major Cruise Lines Are Offering Aid To Survivors And Evacuees

The devastation caused in the Bahamas by the massive Category 5 Hurricane Dorian has many organizations rushing to offer recovery assistance.  The storm that left 20 people dead, also left travelers stranded and native Bahamians without homes. Thankfully, major cruise lines who have vested interests in the island are taking significant actions to help where they can.

A humanitarian cruise offered through Grand Celebration of the Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line is departing Thursday night to bring food, water, medical professionals and volunteers from Palm Beach, Florida to Grand Bahama Island. They will also bring along any Bahamian residents who evacuated the storm and were stranded in Florida, back to the island free of charge.

Royal Caribbean, who opened a private island in the Bahamas called Coco Cay, has partnered with the Bahamian government to send relief aid on their ships. In a Twitter statement, the cruise ship offered words of support and a commitment to provide, ”43k water bottles, 10k meals, generators, supplies & we’re just getting started.”

Disney owns a private island in the Bahamas called, Castaway Cay, which employs Bahamians who may have been impacted by the storm. In addition to offering resources for their employees, CEO Bob Iger stated, “We hope our $1 million donation will provide much-needed relief and help our neighbors, colleagues, and all those impacted by this devastating storm begin the long process of recovery as they work to put their lives and communities back together.”

Carnival Corp. made a $2 million relief funds pledge in partnership with other organizations, including the Bahamas National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). They will also be collecting donations from Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach, Florida to deliver to the island. Carnival CEO Arnold Donald made a statement advising, “Our company has always been closely tied to The Bahamas with a rich history spanning many years, so it’s heartbreaking to see the impact of Hurricane Dorian, and our thoughts and prayers are with the people of The Bahamas. We have long admired the unyielding spirit of the Bahamian people and have no doubt they will overcome, rebuild, and recover, and we look forward to supporting their efforts.”

Norwegian Cruise Line is deploying a special mission to deliver supplies and offered a $1 million donation to the All Hands and Hearts nonprofit to side with short term assistance.