So youve just had an earthquake....

[Amina516]

....lets go there for vacation anyways!!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/201001...s/ynews_ts1063

A Royal Caribbean Cruise liner docked @ Labadee, Haiti (as part of their original itinerary) after the earthquake is catching flack for not changing the port. Though the ship apparently did offload some supplies, would anyone here enjoying relaxing on a beach in Haiti while knowing just over the tree line thousands of people lie beneath rubble? I just think its odd.

As someone whos been on a few cruises (and researched them obsessively as I was planning) Ports of call are changed ALL the time, last minute and no refunds are issued, though the changes are usually weather related.

[jackfaire]

The financial arguments are sound actually.

Let's put it in a different light. "How dare you take a vacation when 9/11 happened a week ago?" disasters happen life doesn't stop and if removing a major source of income to an area that could use the money to recover seems like a good idea then I question your humanity.

The cruise line is also contributing to the relief effort.

It wouldn't hurt the cruise line to change ports of call. Clearly it would hurt the Haitians.

[Vagabond]

Charity organizations are raising funds for Haitian relief - the ship is there now providing (albeit small) some influx of funds.
Royal Caribbean also unloaded some relief supplies. Charity organizations are raising funds to buy relief supplies to ship to Haiti. The ship is there now.

I would have to say, I would rather have relief now than say in a week or two if I was stuck under rubble, or have just been devasted by an act of Nature.

[Amina516]

Would you honestly get off the ship and enjoy a day of R&R knowing whats happening on the other side of the island? Im not an emotional person, but I just would not feel right. For all that, have a day at sea (where the ship kinda idles or travels slowly to the next port), collect port fees* from willing passengers and donate that instead.

*Fees are charged @ every port, around $25. If you dont stop at a port, you get the fees refunded to you.

[jackfaire]

Would you honestly get off the ship and enjoy a day of R&R knowing whats happening on the other side of the island?

Yes. I know that makes me seem cold and heartless but my choices are I continue with my vacation plans or I put my life on hold until their lives are okay.

It would be wrong to go stretch out a beach chair among rubble and catch some rays. However going to a beach no I don't think it's wrong.

The weekend after 9/11 I took my family to the lake. After Hurricane Katrina I went and visited my brother. My life was not directly affected by those disasters. I will give to relief funds where and when I can but I will not stop living my life for them.

[Vagabond]

Would you honestly get off the ship and enjoy a day of R&R knowing whats happening on the other side of the island? Im not an emotional person, but I just would not feel right. For all that, have a day at sea (where the ship kinda idles or travels slowly to the next port), collect port fees* from willing passengers and donate that instead.

*Fees are charged @ every port, around $25. If you dont stop at a port, you get the fees refunded to you.

Honestly, I would. I might even contribute a small donation to help people. But, if I went on a cruise - it's to relax and enjoy myself, and I'm going to relax and enjoy myself.

[Amina516]

I didnt say to STOP living life...but I personally wouldnt even get off the ship if it stopped there. Its almost a perfect example of how others view americans. Rich Opportunists who dont care about anything but their own enjoyment, others be damned. Im not talking about anyone personally, but to an outsider, i could see this thought train leaving the station.

My personal feelings being that its disrespectful but whatev. To each its own.

[Greenday]

Its almost a perfect example of how others view americans. Rich Opportunists who dont care about anything but their own enjoyment, others be damned.

That'd be a pretty narrow-minded POV from outsiders then. As jack already pointed out, tourists are still going to bring in much needed money. Should we deny them this source of income? Destroy their tourism market with guilt and shame? If people feel bad about it, they don't have to get off the ship, but there's no reason people who will go and spend money should be denied.

[AdminAssistant]

This soon after the earthquake, nosy American tourists could get in the way of relief workers. I think it's great that the cruise ship dropped off much needed supplies for the Haitians, but they should not allow passengers to disembark. It's still very much a disaster area.

[jackfaire]

This soon after the earthquake, nosy American tourists could get in the way of relief workers. I think it's great that the cruise ship dropped off much needed supplies for the Haitians, but they should not allow passengers to disembark. It's still very much a disaster area.

If the beach area where the passengers would be is part of the disaster area then no they should not go there. That would be insensitive and wrong but it sounded like that beach area was largely unaffected.

People can think that we are arrogant Americans disrespecting that something horrible happened to them if they want fine. I am arrogant I am self centered. I believe that to me my life is more important to me than others lives are.

That being said, I will help an old woman cross the street, I will help change your tire, I will protect you if someone is attacking you, I will be the most helpful person I can and sacrifice my life if it will save the lives of those around me.

I think though we need to decide what the limit is. How far away from the center of the disaster do you have to be before it's okay to enjoy yourself and relax?

I agree that if your in a disaster zone setting up a beach chair and chilling out makes you a moron. I think though that if your outside of that zone it is okay. I don't think you have to be thousands of miles outside of it either.

I think that life does go on as I said before. People love to pick on Americans because when bad shit happens to us we pick up and move on when others feel we should be collapsing in tears.

When I visit another country I will do my best to speak their language and I will be there wanting to explore their country not go to all the tourist stops.

If they want to think I am arrogant because on the other side of their country something bad happened so be it.

[Amina516]

Just thought Id throw this in here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/cb_haiti_earthquake

Brand new earthquake has struck Haiti again.....

Sounds like the perfect place for a relaxing vacation..... /sarcasm.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I don't know about anyone else, but if a place was hit by an earthquake that would be the last place I'd want to be in the vincinity of, in case it happened again.

Also I agree with the parts about the tourists. You can't just magically teleport from the ship to the beach, you are going to have to travel to the hotel thru the town... meaning, you are going to interfere with rescue groups, get in the way and basically be a pain in the arse. Stay on the ship; cruise ships have many amenities; donate some cash and wait til the captain gets the fuck out of there.

[AdminAssistant]

That's a really good point; aftershocks will probably be going on for some time. It's a terrible situation. A friend of mine just posted an article on Facebook about how people have resorted to eating mud cakes. Just terrible.

And yes, I do believe that the fact that thousands have died in a natural disaster, that thousands more are starving to death, and that an entire country has had its infrastructure destroyed is a teensy weensy bit more important than someone's cruise. Have some perspective.

[the_std]

I have to admit that it makes me very sad that this topic is even being debated. I have no argument to add on top of all of the others that have been presented, but I just thought I would say that this does reinforce the "typical American" stereotype. Even in me, and I know that that stereotype is generally bunk.

The thought of someone vacationing in a place that is still an active and terrible disaster zone, no matter how close to the action you are, makes me sick. I don't understand how anyone can ignore the suffering of an entire freaking nation and get their chill on.

As if the disaster itself wasn't bad enough.

[jackfaire]

I don't understand how anyone can ignore the suffering of an entire freaking nation and get their chill on.

As if the disaster itself wasn't bad enough.

Should all vacations in the United States have been cancelled after 9/11 and how long should people have waited before they did anything enjoyable again?

I do have perspective there are people suffering all over the world. In my city I walk by people suffering all the bloody time. I can either restrict my life to only going to work, eating, sleeping, and going to work in deference to their suffering or I can continue to live my life.

That being said up to now from my understanding the communities around the part of the island with the resort were unaffected.

If that is not the case if they were included in the direct effects of the Earthquake then anyone setting up a beach chair should be smacked around and kicked off the island.

My point however is that because bad things happen in one location doesn't automatically mean life stops everywhere else. When Hurricane Katrina happened there were people that got pissed at me because I went to see a movie.

I was told, "How dare you have fun while they're people suffering in the world?" This in part lends to my philosophy that I do what I can, I avoid vacationing in affected areas, and I still live my life.

I WILL NOT VACATION IN A DISASTER AREA. That being said I won't skip visiting Baton Rouge because New Orleans got fragged.