FinancialAdvisor's College Class (FACC)

[FinancialAdvisor]

U.S. government charters 3 luxury cruise liners to house Katrina victims

U.S. government charters 3 luxury cruise liners to house Katrina victims
Last Updated Sat, 03 Sep 2005 14:04:24 EDT
CBC News

Carnival Cruise Lines announced Saturday that the U.S. government has chartered three luxury cruise liners - Ecstacy, Sensation and Holiday - for the next half year, to provide temporary housing for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Two of the ships, the Ecstasy and Sensation, have a maximum capacity of 2,606 people each and will be based in Galveston, Texas. The third, the Holiday, has a maximum capacity of 1,800, and will likely be docked in Mobile, Ala.

Carnival Cruise Lines would not reveal how much FEMA was paying to charter the ships. Carnival crews will operate the ships, which will be at the disposal of the U.S. Military Sealift Command.

The company said people who had their cruises on the ships cancelled could receive a full refund or book a trip on another ship.

A Carnival spokesman said the inconvenience to their guests will provide desperately-needed housing for thousands of Hurricane Katrina victims.


LINK: http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/09/03/luxury-liners-hired0903.html