Royal Caribbean helps Haiti victims

Royal Caribbean International is actually one of the biggest foreign investors in Haiti, with a private beach getaway in the north, called Labadee to which it takes thousands of cruise passengers each week during the season.

For thirty years, RCI has sailed to Haiti, and now it is providing around $1 million in food and other aid. Working with a range of charities such as Food for the Poor, the Pan American Development Foundation, and the Solano Foundation, Royal Caribbean’s cruise ships won’t just be bringing passengers to Haiti, they will be carrying goods and supplies that are desperately needed by the earthquake struck citizens. A spokesman for Royal Caribbean said, ‘The effect of the earthquake on Haiti has been catastrophic, leaving the country in need of not only immediate support, but assistance in their long-term recovery ... Royal Caribbean wants to do its part to help out, not only the general response, but also our hundreds of Haitian employees and their families through this disaster.’

The process began on 15th January when Independence of the Seas called at Labadee, laden with cruise passengers but also carried food such as rice, dried beans, powdered milk, water and tinned foods which were taken on board during an earlier port call at San Juan, Puerto Rico. In the next fortnight, a range of ships will call at Labadee, carrying a variety of cargo to ease the lives of the earthquake survivors, starting with Navigator of the Seas who arrives on Monday 18th January, then Liberty of the Seas a day later and Celebrity Solstice who will dock on Friday 22nd January. In addition, cruise passengers travelling on one of three cruise lines: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruise Lines will have the chance to make a donation to Food for the Poor's Haiti Relief Fund, by adding an amount to their onboard account.