Key Aspects:
- Royal Caribbean Group has pledged $1 million in relief to support Jamaica’s recovery after Hurricane Melissa.
- Global Empowerment Mission and its Caribbean recovery team based in Kingston are coordinating donations.
- Royal Caribbean Group is also supporting crew members and employees from Jamaica so they can reach out to family members and friends.
With the first reports from Jamaica showing how Hurricane Melissa devastated the island nation, Royal Caribbean Group has announced it is supporting the recovery of the beautiful country and its crew members who call Jamaica home.
The combined cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea, have pledged more than $1 million to support relief and recovery efforts. The donations are through Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), which has a Caribbean team based in Kingston, the capital of Jamaica.
“In times of need, Royal Caribbean Group remains steadfast in supporting the local communities where our ships and employees call home,” the donation website explains.
“Our Hurricane Melissa disaster relief efforts are currently focused on delivering care packages and essential supplies to those affected. Together with the GEM, we can make a significant impact and support sustainable, long-term recovery.”
In addition to financial donations, items such as bottled water, canned goods, and non-perishable foods will all be delivered to Jamaica in the coming weeks. Recovery efforts will likely take several months.
Royal Caribbean Group is going beyond just material and monetary donations, however. The company is also offering support for crew members and shoreside employees from Jamaica who are worried about their family members and friends back home.
“Our thoughts and actions are with the people of Jamaica impacted by the Hurricane. We have been in touch with the Government and many of our 1,200 employees and crew from the island,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean.
Various Royal Caribbean ships visit Jamaica regularly on different itineraries. Falmouth is the typical port that Royal Caribbean ships visit.
In November, six different Royal Caribbean ships are scheduled to visit Falmouth: Rhapsody of the Seas on Wednesday, November 5, followed by Oasis of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, and Freedom of the Seas throughout the month.
Every ship visit is an opportunity for more supplies and relief to be delivered, as well as for onboard crew members to hopefully connect with family members and friends.
The Port Authority of Jamaica is currently assessing each of the country’s cruise ports to ensure they can reopen safely. At this time, the ports have not yet reopened.
“Our teams are working diligently to restore safe, secure and efficient operations, inspecting critical infrastructure, access points, and navigational channels,” the Port Authority stated. “These efforts are helping to ensure that cargo operations and cruise shipping can resume securely, while prioritizing the safety of port personnel and surrounding communities.”
Helping Communities Recover After Hurricanes
Royal Caribbean Group is not the only cruise company committed to helping Jamaica recover. Carnival Corporation & plc, along with various corporate partners, has also pledged $1 million to hurricane relief and medical supplies.
Cruise guests can donate through either company’s donation campaigns, and all monies raised will go to help support storm recovery efforts.
Jamaica’s Office of the Prime Minister has also launched a disaster relief website with updates on different communities and recovery needs.
Other non-profit organizations are also organizing various fundraising campaigns to support Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and other regions impacted by Hurricane Melissa. Cruise travelers who want to contribute should take care to ensure they are donating through legitimate organizations.
More From Cruise Hive
Even as the storm struck Jamaica, false AI-generated images of damaged communities began circulating online, and scam fundraisers are sure to be problematic.
These types of issues arise after any such disaster and it is important that generous contributors be sure they are actually supporting the region’s recovery.
