Hurricane Katrina

[christicruiser]

Harrah's NOLA casino opening date has changed (I'm sure this will continue to be pushed back as the days progress):

 

To ensure the safety of team members and customers, Harrah's New Orleans, Grand Casino Biloxi and Grand Casino Gulfport are now closed. We will reopen as soon as it is safe. At this time, we anticipate Harrah's New Orleans will open no sooner than Friday, September 30, 2005. Our Grand Casino locations in Gulfport and Biloxi are closed indefinitely.

 

It will be a really long time before all is right with NOLA again. Very sad....

[GoinCruisin]

Looks like it is going to be a while... just when you think it can't get more grim :(

 

 

****ALL RESIDENTS ON THE EAST BANK OF ORLEANS AND JEFFERSON REMAINING IN THE METRO AREA ARE BEING TOLD TO EVACUATE AS EFFORTS TO SANDBAG THE LEVEE BREAK HAVE ENDED. THE PUMPS IN THAT AREA ARE EXPECTED TO FAIL SOON AND 9 FEET OF WATER IS EXPECTED IN THE ENTIRE EAST BANK. WITHIN THE NEXT 12-15 HOURS****

 

 

Jeff Parish President. </B>Residents will probably be allowed back in town in a week, with identification only, but only to get essentials and clothing. You will then be asked to leave and not come back for one month.

[CruiseFever]

If I wasn't seeing this on tv with my own eyes I wouldn't believe it....so sorry for those people

[cruisequeen007]

This has to be the worst disaster in our country. My heart goes out to all those affected.

 

I am planning to cancel my November cruise and donate the money to the Red Cross for them to help these victims. I just can't celebrate on a cruise knowing that people do not even have a home to sleep in or food to eat.

[bunnypug]

This just posted on WWltv's (NO channel) web site. I believe they mistakening posted the AM time instead of PM

 

 

12:55 A.M. - MIAMI (AP) -- Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines says it is considering a federal request that the company use some of its cruise ships as emergency shelters or help in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in some other way.

[Ocean Spirit]

I heard the Carnival announcement on CNN today. I believe they stated a specific ship, but I missed the beginning of the statement. Does anyone have additional information.

[LynnA]

From Carnival Cruise Blog,

 

Itinerary Changes

At this point, Carnival is the only line reporting storm-related changes to upcoming itineraries (Carnival Conquest homeports in New Orleans; Holiday homeports in Mobile). For now, Carnival is swapping New Orleans with Galveston, and Mobile with Tampa for arrivals and departures:

Sensation's September 1 and September 5 voyages will depart from Galveston instead of New Orleans; itineraries remain unchanged.

 

Carnival Conquest is in dry dock till 9/11. Per Carnival Cruise Lines, at this point there has not been a decision made at to where she will depart from upon return on 9/11

[chuchu323]

Too bad Carnival Conquest didn't drop off a few life boats near NO before it went into drydock.

[PatnJudy]

The Sensation is due to arrive in Galveston about 0800 tomoorow morning from what I understand from Carnival. My wife is onboard and emailed me that they are going to bus alot of them up to the airports. I assume there is some help getting people home.

 

This turned out to be a costly cruise (financially) for us as we lost our car on the terminal dock in New Orleans. But I consider us very fortunate... a car is only a car (and can be easily replaced) while many lost everything they own including their lives.

 

Although I have to admit, alot more could have and should have evacuated. From what I saw on TV, there were some nice cars in front of houses in affluent neighborhoods with the residents sitting on the roof waiting to be rescued. Common sense or lack therof has it's price.

 

I do feel for the unfortunate ones without means and applaud the ones who helped/ and are helping out. Like the guy who gave his shoes to a barefoot woman.

[Rowan555]

My parents stayed behind - we evacuated Sunday morning. I am trying to reach them, but to no avail. It's amazing how otherwise smart people can make such STUPID decisions in times like these. We spent 15 hours driving to Shreveport, LA from New Orleans, and it was well worth it to get our family out of harm's way.

[GoinCruisin]

My parents stayed behind - we evacuated Sunday morning. I am trying to reach them, but to no avail. It's amazing how otherwise smart people can make such STUPID decisions in times like these. We spent 15 hours driving to Shreveport, LA from New Orleans, and it was well worth it to get our family out of harm's way.

 

Oh sweetie, I pray that you hear from your parents soon :( I pray that they are safe... Please keep us posted... Decisions made were perhaps not very smart, but I'm sure nobody imagined it would be this bad, and by the time they heard it would be, it was too late... Nobody deserves this, evacuated or not... I'm so surprised that so many people DID evacuate!!! Generally you don't have nearly that percentage... I'm sure your parents had no idea it would be like this... please let us know when you hear from them... they are in my prayers :(

[Salty Dawg]

My parents stayed behind - we evacuated Sunday morning. I am trying to reach them, but to no avail. It's amazing how otherwise smart people can make such STUPID decisions in times like these. We spent 15 hours driving to Shreveport, LA from New Orleans, and it was well worth it to get our family out of harm's way.

Check this site to post & review the Katrina Survivor-Connector List... http://kenburtonne.web116.discountasp.net/Katrina/Status.aspx

[CruiseFever]

Check this site to post & review the Katrina Survivor-Connector List... http://kenburtonne.web116.discountasp.net/Katrina/Status.aspx

 

 

Great link, thanks for posting!

[Salty Dawg]

Rowan555... any word from your family yet? You're in our thoughts & prayers!

[wisefamily4]

http://www.wwltv.com

 

You can watch wwl tv (NO news) on the web. They also have tools for finding people.

[Earthworm Jim]

12:55 A.M. - MIAMI (AP) -- Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines says it is considering a federal request that the company use some of its cruise ships as emergency shelters or help in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in some other way.

 

It sounds like a good idea to me on the surface. It's easy for us to say that would be a good solution to help these poor folks. But that's a lot to ask of a private company, unless FEMA is going to pay them something close to the going rate. Those ships are really expensive, and they have to keep sailing with paying passengers all the time just to pay for themselves. The crew would get hurt too, since evacuees certainly can't be expected to tip $10 per person per day. Most of the crew would probably just get laid off. I'm sure some of the already booked passengers that would get bumped would bitch too, but I expect the majority would be understanding given the situation.

 

What I'd worry about if I were Carnival, is how long it would last. These people aren't going to have anywhere else to go for months. And what condition would the ship be in afterwards? I'm sure they want to help, but they won't want to cripple their company either.