[jebartle]

Why can't retired cruise ships help those in need. I know they have some ships that are hospitals.
They make boo-coo, sure would be a great atta-boy for cruise lines.

[kathyspear]

The cruise lines are already stepping up to donate millions of dollars and to transport food, clothing, medical supplies, etc. to the islands. I'm not sure there are serviceable ships sitting (floating) around someplace just waiting to be used for humanitarian projects.

kathy

[njbchbum]

Maybe because most piers/docking facilities are not usable - and whatever is is being used by emergency relief ships? The news has focused on helicopters shuttling supplies and evacuees between Avaco, Grand Bahama and Nassau.

[simpilot]

Nice idea but a cruise ship isn't really capable of providing the relief needed. Years ago in a similar situation the US sent an Aircraft Carrier to the Philippines. A carrier is much more capable of providing relief than a cruise ship. It has food for thousands of people for an extended period of time, water desalinization of hundreds of thousands of gallons of per day, hospital facilities equal to a major medical center, and a fleet of helicopters capable of transporting aid to where it's needed. U.S. sends aircraft carrier to bolster Philippines relief efforts

[bagboy]

A cruise line is offering free evacuations to those on Grand Bahama Island - CNN

In fact, several cruise lines are helping.

[Marathon Man]

Where would the crews come from?

[twoplanekid]

Cruise ships and Hurricane Katrina -> Cruise Ships, Spurned by Evacuees, Are Home to Displaced City Workers and Families - The New York Times