Living on a Cruise Ship

The US government is chartering three of Carnival Cruise Lines' ships for up to six months to provide shelter for approximately 7,000 people displaced by Hurricane Katrina, presumably mainly in New Orleans.

My first reaction was that this was a wonderful idea since it'll be easy to get the ships close to where the people are and cruise ships are the perfect place for very compact living conditions idea for refugees. The cruise ships will also have facilities for medical care, eating, recreation etc that are often missing at other places. My second thought was that this was picture perfect for small families since everyone in a 2 or 3 person group can stay in one stateroom and be together with privacy. And also that people that know each other can cluster together to help ease the trauma that they've been through by having familiar faces around.

Soon after that I considered the thought that the people that engaged in violence, rape and looting in New Orleans would quite likely be among the people moved onto these ships. Even a very small percentage would be very... disruptive in a small sequestered population. This could prove to be a very difficult to control situation.

The cruise ships are an idea solution with some potential problems. What do you think is going to happen?

By the way, has anyone read the book Snowcrash by Neal Stephenson? There's some elements of that book that tie in with the Government using ships to house indigent folk. Great book.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I don't know if that's a good idea or not, but I think if I had just went thru a hurricane on the coast of the ocean I wouldn't want to be out on a ship on the ocean for months LOL

Hi from Michele's
11:50 PM
Anonymous said…
Wow, interesting idea! Being on 6 cruises myself, living on a cruise ship would be an ideal situation for some of these people displaced during the evacution. The rooms are small, but not that small... Perfect for up to four people, and far better than staying in a 'shelter' type situation.

By the way, Michele sent me!
12:08 AM
Anonymous said…
One of the first thoughts I had when the need for shelter came up was for cruise ships to come into the port and pick the people up. I think if violence erupts on the ship, the people engaged in it should be removed immediately - and taken to whatever facility can hold them (jail, hospital, etc.) That may be too simplistic a statement, as I haven't taken time to think about it.

Michele sent me again!
12:33 AM
Anonymous said…
I was having the same thought as Kenju, anyone causing trouble could be removed. I'm sure that there are many variables that my sleepy mind has not realized, however.

Thanks for stopping by my site!
12:38 AM
Anonymous said…
I think that they should screen who goes on the ships and who doesn't. Anyone who commits a crime like rape or abuse should be thrown off the ship and left there. Oh yeah and hi, michele sent me :)
1:37 AM
utenzi said…
PM has a very good point that I'd not considered. Living on the water might not seem very appealing.

The problem I forsee Judy and Buffi is that since the ships will be used presumably for long term living quarters there would soon arise all the typical problems a town would have. Drugs, crime, violence. And you're starting off with a population that has already suffered so much.
4:14 AM
Anonymous said…
Hi. Thanks for visiting my blog. I love the picture you are using as your header.

I have kayaked once and ended up swimming in the ice-cold water. Quite an experience! The people on the side came rescuing me with a motor boat.
8:01 AM
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