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ICCL News Release Archives
CRUISE LINES SUPPORT HURRICANE RELIEF EFFORTS THROUGHOUT 2005
(ARLINGTON, Va.) December 30, 2005 - After a historic hurricane season, members of the International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL) and Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) have donated nearly $10 million in relief contributions as well as the donation of goods and supplies and volunteer efforts to storm-ravaged areas in Mexico, Florida and the Gulf Coast.
Individual cruise line hurricane relief efforts for the 2005 hurricane season included:
* Chartering three cruise ships to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to shelter evacuees or aid relief workers in the Gulf region for six months
* Delivery of hundreds of pallets of food, drinking water, medical supplies and blankets to rescue operations in Mobile and Cozumel
* Transporting of 80 hurricane-stranded Americans in Cozumel to the United States
* Monetary donations to the American Red Cross, the United Way of America, Partnership for Recovery, the Salvation Army, Florida Hurricane Relief Fund, Louisiana Disaster Recovery Fund, the Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund, Save the Children - Gulf Coast Hurricane Recovery Fund, My Key West Emergency Relief Fund, Cozumel-based orphanage Ciudad de Angeles, volunteer shelters and children's charities
* Corporate programs to match employee donations dollar-for-dollar
* Employee payroll deductions for donations to relief funds
* Offering passengers the option to contribute to relief funds through shipboard accounts or through the cruise line's Web site
* Shipments of furniture and soft goods for use in shelters and rebuilding efforts
* Donation of several cruises for an online charity auction
* Offering on-site child care services, hot showers and hot meals to take home for dinners and weekends for hurricane-affected employees in Florida
The cruise industry has aided local communities throughout the world following natural disasters in the past. During the 2004 hurricane season affecting the Caribbean and United States, as well as the tsunami devastation in Southeast Asia, millions of dollars in aid and supplies were donated from the cruise lines to help those areas respond and rebuild.
Cruise ships will return to hurricane-stricken areas when they are allowed, supporting local economies through tourism. "We recognize the lengthy recovery process and the cruise industry is a dedicated partner in the restoration of this important region," said Michael Crye, ICCL president.
"Our most heartfelt prayers are with the residents of the Gulf Coast region as they rebuild from this tragedy," said Terry Dale, CEO and president of CLIA. "We will continue to assist in every way to help this vital area of our country return to its important role in our industry."
About CLIA: The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is the premier nonprofit cruise industry marketing organization comprising 19 leading cruise lines, which collectively accommodate nearly 98 percent of North American cruise passengers. CLIA member travel agencies - of which there are 16,700 - are considered the consumer's very best resource when planning a cruise vacation. For more information on CLIA, its member cruise lines and travel agencies, visit www.cruising.org.
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