Norwegian Cruise Lines is sending one of its ships to rescue holidaymakers stranded by Hurricane Irma on the devastated island of St Thomas.
Norwegian Sky is en route from Cancun, Mexico, to St. Thomas to pick up about 2,000 tourists stranded on the island before Hurricane Irma hit it on Wednesday.
The ship is expected to arrive in St. Thomas Monday evening, and will arrive back in Miami on Thursday.
“Norwegian Cruise Line is working closely with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association and the governor of St. Thomas to execute this rescue mission,” a spokesman said.
Norwegian is not alone in acting “like a good corporate citizen”.
Royal Caribbean International’s Enchantment of the Seas has been used to rescue employees stranded by the storm, and the line is lending four ships to help authorities dealing with the fallout from Irma.
With several sailing empty but fully stocked, the line has decided to use them to help relief efforts.
“We have been such a part of the Caribbean and South Florida communities for so many decades. We are worried and anxious,” the line told the Miami Herald.
“At the end of the day, we want to try to help as much as we can.”
According to the paper, The Majesty of the Seas, which can fit 2,767 guests at maximum occupancy, is sailing to St. Thomas and St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands to drop off water, ice, food and other provisions on Tuesday.
The ship will offer meals before sailing with displaced tourists to San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Adventure of the Seas, which is set to sail from San Juan Saturday on a seven-night Caribbean itinerary, will divert to St. Maarten. The ship will also drop provisions in St. Maarten.
Empress of the Seas is in the Gulf of Mexico standing by to assist Floridians once Irma passes.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Escape is in Cozumel, Mexico, with 4,000 guests who couldn’t get flights home.
The Norwegian Escape will sail only on western Caribbean itineraries until November.
Hear Bernadette Chua on Hurricane Irma on our radio show – https://stg-cruisepassengercomau-cpstaging.kinsta.cloud/radio-show/#Podcast
