Royal Caribbean vessel makes detour to bring relief supplies to SVG

Relief supplies being offloaded from Rhapsody of the Seas at the Kingstown Cruiseship Terminal on July 5. Photo by Carlos James.

By Admin. Updated 4:47 a.m., Saturday, July 6, 2024, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

This country’s Tourism Minister – Carlos James said all it took was one phone call to a senior Royal Caribbean Cruises official and the company was ready to bring relief supplies to the hurricane-affected nation.

Despite being called on July 4 which is a public holiday in the USA, the company sent a vessel to Port Kingstown, and the vessel arrived on July 5.

“Yesterday, I made a call to Wendy McDonald Regional Vice President, Government Relations, Caribbean at Royal Caribbean. She said, “Minister it’s a holiday, but I would see what I can do. We are with you and SVG.”

“In 24hrs Rhapsody of the Seas arrived with supplies to support our relief efforts,” Minister James said.

Minister James stands between two members of the Rhapsody of the Seas members.

“The crew, including Vincentians, also pitched in with personal donations,” the tourism minister added.

“On behalf of the people of SVG, thank you to Royal Caribbean for the humanitarian support.

Special thank you to Captain Mathias and crew,” Mr. James said.

It is not the first time that Royal Caribbean has stepped in to assist St. Vincent and the Grenadines during a time of disaster.

On April 8, 2021, when an evacuation order was issued to residents of the volcanic red zone ahead of the April 9 explosive eruption of the La Soufriere volcano, Royal Caribbean Cruises offered some of its ships to evacuate people to neighboring islands.

Additionally, the company, in May 2022 signed a memorandum of understanding with Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) for the recruitment of up to 2,000 persons from SVG.

On July 1, 2024, Hurricane Beryl, a Category 4 cyclone swept through the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) and the islands of Carriacou and Petit Martinique which belong to Grenada and wreaked havoc.

In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, there have been two confirmed deaths so far and a trail of devastation, especially in the Southern Grenadines.

Hundreds of people have been evacuated from the Southern Grenadine islands where more than 90 percent of buildings lost their roofs. Many of them are now in shelters across mainland St. Vincent. Those who decided to stay in the Southern Grenadines say they need more humanitarian assistance.