Royal Caribbean has become the second cruise line, following Carnival Australia, to donate funds to assist disaster recovery in cyclone-ravaged Vanuatu. The cruise line made a donation of AUD$100,000 (£51,000) to the Australian Red Cross this week.
Cyclone Pam has devastated the tiny island archipelago in the South Pacific since forming on 6 March 2015. At least 24 people have died in the disaster and the homes of thousands of others have been destroyed.
A statement on the Royal Caribbean Facebook page explains: “The relief donation is in addition to the recently announced partnership with the Vanuatu Government under which Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines will invest AUD$3.8million in shipping infrastructure in Vanuatu.”
The cruise line also offered a direct link to the Australian Red Cross Cyclone Pam 2015 appeal, for anybody else who wishes to assist the disaster recovery in Vanuatu.
The cruise industry has been significantly affected by Cyclone Pam with the routes of 12 major cruise liners being altered in the wake of the disaster. The Carnival Legend will brave the conditions later this week, delivering supplies to the largest island in the archipelago, Santo, including fresh water and tarpaulin.
Considered the worst natural disaster in the history of Vanuatu, a number of countries have already started contributing significant disaster recovery funds to the region with Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the European Union all contributing significant funds.
Images sourced via Mohd Nor Azmil Abdul Rahman (originally posted to Flickr as DSC05552) via Wikimedia Commons and Flickr Creative Commons. Credits: scubastan
