One of the world’s largest cruise companies, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, has pledged its support to the worldwide relief effort launched in the wake of the devastation caused in the Philippines by Typhoon Haiyan.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd is a company which employs more Filipinos than people of any other nationality, making the tragedy all the more relevant to many of its crew members. Chief Executive Officer Richard D. Fain commented: “Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the storm. More than 12,800 of our employees call the Philippines home. We want to do everything we can to help them, their families, and their neighbours heal from this terrible tragedy.”
Following the typhoon, Royal Caribbean has made efforts to help crew members communicate with their relatives back home in the Philippines and executives from the company also held a meeting on-board the line’s Vision of the Seas vessel with around 200 Filipino crew members, to update them on the effort. Royal Caribbean also said that it would match contributions donated by employees dollar-for-dollar and predicted that its efforts would raise around a million dollars towards the relief effort.
Royal Caribbean has said it intends to collaborate with its local manning agency, Philippine Transmarine Carriers Inc, to assess the impact the typhoon has had on its crew members and their families. Both companies have sent an emergency team to the Philippines to set up a communications point for employees on Royal Caribbean ships, as well as those working on vessels operated by its partner lines Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises.
The company will also partner with World Vision to provide more general assistance to those stricken by the typhoon. World Vision, which has operated in the Philippines since 1954, has deployed emergency teams throughout the country, providing food, hygiene and shelter.
By Simon Brotherton
Google
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