DEATH-O-TOURISM ON THE HIGH SEAS

BOSTON (Inhonorofbhz.org)

Royal Caribbean, following on the heels of the ecotourism movement, last week created a much in demand "Natural Disaster Cruise," stopping first in Haiti and allowing the 3,100 passengers to witness first-hand the ravages of an earthquake just days after it hit.

As "Bottom Feeder of the Seas" approached its first port, reveling passengers sipped on specially-created "Rumble 'n' Crumble" rum drinks and, in Port-au-Prince, took pictures of themselves in front of collapsed buildings, makeshift hospitals, and decaying bodies. One Royal Carribbean customer Tweeted from the epicenter of the earthquake zone, "Earthquakes rule, like my car crash, but even better...except the smell."

The Red Cross sent out personnel to greet the passengers when they entered the capital city in hopes of securing much needed blood, however the organization reported the cruise passengers provided very little viable blood due to the Red Cross's drug and alcohol screening requirements for donation.

Royal Carribbean's CEO, Richard Fain, was asked about the appropriateness of this cruise and said, "We are happy to report that none of our passengers drained the scarce resources in Port-au-Prince on their day trip there. We provided them each with a boxed lunch and bottled water."

Next scheduled ports of call are Kulmunai Kuddi on Sri Lanka's east coast, one of the hardest hit areas of the deadly 2004 tsunami, and thereafter Messina, Sicily, with cruise promoters hoping Mt. Etna cooperates with a big eruption in time for "Bottom Feeder's" arrival.

See real New York Post story, "The Ship of Ghouls" that inspired this post.