The Failed Pacifist

Carnival Cruises to a Sweet FEMA Deal

Remember those Carnival Cruise ships which the company donated for use by evacuees from Katrina's devastation? Well it turns out they weren't donated at all. In fact FEMA has cut a $236,000,000 deal with Carnival over the next six months. The problem is that, even if the ships were full to capacity, this is twice as expensive as a real cruise. And the ships are currently only half full.

To critics, the price is exorbitant. If the ships were at capacity, with 7,116 evacuees, for six months, the price per evacuee would total $1,275 a week, according to calculations by aides to Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.). A seven-day western Caribbean cruise out of Galveston can be had for $599 a person - and that would include entertainment and the cost of actually making the ship move.

via Wonkette

posted by Doran @ 4:29 PM