Are these people really worth that? Come on! They had a ton of warning that a HUGE hurricane is coming. They had plenty of chances. Also, many of these people were in the position they were in because they did not take advantage of the FREE education that all Americans are entitled to. Succeed in school, get a decent job, be able to buy a car so you have tranportation! Many of these people do not feel inconvenienced. They're enjoying their $250 a night digs and will put up a fight to leave.

My question is this...when are the people living on board the ships going to have to take care of themselves? Why is my tax dollars going to pay for someone sitting on a ship "taking a shower and eating" as one lady put her day's adventures and not going out to get a job or provide for themselves? I'd gladly let my house get destroyed if the government was going to pay for me to do nothing while staying on a cruise ship.

Your tax dollars and my dollars at work!

WELL.GOV IS JUST WASTING OUR MONEY.WITH OUT KNOWING HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY'RE REALLY HELPING.THEY SHOULD FOCUS ON THIS BIG PROBLEM THAN BUILDING A WALL IN THE MEXICAN BORDER.ANOTHER WASTE OF MONEY.WE NEED CHEAP LABOR ANYWAY. WHOS BUILDING THE WALL ANYWAYS (MEXICAN LABORS)

Corporate America making a buck on someone elses misery. Shame on you! Our tax dollars should go to help the victims of Katrina rebuild and restablish themselves, not to pad the pockets of a corporation.

Where are these family's with children going to put their christmas tree this season, I think that the government could have been paying for a accomidation like Apartments and townhomes for that price tag ,,

C'mon folks. When have you ever seen the feds spend our money wisely? Examples of obscene overspending by the feds of our tax dollars are everywhere you look, the most prominent current example of which is the Haliburton no bid contracts in Iraq. The folks that are living on the cruise ships are not to blame. It's our government, the current administration, that is to blame.

Just shows you how screwed up FEMA is... I live in Biloxi and there's still thousands living in tents (working and living in tents, IN AMERICA)... They're waiting for a FEMA trailor as there are no houses or aprtments to rent, but they punish while the folks on the cruise shipe ENJOY... You're right, most on the cruise ships were in government housing (chapter 8 crap) so why should they look, they'll never live this good again and they can teach their kids how to get over and let the TAXPAYERS pay there way, just like their folks taught them.... Everyone could get a bus to go to the million man march, but after a week of warnings couldn't get out of the way of KATRINA....
God Bless America....

Oh my god...... this is yet another reason this country is going to "crap". How about a government that SAVES money, spends WISELY, and LOWERS taxes instead of WASTING money, Spending FRIVILOUSLY, and RAISING the Deficit.... Ahhhhh Tax dollars being spent like this makes living overseas look oh so inviting!!! The downward spiraling of hope of America's people continues....

This is further argument for subsidized housing in the United States. The Federal Government needs to spend money on creating affordable housing and jobs for these people. Subsidized housing would be much more affordable than paying businesses to house people.

People act like it is easy to just get up on your feet when you’ve lost everything, find a well paying job, and live the American dream. That is simply not the case. While I agree the government is spending money inappropriately housing people in hotels and on cruse ships, I do not agree that we shouldn’t help these people. We have definite economic problems in the United States, and Katrina has made many of those problems visible. It is only up to rich, white voters like yourselves to wake up and do what your religion mandates you to do: help the poor.

Nevertheless, many of us are still in denial about poverty in the United States. I know that if Katrina hit Baltimore, where I live, I would have nowhere to go and would be in the same situation.

For that price why don't we just build all of these families homes. At least it is a permanent solution.

It is the responsibility of a community to get to work to rebuild their community that was destroyed. The people on these cruise ships never had it so good. They don't care about home, they only care about what they can leech off the government. I don't care if they are poor and homeless, so were most of the people in the great depression.
Get to work! Don't you care about rebuilding your community? Probably not, since you didn't give a darn about it before the hurricane either.

How did the Gov. decide who would stay on the cruise ships and who would be sent to Oklahoma? It seems to me that there is a big difference in placing people.

oh what a tangled web.....

let them have the fun, what are the chances of them ever ever enjoying something like this?

If they want the lodging, then they should be put to work when they get back home. The government will at least get some money back on labor rebuilding the city.
I really hope they enjoy their food and lodging because the the New Orleans reputation is trashed. In most cities in America, the people of a community would be working hard to get back on their feet. Ever wonder why people are poor in America? Here's proof that we CHOOSE to be poor in America. Their laziness is shining for the world to see and it's obviously a habit they had from youth.
Enjoy the shrimp!

I can't understand the premise that it will be too costly for the government to opt out of the Carnival contract and move the refugees elsewhere. We're talking about a natural disaster here that affected millions of lives and yet the government can not step in and just cancel the contract with Carnival? I'd be willing to take in 4 people in my house if the government would pay me $1000 a day for me to take care of them. This is just ludicrous.

The article seems to slam FEMA - where I'm not a fan of large government, didn't a judge rule last month that the government MUST keep these people "housed" in to '06? I don't mind debate but leaving these facts out doesn't merit honest debate - just like having 5000 dead under the dome, rape at every turn and gangs killing women and children in the dome. I don't know Stuckey (the author) but just don't trust stories like this any more...

why havent the goverment relocated these people they could have a nice house for life for the cost of six months on a cruise ship to nowhere.another unthought waste of money .

I have a deal for you...I will rent my house in San Antonio to the Katina victims, for the same price, and I will take their place on the cruise ship, assuming it gets out of port and goes to a few nice destinations.

It's about time for many of these people to get off there rear ends and find a job.But you must remember that s why they are in this mess,I mean you know the let george do it mentality.I was raised with the thought that if a tragedy were to happen to me or my family you get off your butt and try to recoupe yourself instead of letting everyone else foot the bill for you.It's past time for feeling sorry for a lot of these people.

I do believe a majority of the people affected in that area are doing better than before Katrina financially. I imagine in the future a great many will be praying for future disasters who are otherwise less fortunate. This is a very sad time in American history.

What a shame!

AT A COST OF 175K IT WOULD BE LESS EXPENSIVE TO HAVE A GOVERMENT WORK PROGRAM TO USE THE MONEY TO BUILD THESE PEOPLE A THREE BED ONE BATH HOUSE THAT THEY COULD BUY AT GOV SPONCERED INTEREST RATES AND PUT THE -LOCALS- BACK TO WORK

I am shocked, stunned and speechless! When are we going to get those Dodo FEMA idiots off the government payroll. Don't they have any brains?
And quit pandering to those "evacuees!" They are not the only people "suffering" ~ but at $250 per night with room service? How stylish can suffering get?

I feel that these people on these ships utilizing the aid should have to work for it! Everyone getting aid should have to help rebuild the area's that were so badly destroyed. Work during the day - get housing and food allounces. What is wrong with that? Why should I and my fellow hard working Americans work hard and raise descent families and use OUR monies (tax dollars) to allow poor and a lot of times lazy people to hang out on a cruise ship. I have never been on a cruise, have you??

Why not take the money being spent on the cruise ships, and build homes with this money? Not only would it repopulate the hurricane stricken areas, but by having people affected by the hurricane work on building, it would create tons of much needed jobs.

However, to the people who feel that all Katrina victims had ample time to get out, you are sorely mislead by your right wing leaders and idealistic beliefs. If you've EVER been to the south, you would know that some of the victims were so poor they were unable to escape: no money to travel, bad cars, etc.

Shame on your for imposing your upper middle class attitude on people who have never had (and will probably never again have) the experience of a cruise. This is probably the best experience of their lives.

You should be pointing your finger at the government, and in particular, your president.

My question is this if you don't live in a hurricane zone and have never experienced one what say do you have to begin with! Of course the govt is spending too much money but isn't that what our govt does. These poor people lost everything that they ever owned and it is not their fault so if you want to criticize someone why not criticize our fed govt! I live in the panhandle of Florida which was pounded by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 there are FEMA trailers a block from my home and probably half of them are sitting empty so what is the govt waiting for? Why doesn't our govt come get the trailers and take them over to Miss and Louisiana where they are needed!

Strictly speaking, it's not your tax dollars at work. Your tax dollars, are in the tanning booths, kicking up their heels, eating good food and being pampered....not having to work at all....

This is a disgrace and should be stopped.
These people should be moved to trailers, tents, etc on land.
I cannot belive our Govt is this wasteful.
These Contracts should be eliminated immediately.

This is not helping give the people affected any incentive to go find alternate housing. I would like to have room service every day as well. Who wouldn't? It is time the Government was held accountable and stop these silly handouts and the receipients be told the handouts are over.

I would love to sit on a cruise ship, get a tan, enjoy a free meal while the rest of the population is working. Wait a minute, I call that a vacation... The people in New Orleans had pleanty of advanced warning that the hurricane was coming. Did they leave?? NO!!! They waited for the government to bail them out. Now they call it racism. Come on folks, the government offered a multitude of chances to get out, but you decided to stay. Don't call it racism, don't call it the government not helping, call it your own stupidity for not leaving!!!! Every time a black person feels slighted, they play the race card. There is a great number of Hispanics, Asian and Caucasian people in need of aid too. I am sick of hearing it is a race thing. We are all AMERICANS!!!

I donated to the relief fund, as well as other Americans, but enough is enough. When do the hand outs stop, and people start taking care of themselves. There are plenty of homeless in other cities that need help. Why does the focus have to be on New Orleans, lets help all Americans!!! So in other words, get off your ass and get a job. Yes it is a tragedy, but the homeless in the rest of the country need help too.

I'm a Republican. It's not the victims fault that the govenment is wasting money. It's our fault for letting it get this way. A smaller more efficient government would have not thought the cruise ships were a good idea. Im not happy either but lets not blame the victims.

What is their incentive to leave?

why don't they send dem to da Peabody in Memphis...would be about as cheep.....shoot wish i could stay somewhere as nice....and the taxpayers foot the bill!!!!

I agree help those who were effected,but still let be known its temp..that one needs too seek work,but if FEMA would spend that amount money helping a Industry that this nation relies heavily on then maybe I wouldnt complain where My tax dollars are going..The Trucking Industry needs help with rising fuel cost,trucks stop running THIS COUNTRY STOPS SURVIVING..but no house people at $250 a day,its cheaper than help a Industry

Keep focus. It is illogical to blame the people on the cruise ships. The government should receive ultimate blame for placing them there.

Inconceivable...there are thousands of homes for rent across the nation, there are thousands of homes for sale across the nation..why not utilize our resources and help our cities across the nation...

is this how our goverment negotiates. It sounds like a payoff for a campaign contribution to me.Lets hold the proper people ie:Adminastration/agenc accountable for there action .How dear someone criticize a person who has been displaced and had to rely on the government for assistance. I am tired of people blaming the poor for all the problems with this country. only to watch corpoations getting richer and richer.What free education. DO you mean the system that trains you to be a worker not a self sufficient individual.The odds of changing the economic class (caste) you were born into especially at the lower end of the of the spectrum are totally against the individual. I wish I could go to work and fail at my job and have the ability to blame someone else for my shortcomings. This adminastration does a half ass job then blames the recipient for there own shortcoming's

there again government spending my HARD EARNRD money what a joke get real people !!!!

This is a big joke. If I was to go broke because of the stock-market dropping or because of my job being eliminated, do you think that the goverment would be willing to put me up until I was ready to get back on my feet. A lot of these people were welfare cases to start with and now they are living in luxury on a cruse ship. This is nothing but BS.

Ok it happended but why is people so negative regarding this. Just be lucky it is not you that this is happening to so about our tax money Uncle Sam takes it back anyways

Just think, six months of this, for $175K, That would pay for a nice big house where I live. Although they would have to go out and get a job to put food on the table...Boo Hoo!

I think it is disgusting that the government is wasting money on these floating cities. How about the govt. giving the $175,000 that they are spending and give it to the displaced people to fix up empty housing at closed bases.. March AFB in California has hundreds of empty military housing that would be perfect for them... There is plenty of housing...but Ithink that people are also taking advatage of free money and are lazy. No wonder I have to pay $90,000 in taxes every year...It makes me sick!!!

I had wrote congress stating it would have been cheaper to give each single person $100,000 and familys $200,000 and told them to relocate to another state or somewhere elese were they could live. That would have been more than enough to start a new life. You know it would be kind of like what they did to the people living in the Goza Strip.

Life is not fair; get over it!!!!

The issue now is how to fix it: Get them off the ship, provide shelters equivalent to what those people had before Katrina, and write to your congressmen complaining about this.

Does the break even price take into account Carnival's fuel savings, port charges, and other fees and costs associated with not operating at sea? If they are justifying the cost strictly off replacing passenger revenue, then the numbers are not valid. The correct method would be to run a true income less expenses, to see what their net income actually is. We are probably not receiving this information.

I think getting the ships to house the homeless was about the only good idea FEMA came up with at the time....I still see all of those people stuck in the heat under the overpasses or in that arena....but leave it to the government to mismanage a good idea!

Why doesn't the cruise line take the people on the cruise or do like all the other GOOD AMERICANS and donate part of the proceeds to the relief effort.

(They must be BUSH insiders0

instead of putting them on a ship and waisting our tax dollars, they should of saved the money had them stay at a shelter where they are still being provided for and just give them the $120,000 after 6months to build or even buy a house at that. but instead we would rather waste all of it in a 6 month time period. I mean come on now lets start thinking logically aabout this.

Why not place these people up in the hundreds of LOCAL hotels in the immediate and surrounding areas at far less cost? Wouldn't that also benefit the business owners in the area who are economically crippled due to the lack of tourism in the area for years to come?

$250 per person per night is exorbitant to say the least, and another example of inefficient spending. I'm ashamed of the current Republican administration for not doing more to both reduce government overall spending and government waste.

Clearly, the comments posted are coming from priveleged people who have no concept of the enormous economic and educational disadvantage these people have lived their ENTIRE lives in. Yes, this money is being seriously mismanaged, but the people who should be attacked are the people who decided to shell it out that way, not the people who are using the aid offered. I don't think any of you would pass up the opportunity either.

It is sad what these people have had to endure. Blame can be placed on individuals, state government & federal government. $250 per person per night? Absolutely absurd! These people are living like kings while I work & live paycheck to paycheck as a single parent. The big question in my mind; is this really HELPING these victims or allowing their minds to get used to this lavish lifestyle? I'll gladly accept a LOT less than $250 per person per night & open my home to a couple guests

Our military sleeps in tents and we are spending $7500 a month, of tax payers money. Why aren't these people working on the ship for room and board, or cleaning up there city that they refused to leave. Instead of cutting Medicare, cut That $7500 a month housing budget and give it to the elderly.

If they find corruption, sent them to a State Penn, instead of a Federal country club.

This is a really sad commentary. The money could have done SO much more good. What a big shame!

Having government assistance as a band-aid is fine, the immediate response is necessary to make sure people don't starve with the confusion (especially the children) but there comes a point when enough is enough! They need to survive on their own, not have our tax dollers paying for three meals a day! THREE MEALS A DAY!!!! And SNACKS!

If FEMA was properly prepared to respond to the Hurricane Katrina victims in the first place, perhaps there wouldn't be a need for the cruise ship program.
Criticizing the victims who have lost everything including family and friends is wrong.

Carnival will be making no more profit than if they were running a regular cruise???!! Shame on them! We are paying rates that are normally charged for weekly trips, for months on end...and shame on our government for agreeing to do so. Could they have not negotiated a better deal with our tax dollars?

The bottom line is tax dollars - someone will pay for it and is us the working class, remember FEMA now has a reputation and the tax payers are the only ones who at the end of the mess pays the bill. I needed extra money to fix my home , after going through hours of phone calls to FEMA they dinied the help, they to talk to my inssurance company to get more money. Don't get me wrong, I love this country but some things could change.

Yes, My tax dollars at work!!!!! It's time to cut these people loose. They need to take care of themselves. They all had plenty of warning and had a chance to leave. But decided to stay so they could blame somebody else(the government)for their problems. And have the tax payers take care of them. What's this, the lady in the article said she got her GED on the cruise ship???? Why did she not get it one her own???? I did. My family is not rich, I completed school, got a job, and am now self sufficient. People, quit blaming the government for your problems and take a little responsibility for your actions.

Listen to the BIG 870 am at night !
I have friends of mine who went to the Katrina hit areas and the problems are, some (Not ALL) of these people have college degrees and/or a trade and work experience but nowhere to get a job, nor nowhere to live or even a car to get them there. Most of the contractors are not local so the jobs are hard to get.
You can't feed a family or break even on a part time BK server job.
If you think you can, quit your nice paying job and go get one for a few months and blog back then tell us how you paid all your bills.
They have no cars due to the fact the insurance companies will not pay for there flooded cars.
No house due to the insurance companies not paying for there houses.
No money because there saving accounts are gone just to survive.
No jobs because there place of business is no more.
No way to travel because it takes money to get from point "A" to "B".
If you have a family you can't leave the family.
Before you judge these folks, go to New O or the MISS Coast and put yourselves in there shoes.
If you want to know what is going on in New O listen to the BIG 870 am radio at night.
You can hear it for over 1000 miles from New O.
True, allot of these folks can move out and get jobs and help from other family members and friends, but some have no other alternative.
For them my tax money is well spent. For the other large percentage of folks, we need a plan!

Unbelievable!! Rather than being waited on hand and foot, FEMA should at least require that these people document some kind of a job seeking effort. But the true fault here lies with FEMA - just one more example of its incompetence (along with Chertoff and yes Bush who put Michael Brown in charge in the first place). And why can't FEMA negotiate an early termination of the ship leases? Even with a reasonable early termination penalty, it would probably still be cheaper to house these people in local motels, old military barracks, or whatever - FEMA's had enough time now to look into this! But no, gevernment mentality is just to wait and let the contract run its course, and say "oh well."

Government aid should only last for so long. Remember they are spending our tax dollars here. Many of us tax payers only get a small percentage of the tax dollars back that we pay in every year, and I find it appalling that these people are still riding around in a cruise ship instead of doing something for themselves. It's time to re-evaluate this contract with the cruise lines and get these people off their butts... make them work for a living like those of us that are supporting them through our taxes.

You sound like a bunch of inconsiderate **holes. These people lost everything. Where's your heart!

It is incredible how the goverment spends the taxpayer's dollars. This does not do a thing for these people. Comes March, good luck getting them off the ship. Only in America.

You have got to be kidding me!!! These people are sitting on their butts soaking up maid service, room service, and all the luxuries of a cruise ship and they have had all this time to get out and get a job..not to mention those 7 pesky days of warning they all had of what was in store for Louisiana and surrounding areas!! I've busted my tail my whole life and STILL have never step foot on a cruise ship...I had no idea laziness was the key to getting what you wanted.

Who could possibly have negotiated this kind of deal? Carnival must have been dancing all the way to the bank after those negations! It is criminal that the cost of this "program" per person is more than the cost of a new house. These people could have had free housing with the many generous families willing to help around the US. It is hard to feel sorry for victims that are getting room and maid service, as well as free, prepared meals without having to do a thing to help themselves.

The people on these ships should be advised now of what is expected of them when the ships must be vacated. The government should not be waiting until the last minute to have them move. They should start by setting and meeting goals of having the ships vacated regardless of the cost per passenger. Otherwise, when the last day comes and everyone has to move, it will either be a disaster for those left or the government will again have to extend the date. We have seen this in Washington State, where the motel stays had to be extended past the planned date. This extension was granted because the people themselves did nothing to find permanent housing or jobs. If they start moving 35% off per month, they might just make the deadline of March. If they don't, guess what will happen,

These people have lost EVERYTHING, their homes, their clothes, their jobs, their way of life. Give them a break, they didn't ask to be put up on a cruise ship, that was the government's decision not theirs.

So corrupt, America wasting money. Why of course it is sad for these people, why are they even encouraged to get jobs whn they are getting 3 meals daily and snacks for nothing?

Carnival Cruise line is making a ton of money from Hurricane Katrina which they are gladly taking. And yet Carnival Cruise line pays almost no United States taxes as they sail under a foreign flag. So the money that they are earning from this sweetheart deal is also tax free. The real disgrace is the cruise lines that sail out of US ports, carrying thousands of US citizens, sail under foreign flags and do not pay taxes!

This really shouldnt surprise anyone that FEMA would put these victums of Katrina on a Luxury Cruise Ship. Over-spending and the waste of our tax-dollars has been going on for decades. Its just now that we see how foolishly the people "in-charge" spend our hard earned wages to make sure that those that dont have any resources are comfortable and well fed. Gee, I think Ill quit my job tomorrow and head on down to the cruise ships. I know that working wont get a a ticket on a Luxury Cruise, but being "useless" & "helpless" will get me on a nice "Ocean Liner" for 6 months !!!! KEWL !!

Why does everything have to be a rip-off? Are there no honest people anymore?

Lets get these people into all the FEMA trailers sitting empty that we read about. This is stupidity. This is FEMA. This is our Government. This is America.

This same amount of money could have provided a whole house for families in another state. Why consume these obscene amounts of money and then there will still be complaning because there will be nothing in the end?

Please tell me that these people are required to go look for work each day?, Please tell me that they are not recieving welfare checks as well while sitting on their Hands?, Please tell me that the ship owners won't declare their boat ruined by these low-lifes living there like the stadium owners tried to do?.

Since the New Orleans Hotels are still trying to recover why not open up the cruise ships to the public at hotel cost with an added tax that can help offset the costs of the residents still on board. This may help bring down the overall costs as all the rooms can be filled. since the ships are there until March start taking reservations for Mardi Gra.

I do not think we should blame the victims in this current situation. Exhorbitant spending issues are rife throught this current Admin, and this is just a symptom of the generally poor planning FEMA as exhibited. Back when this was being proposed,many people thought this was a GOOD idea. It is pettiness to think that somehow these folks connived to get their way onto the cruise ship, or that it is a "vacation" in New orleans for these ~975. Instead of complaining, do something directly to aid them, and don't expect the Gov to help these people for you. The attitude that "I am too busy & I pay my taxes, so someone else should take care of these problems" is where the real problem is and a lack of persoal involvement by American's is part of what is leading people toward a divisive, resentful society and negativity filled outlook. Can you really blame an ignorant culture, that has been betrayed by a corrupt government for years, for not listening to what the Government says now, and for the societal circumstances that have trapped them into being ignorant? The free eductaion that we all supposedly get, defintely changes depending on where you live, andf I would say the educational system, and the New orleans school board officials would agree, that the shool system in N.O. is completely broken. It will take PERSONAL sacrifice in terms of direct time and effort to help these people, not sitting far away in front of a computer screen griping about 975 people on a cruise ship.

Just by reading the first three messages I can truly understand how ignorant and racist this nation truly is and will remain. You're going crazy over a multi-million dollar shelter deal but you're not upset with the goverment spending over $1 billion a week to bring democracy to Iraq? Amazing!!!

I don't understand why we don't relocate those people and send them to temp agencies to start working and rebuilding their lives, instead of putting them on a cruise ship, where they aren't doing anything to help out their situation. There is work for these people all over the US, it is just a matter of relocating them. Instead of paying Carnival Cruise $250 a night per person, why doesnt the government get these people relocated and into appartments, where there is at least an opportunity for a work. Sitting on a cruise ship won't help them get work, and get their lives started back up.

Many of the people who are living on the ships are police officers - 75% of them remain without housing and would certainly like to be living somewhere with their families rather than on the ships. However, they take their duties seriously and have given up that opportunity to help serve the city. It's very easy to say people need to start looking after themselves but there is a huge lack of housing in the area and many have not got the trailers from FEMA yet. SOMETIMES THINGS ARE JUST NOT THAT SIMPLE!!!

Democrats and the destruction of the nation... Comeon now!!! It's a horrible thing that Katrina destroyed so much. But spoon feeding a bunch of folks content to lay up on someone else’s nickel is disgusting. I’m tired of the sob story and the racial iterations. Get a job you lazy bunch of “victims” and stop burdening the country with your patsy pansy pity party!

I have no doubt that the initial thought to provide instant housing was in good faith. But months have passed. FEMA has to pay the contract price whether 1,600 people occupy a ship or 1 person. Fill the ships to capacity and before the contract comes to an end, notify the occupants its 'Time To Hit The Road.' There should have been enough time to make other arrangments.

What is the government thinking!?!?! $244 a person per night is outright absurd!! They need to get off of their behinds a get a job! I am going to school to make something of myself and the last thing I want to do is pay for my education and their debts for sitting on their asses all day long on a cruise ship!

give these people a dam break. they have been thru pure hell.

Unfortunately this was the best and quickest solution that "Brownie" and the rest of FEMA came up with. The government knew how bad the hurricane would be and those in power sat on their hands, instead of properly preparing for it, hoping that everything would turn out OK. Michael Brown was the official to ultimately approve this venture. We all know who it was who approved of Michael Brown to begin with.

What a disgrace..It would be cheaper to have them in hotels or in trailors..and with the savings pay for a new home or part of it...That's our government waisting tax money..

I have a friend on one of those ships with his wife and seven children and his mother. They lost their home, their business, their vehicals, and their neighborhood is still off limits and uninhabitable. He dosent want to be on the ship anymore but he has no place to go. What do we tell this educated man.

I just returned from a visit to the New Orleans area and it is my understanding that the inhabitants of the ships are police officers and firemen and their families that lost their homes during Hurricane Katrina. It is essential to keep these important people in the area that is in such need of their services. They deserve everything we can do for them as they lay their lives on the line for all of us everyday.

How much money did Carnival contribute to the Republicans and their various PACs to get on the no-bid, pig trough list?

They're sitting on their FEMA checks while fast food joints are giving out $5,000.00 sign-on bonuses for people to flip burgers. It angers me. Get out and do some work.

You all can blame FEMA all you want, but the true story is that FEMA was gutted financially by Homeland Security. What ever happened to the thought of taking care of yourself and being self supporting?, these people will never change their habits and will continue this for years to come.

I helped load trucks in N.O. and distribute the food to these "victims" and they ALL acted like they were owed something, we were biitched at and called racial names while trying to feed these people the basics. I heard 4 Thank You's in 2 weeks, and they were from fellow workers and not the "victims".

Cry me a river, Cry me a Hurricane, but get up off your butts and get a Temp Agency employing these people for starters and don't ask for my help anymore for those that won't help themselves while people are living in tents.

So let me get this right,you criticize Fema because it wants to kick people out of hotels and set them on their own 2 feet, yet you then criticize them because they don't kick them them off the cruise ships. At least display some consistency!!!

The entire NewOrleans East was destroyed. 300,000 homes are gone and so are all the businesses. These were working class people. There are no jobs. Relocate where? Your town! So you can then complain about outsiders taking all the local jobs. There are no easy answers but blaming these people for their situation is not the answer

MSNBC's website is crap. This site whines like hell when these folks are not helped. Then after your biased attacks, you do not look for success stories or rebuilding going well. No you look for other reasons to bash the Administration. Come on. I am so sure there was never government waste under Bill Clinton.

And where will these people go? Send them to your neck of the woods? People will be screaming N.I.M.B.Y! (Not in my backyard) Not if it affects your chance of getting a job. We need to get them back on their feet in their communities, even if we have to help rebuild. Help them replace their vehicles so they can drive, Give them some tools and put them to work to help rebuild and make some money to get solvent again. You have a valuable resource sitting in cruiseliners doing nothing!

It's sad, we spend so much money over in iraq, fighting a war for a system similar to ours in iraq. Trying to make another country have the beliefs our country has, but we can't help our tax paying citizens. I see all these comments about how the people should get off they ass and get a job, in which i agree, to a point. But the city of N.O. school system has been a failure for some time now. I don't agree with paying 250 bucks a night, i'm sure there are cheaper places to house people. I understand that law enforcement has to have somewhere to stay, and the cops of N.O. have given up a lot for there city. I think all you people whom think it's so hard to help TAX-PAYING AMERICANS should take a look in the mirror

Responding to Jamie, no where in the above article was race mentioned, why bring it up. For a family of 2, living on a pleasure boat, for just 1 month, they have recieved close to $15,000, or for the 4 months since Katrina, $60,000. For $60k, the could be relocated to anywhere in the US, and set up in an apartment, and work. I felt sorry for the survivors in the beginning. However, now they should get off their backsides, help in rebuilding, or relocated somewhere else to become a productive part of society. PS, here in Billings, MT, we have received Katrina victims, some have stayed and worked, others decided to go back south, and wait for more assistance.

Scenrio: A hurricane hits. you have no idea of the extent of the damage. You have no idea if the remaining hotels can support the displaced population.

Question: What is the fastest way to get "three hots and a cot" for those people that are dispaced?

Answer: Cruise ships! It was actually a pretty good idea. I dont think we should pound on FEMA too much for this. So what if it was "overkill" it is better to have them filled below capacity than to have people who want to get on get denied because there is no room.

For all you critics! ~NOT ONE OF US HAS SEEN THE WHOLE PICTURE. HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY CRITICIZE IF YOU DONT KNOW THE WHOLE PICTURE!~

Also, it is entirely realistic that the cruise line is breaking even on this. $250 a night is an entirely realistice projection of what they would have made if they ran a regular cruise schedule! Dont forget the MILLIONS in revenue these ships could be earning from there casinos alone if they were hauling tourists instead of refugees! I dare anyone to tell me that these displaced persons are spending any substantial money in the cruise lines spas and shops. Thats how the cruise lines make most of your money!

You who criticize: go back to your five dollar an hour cashier jobs and let those people with the education, knowledge and experience to handle these problems do their jobs!

Motel 6 is 60.00 and it is located on DRY GROUND and there are thousands of these Motels across the country.

Locating them off shore, without transpo to find work is a brilliant idea, I'm sure they are breeding as we type to produce more brain dead worthless work force.

Homeland Security is a JOKE and it is the Responsible Party for this mess....not FEMA

Remember what Will Rogers said in the '30s still applies today; "Just be glad you're not getting all the government you pay for".

It was a ridiculous decision.....i think its the time to change the government to make new government who is wise in spending peoples money. We ares pending like anything on Iraq war, Katrina victims without any plan. If this keeps on happening, i don't think AMerica will remain powerful forever. We as people should take the responsible if our elected representatives can not do the required task

People didn't leave, because there was no place to stay, short of driving to Chicago. By the time we knew it was coming our way it was too late. Would any of you people spend a hurricane in a car? NO! As for putting people in other temporary housing, where would you suggest? a tree? if you could find one still standing in South Mississippi. There is no place to house them. No infrastructure to support living there. Day to day survival is at best, minimal...All of you screaming and hollering at the gov't and the people who were victims of this storm, until you walk a mile in our shoes....you have nothing to say...

Absolutely UNBELIEVABLE!!

Another shinning example of how our government blows money while folks in our own country are starving to death and are much less fortunate that these folks they are trying to help. It is fast approaching that one day our country will pay for these irresponsible government "fat cats" who are responsible for this waste of tax payers money. May God have mercy on their sould.

Think next time ya vote for Bush or any republician!!
Who's in the white house?

Lazy liberals may be living there, but remember it is your republican administration that is spending your tax dollars.

I once slammed Barbara Bush regarding her statements that a lot of them are better of now than before and boy, am I rethinking her statement! These people had the chance to leave, and now they are literally taking advantage of the situation. They had nothing to beging\ with, and now they are living high off the hog at our expense, so what is their incentive to get off their lazy asses, get a job and start over? Why should they when they are getting room service?! Like many have posted $175,000 would buy a nice house where I live. But, even if FEMA had the brains to do it, the "victims" would blow that opportunity as well, expecting the rest of us to pay their bills to keep them in those homes. Unreal.

Hey! Here's a brilliant idea! Why don't these people work on the cruise ship especially if they do not want to get off! I mean come on! Sittin' around eating and not looking for a job is just tossin my hard earned money out the window to pay for these people to live there. I feel for the, I really do but, don't just sit around and ZILCH! Work on the boat. Clean, prepare meals, work in the bilges for crying out loud and make a buck, save it and get the hell out!
Hillary Clinton for President!
Can't wait! been ripped off long enough by money hungry Republicans!

Classical example of our governments never-ending waste! I noticed several FEMA vehicles gassing up this morning in Memphis, why are they driving fully decked out Dodge Ram pickups with all the ammenities? This must stop!

I will be glad to let the government send this single mom of 1 a family of 4 at $277 a head per night for 30 days. I'll take the $33,240.00 and feed them, help them do resumes and look at our local job market here in beautiful hurricane free Oregon. I know you can buy a 3 bedroom, 2 bath 1600.00 Sq. foot 1996 energy efficiant manufactured home because thats what I live in and run my internet mail order business from. We can take the leftover 32,240 ($1k for food) and put a down payment on a manufactured home at say 44k and they will have a $260.00 a month payment along with the space rent of $509.00. Im sure they qualify for state aid while looking for jobs so all would be covered. Problem solved. They get a home. I get to help. Done. What the heck is the government thinking?

It's sad to realize that I spent over 20 years of my life defending my country for the likes of these people. Sure, they have been through a lot but that does not justify their apparent laziness, lack of will to do anything for themselves and worst of all their accusations of racism! RACISM? Did they not know the hurricane was coming? Did they not have public transportation to use? Did they not have the option of obtaining flood insurance from the government as they certainly must have learned from past hurricanes in other states? I, like others, am sick and tired of supporting individuals who apparently think they are owed something. I have been working since age 14 and have never accepted a penny of government assistance in my life. If I needed extra money I would get an additional job, even if it was flipping burgers! And has anyone taken a look at what military people are paid? You would make more flipping those burgers. But pride in who you are and what you do has gone the way of the American waistline: it doesn't exist anymore as its been overcome by greed, fast food, political correctness and just plain laziness! And the current administration has not helped as they are just as helpless and have no more a clue than those living on the ships and suffering through three meals a day and maid service! Wake up America as it's time to re-learn self respect, pride and responsibility!

Classical example of our governments never-ending waste! I noticed several FEMA vehicles gassing up this morning in Memphis, why are they driving fully decked out Dodge Ram pickups with all the ammenities? This must stop!

I don't feel sorry for the people. They had PLENTY of advance warning. I feel sorry for the animals that people left behind. They are the true victims in this mess.

It is quite obvious that the real disaster was the welfare mentality and political patronage that was the basis for political power in New Orleans. Take a close look at the Mayor. He points fingers at everyone and none at himself. Welfare recipients elected him, and these folks expect to go to the feeding trough on a monthly basis. Where are they going to go when moved off these ships? If history is any indication they will be relocated elsewhere several times until they cease to be a problem. If they are moved off of the ship, and are not given their just due, you will have riots. So once again we will pay them off with welfare payments to prevent social and political unrest. Which, by the way, was created by a democratic state, sad.

Well this is my third attemp to post here.

GOD BLESS THE AMERICAN WORKER!

I don't feel sorry for the people. They had PLENTY of advance warning. I feel sorry for the animals that people left behind. They are the true victims in this mess.

This is amazing! What is wrong with our government??? Why my am out busting my butt at work everyday, these people are sitting back relaxing on a cruise ship!!!! Put these people to work in new orleans cleanin up the city. So that (they not the american people) can pay for their room and broad. What a joke!!!!!! Get a job, I had too!!!!! This is just a another example of what is wrong with this county. All some americans want is everything handed to them and for everybody else to take care of them.

I live in NO. There are a ton of service oriented and construction jobs available in the NO area.Many food places cannot open yet--im talking about national chains because of lack of employees!! 6000 dollar bonus at burger king and Rally's-10-12 dollars an hour!best wage in country!
GET THESE PEOPLE TO WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ALSO--RENT IS HIGH---a cunundrum huh?
LOCALS WITH LIVABLE HOMES DONT WANT FEMA TRAILERS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS! SO WEVE GOT INTERNAL PROBLEMS.
IF PEOPLE CANNOT FIND A PLACE TO LIVE-NEW ORLEANS WILL REBUILD AT A SNAIL'S PACE.

Can someone let me know how to get one of these government contracts? I'll be more than glad to feed and house a family of four for $1,000 a night. For that much, I'll do all the cooking, cleaning of rooms and keep my day job too. And my guests can feel free to kick back and not have any more to do than just eat and shower every day. Heck, for that much money I can afford a maid to do the cooking and cleaning every day and still come out ahead in the long run. Cha-ching, cha-ching!

New Orleans was a sickly city before Katrina spurt upon that dump and ruined it further. If you look close, it doesn't much look different, to me. I lived there for 7 terrible years and am happy to be on higher ground in my new house with my new job.
Those folks in ST Benard Parish joked at work about how far they were below sea level and now they want misery SHOULD HAVE MOVED LONG AGO. I still blame the STATE of LA - dern criminals, still.

I'm now living in Los Angeles but lived for 30 days aboard the Sensation and I can tell you that it's not as luxurious as it sounds. The casino is closed and they no longer put mints on your pillow when they turn down your bed at night. The midnight buffet is good as are the on board restaurants but only 2 bars are open and the bartenders make the drinks weaker than I'd like. The laundry service is excellent however and the entertainment is top notch, many local bands and magicians entertain by the pool.

American are generous folks. We provide economic aids and financial assistance to countries around the world every year. Because we believe that by helping those in needs would ultimately benefit us all in a global community. Is America or the global community better off by doing nothing to help in natural disaster like the Tsunami? At the local level, are the tax payers better off by providing inadequate services and needs to the folks affected by Katrina? We don't live in a perfect world. This is the reality and we strive to do the best to help those truely in needs during a disaster with the adaquate means. By helping those less fortunate makes our world a better place for everyone.

I am sickened by the cold, heartless comments made by many of the people in this blog. Most of whom have probably never had to experience a natural disaster that destroyed their homes, their employment, and all of their possessions. Instead of whining you should be thanking your lucky stars that it wasn't YOU!

In Maryland, two years after Hurricane Isabel, we still have people living in small trailers on their property waiting for their insurance companies to pay out their claims.

Personally, I can't imagine living in a cruise ship room for an extended period of time. It's not like they are so spacious. About half the size of a Motel 6 room I'd wager.

In 1985, when the remnants of Hurricane Juan worked its way northward and completely obliterated my town. I was a poor person with no education, making $3.35 an hour at a business that now no longer existed. I had just lost my home to terrible flooding.
Instead of standing around waiting for a hand out from the government, I decided this horrible experience was a sign that it was time for a change in my life. With $52 and not even a change of clothes, bought a bus ticket and moved away from an already dead end appalachian area.
Four years later, with a lot of hard work, I had a bachelors degree and a decent job.
Nowadays, I own my home, two apartment buildings and a thriving business.
The folks in New Orleans just need to pull themselves up and get over it. The damage is done - fix it or move on.
Race and current social status have nothing to do with applying one's self to improving one's own situation.

I think there are plenty of jobs for these people in their own neighborhoods!!!! There are so many people that have came from other counties and states to make good money cleaning and rebuilding in the storm ravaged areas. I know several that are making really good money with the clean up that is going on. Some people will never do anything because they never had to in the first place. Tax payers have supported them for gernerations in government housing and public assistance, so why would they want to change that now! They have it made. And get to stay on a cruise ship!!!!Why would they want to go anywhere.... There is a FEMA trailer in a trailer park across from where I live and nobody lives in it!!!It has been empty ever since it was moved in 2 months ago.... Please, FEMA put someone in it that desperately needs a roof over there heads. There are many people that would greatly appreciate it. ANd whoever requested it and NEVER moved in it should have to pay back the gov for the rent they are paying to keep it there!!!!!!

Two things in this article make me particularily angry. The first is that the members of the American Electorate are continually referred to as "U.S. Taxpayers", or "The American Taxpayer." As though that is our only purpose for existance.. to Pay Taxes. I believe this is in fact what your government thinks of us... and let's call them by the right name, not "our Government" but rather "The Colossal Tax Spenders" or more accurately, "The Colossal Tax Wasters." This incident is but one example of how much distain our govenment has for those of us who actually try to work for a living, and who, in my opinion, foolishly, pay the MAJORITY of OUR INCOMES in taxes. Perhaps they are right, perhaps we are stupid. We toil, while those in government live large, spending trillions of dollars like it was water.

The second thing that angers me in this article, is that the Agency responsible for this spending debacle, is referred to as FEMA. It is the Federal EMERGENCY Management Agency. But it seems to me, that the emergency is OVER. It was over pretty soon after the storm clouds cleared. And yet, largely in reaction to how badly they reacted to the EMERGENCY part of the Katrina Disaster, their solution was to throw ungodly amounts of money at the problem. So we have a $236 Million six-month contract to provide these 5370 people with the vacation of their lives. I have not seen any stories about all of the ice sitting in refrigerated trucks, running their engines 24 hours a day recently... but I assume it is just old news, and that if someone checked, all of that Ice is still sitting in trucks in Kansas... another bill for the "American Taxpayer." I don't know for sure about the rest of you, but I am fed up. I have dreams and aspiration beyond serving out my life sentence as a "Payer of Taxes." I run a small business, I pay personal & corporate taxes, property taxes, sales taxes, and I have not had a vacation in over seven years. I am almost to the point, where the next person who regards me as nothing more than a payer of taxes, had damn well better be wearing a bullet-proof vest.

Imagine--What if they rented a cruise ship,and nobody came??

For all of you that think that FEMA can just put people back into houses and apartments it is not possible, there are none available here. What housing we still have is either occupied, or under construction. As an example, my apartment complex (which is about 15 minutes outside of New Orleans) has around 270 units, about 60 of them are livable/occupied the rest are still being repaired, and we have about 500 people on a waiting list to get in. That is the standard as far as trying to get a place to live her in New Orleans. And BTW FEMA sucks!

I'm not the biggest Carnival fan; However Carnival offered to house people in need when they could have just turned the other cheek and still made the same profits from the general public. Having been in the travel business for 18 years I do understand the business of cruising. Everybody is looking at what FEMA is paying Carnival for the ships; but no one is looking at what Carnival had to pay the customers to cancel their vacations to accommodate the hurricane victims. Granted, case by case it was a small number, but add it all up and it was huge. To the people who think that Carnival is making so much on FEMA; it’s less than or equal to what they would have made if they just continued to do business a usual and leave people homeless. In addition you should be thanking the people who planned and paid for a cruise and did not get it, simply because an act of nature decimated a city. I tend to be more worried about the bridge in Alaska Going to nowhere to the tune of X million than homeless people being supplied shelter by Carnival!!!

exactly what i expected.
im so glad they have internet access on that cruise ship so people can tell how bad the conditions are.
and of course they arent looking for work, its all gone! when it gets rebuilt all nice and proper they will get off the boat.
i cant belive the casinos are closed, and no mints?!!?
yet further gross inhumane trauma.
those people will prob never recover from these terrible conditions.
im just glad we all can help these people who cant help themselves! i think im going to volunteer to become a disaster bartender or canape handler, these people need man servants and a cucumber massage ASAP!
and everyone complaining about FEMA..Shame on you!
my only regret is that im not there helping my fellow americans get a tan...er i mean a helping hand! yeah..uh/huh thats it..yeeeahhh.
Donate help today! also accepting cruise packages,concert tickets,booze and vacation homes and winning lottery tickets.
work inquiries not being accepted at this time.

I am not a fan of our current political players. But for once, I must defend the system. I am a firefighter that was deployed to the City of New Orleans just a few days after Katrina. When I arrived, my team was housed on the USS Iwo Jima. Why? Simple. The water was contaminated, there was no electricity, there was no food, drinkable water, or any other services that we Americans take for granted. There was an absolute need for a self contained system of housing, medical care and food service for the people left in the city. By the way, the people living on the Carnival ships are the Police Officers, Firefighters, City Utility workers, City Administrative Staff and other vital blue collar members of New Orleans that stuck around to help others. These people endured great hardship to save what was left of their city. Most lost everything themselves yet continue to work for little or no pay...some were so overwhelmed with grief, they took their own life. If any of you people out there found yourself in this position, your question would have been: "where the hell is FEMA with MY self contained housing unit?"
YES, our current goverment sucks more than I can ever remember...YES, there are always a few low life leaches sucking on the buttocks of humanity...but for god sakes, don't cancel the one good thing FEMA did for New Orleans. Lets get MORE ships contracted to provide housing. Spend my tax dollars where it helps my working brothers and sisters. Do not spend my tax dollars bombing sand and empty bunkers in the Middle East. For those of you short on facts and blabbing on and on about government waste...here's a new flash: everything is overpriced and directly contributes to the wealth of some white guy in a neighborhood that will never flood. Suck it up, or,
next time you see injustice...get your ass off the keyboard, go there, and do something about it.

How did we settle upon this great continent...and manage to fend off a world eager to