Nearly 4,000 Hurricane Maria refugees from the Caribbean islands disembarked from a cruise ship in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Tuesday morning to the cheers of hundreds of people.
Relatives and well-wishers held ‘Welcome To Florida’ signs and flags, and chanted ‘Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico!’ as they greeted the evacuees, some of whom lost their home and most of their possessions in the powerful storm.
They carried caged cockatiels, cats and dogs as they exited the port terminal, their eyes searching for known faces, as others held small children tight as they tried to find relatives ready to take them to new homes for the foreseeable future.
And tourists who saw brief vacations in Puerto Rico extended by nearly two weeks without readily-available water, food, electricity and Internet access claimed their love for mainland USA.
A Royal Caribbean cruise ship safely delivered nearly 4,000 evacuees of Hurricane Maria to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Tuesday morning
The ship picked up 1,700 people just in Puerto Rico alone and picked up hundreds from St. John, St. Croix and St. Thomas, reuniting them with families on the mainland
A Caribbean hurricane evacuee who arrived on board the Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas, reacts to the cheers of the waiting crowds
In addition to the thousands of people, the cruise line has evacuated 127 pets from the affected islands and delivered more than 13,050 pounds of pet food
Relatives and well-wishers greeted the evacuees with ‘Welcome To Florida’ signs and flags, and chanted ‘Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico!’, much to the delight of the people stepping off the ship
Royal Caribbean last week assigned one of its giant ships, Adventure Of The Seas, (pictured) to evacuate 1,790 people in Puerto Rico, including elderly islanders and several hundred children in addition to tourists
‘Man, I love this country,’ said used car salesman Juan Ramirez as he stopped on the street on his way back home to Kentucky.
‘I went for a vacation in Puerto Rico for five days and I ended up stuck there with very little food and water for 20 days. Are you kidding me? I’m so glad to be home.
‘It’s bad out there, bro. I’m telling you, it’s bad out there. There’s no food. No water. I cost me $60 to get some plantains and bread on the street. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.’
With re-building efforts slow, the cruise company Royal Caribbean last week assigned one of its giant ships, Adventure Of The Seas, to evacuate Ramirez and 1,790 other people in Puerto Rico, including elderly islanders and several hundred children in addition to tourists.
There were also 864 people onboard from St. John and St. Croix and 681 from St. Thomas.
The islands were wrecked by Maria around September 20 and recovery has been labored.
Family and friends welcome evacuees from islands affected by Hurricane Maria. They arrived to Port Everglades on board Royal Caribbean International’s Adventure of the Seas following a humanitarian relief trip
A Caribbean hurricane evacuee who arrived on Tuesday waves to the waiting crowd outside of the port on Tuesday
Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley greets a Hurricane Maria evacuee on board Adventure of Seas. The cruise line worked with local governments in Puerto Rico, St. Croix and St. Thomas to facilitate the evacuation
President Trump finally made a visit to Puerto Rico on Tuesday after the hurricane wiped out most of the island’s power
The majority of Puerto Rico, 95 percent, and most of St. Croix and St. Thomas are still without power as disease and looters threaten the safety of those trying to put their lives back together.
‘They looted the Marshall’s down the street from my condo,’ said Diana Kahn, a 20-year resident of San Juan with Dutch citizenship.
She added: ‘They took down the storm shutters and went crazy in there. People were leaving with clothes and stuff. Nobody seems to be in charge. The U.S. military should’ve been activated way earlier.’
Kahn described scenes of chaos on the San Juan port as evacuees were told to be at the ship at 7am on Thursday. They didn’t embark until 5pm that night.
She said she and others didn’t have tickets and walked to the port with their baggage when the ship arrived.
‘There were a few fights,’ Kahn said. ‘We were in the sun all day with no facilities. People were afraid to leave and lose their spot in line.’
By all accounts, the four-day cruise was just like any other with ample eats, open bars, warm swimming pools and shopping galore – all free of charge.
Relatives and well-wishers greeted the evacuees with ‘Welcome To Florida’ signs , balloons, flags and chanted ‘Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico!’
The majority of Puerto Rico, 95 percent, and most of St. Croix and St. Thomas are still without power as disease and looters threaten the safety of those trying to put their lives back together
In all, the company used four re-routed ships to either drop off supplies or evacuate people. In all, its ships delivered 13,500 pounds of food, 30,600 gallons of water, 8,000 pounds of ice and 450 generators
Juan Ramirez (pictured with his girlfriend) said he was glad to be back in the after being stuck in Puerto Rico for 20 days and said he plans on returning to his home state of Kentucky
Diana Kahn (pictured), a 20-year resident of San Juan with Dutch citizenship, said looters ransacked a store near her home and that no one seemed to be in charge of the situation
Royal Caribbean evacuated a total 5,500 people and 122 pets in total after the hurricane. But although the evacuees are now on the mainland, many face uncertainty as some arrived in a place they had never been before
By all accounts, the four-day cruise was just like any other with ample eats, open bars, warm swimming pools and shopping galore – all free of charge. Pictured: Women waving the Virgin Island flag
‘It’s the least we can do for our neighbors,’ said Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley, who helped welcome the evacuees. ‘We’ve been sailing the Caribbean for five decades. We are a part of the community. If something happens to your neighbor, you don’t walk away. You help.’
In all, the company used four re-routed ships to either drop off supplies or evacuate people. In all, its ships delivered 13,500 pounds of food, 30,600 gallons of water, 8,000 pounds of ice and 450 generators. They evacuated a total 5,500 people and 122 pets.
Meanwhile in Fort Lauderdale, Tuesday’s arrivals faced uncertainty, with many landing into a place some of them had never been before.
‘I got a text message Sunday that my three daughters and another child were on the ship and I needed to pick them up,’ said Freddie Cruz, a marijuana grower from St. Croix who is working in Nevada.
‘I moved to Las Vegas this summer to work for a legal marijuana dispensary. Next thing I know, I’m told by my daughter’s mother to pick the girls up in Fort Lauderdale.
‘They’ve never been here. I’m based in Vegas. I have no idea where they’re going to go to school and what’s next.’
Miami resident Jaima Escobar, 70, a retiree from the Puerto Rico telephone company, was waiting for four relatives to leave the ship.
Sources who boarded the ship from San Juan said they were told to be at the ship at 7am on Thursday but the craft didn’t embark until 5pm that night
Families had tearful reunions after seeing loved ones who endured the brutal hurricane and were stuck on the island
Ingrid Fernandez, of Puerto Rico, breaks down in tears as her daughter, Ingrid Vazquez, comforts her after she arrived at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale
She said her 69-year-old sister and her niece decided to leave because of the island’s growing insecurity. Escobar expects her relatives will stay with her for six months.
‘That’s how long it could be for the power to be back,’ Escobar says. ‘I’m also worried about the island. Six months for people to be away is a long time.
‘Some evacuees are going to find jobs they like. Some will meet life partners. I’m worried Puerto Rico is going to lose population.’
Outside the terminal, several companies were trying to recruit workers from the ranks of the refugees.
The Bethesda, Maryland-based HMS Host, which provides workers for restaurants in airports and on highways, dispatched human resources staff to recruit.
‘There are some fine people aboard the ship,’ said Fanny Morales, a regional manager. ‘We have 2,800 positions to fill nationwide and we’re ready to process application forms right now. Anyone who wants a job could have one within two and a half weeks if they apply today.’
Outside the terminal, several companies were trying to recruit workers from the ranks of the refugees. A man holding a sign up saying ‘Looking for work?’
Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley helped welcome the evacuees on Tuesday. He said: ‘We’ve been sailing the Caribbean for five decades. We are a part of the community. If something happens to your neighbor, you don’t walk away. You help’
Bethesda, Maryland-based HMS Host, which provides workers for restaurants in airports and on highways, dispatched human resources staff to recruit (pictured)
She said the jobs vary in pay from $12-an-hour to $48,000-plus a year.
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s aides were hoping to attract the attention of evacuees.
Nelson’s up for reelection in 2018, and evacuees were offered advice on requesting federal assistance at a table with the Democratic stalwart’s photo.
Evacuees could also fill out a form so that the senator could contact them with emails about ‘issues and hot topics’ in the U.S. Congress.
A Nelson aide in D.C. who asked to remain anonymous said there was no nefarious political intent in setting up near the terminal’s exit.
‘We’re just want to be a liaison with the federal government,’ she said.