With the impact of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma we have witnessed the fury of nature at its worst, and the generosity and helpful spirit of a lot of people.  Most of us were struck by the shear destruction, and devastation left behind by these unwelcome superstorms.

For those of us in the travel business we were inspired by the reactions we saw from our industry as we saw many of our corporate partners step up to the plate and deliver humanitarian services on a strictly voluntary basis.  We heard stories of cruise lines keeping passengers onboard in safety while working out how to assist them as their vacation plans were abruptly changed.  We also saw airlines and hotel companies reach out an offer assistance by waiving fees and stepping up to help where they could.

While Irma was heading for South Florida, Royal Caribbean evacuated many of its local employees on one of its ships taking them to safety away from the storm path.  They worked tirelessly to accommodate customers who needed their travel plans adjusted to meet conditions which saw closed airports and reduced transportation everywhere.

But perhaps the most heartwarming actions were observed as several cruise lines filled their vessels with relief supplies and immediately went

to aid places like Barbuda, St. Martin and St. Thomas.  Food, water, temporary shelters and medical supplies were some of the items delivered to help the victims who bore the brunt of the hurricane’s fury.  Celebrity Cruise line set up a matching fund with World Vision to provide resources for that charity in its support mission for the Caribbean.

We are proud to see the amazing work being done in this relief effort.  While the plans for some for a cruise vacation have been impacted, more importantly, the destination is receiving the kind of quick and immediate support so they can get back on their feet.

Certainly, our travel partners are in business to make a profit, but sometimes that profit comes from doing good works.  Hats off to the travel industry as they concretely proved they have an amazing heart.

 Images courtesy of Pixabay & Royal Caribbean