Though the epicenter of the horrific Haiti earthquake and its ever-worsening aftermath is a mere 60 miles away, cruise ships are still docking at private Labadee beach.

"In the end, Labadee is critical to Haiti's recovery; hundreds of people rely on Labadee for their livelihood," said John Weis, vice-president of Royal Caribbean. "We also have tremendous opportunities to use our ships as transport vessels for relief supplies and personnel to Haiti. Simply put, we cannot abandon Haiti now that they need us most."

Some passengers, however, feel differently.

One passenger wrote on the Cruise Critic internet forum: "I just can't see myself sunning on the beach, playing in the water, eating a barbecue, and enjoying a cocktail while [in Port-au-Prince] there are tens of thousands of dead people being piled up on the streets, with the survivors stunned and looking for food and water."

Read Haiti: An Eyewitness Account

Might it be possible for cruise lines to send aid and money to Haiti without dropping passengers off to frolic in the tropical breezes while the rest of the country becomes increasingly desperate? (The Guardian)

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