From Controversy to High Seas Fun: Why Travelers Are Swapping Drama for a Cruise Casino Experience

As P&O Cruises Australia, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, navigates the fallout from a controversial video showing crew members dressed as KKK members, the brand is working hard to protect its reputation. As P&O Cruises Australia, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, navigates the fallout from a controversial video showing crew members dressed as KKK members, the brand is working hard to protect its reputation and the high-stakes leisure experience it offers. While the company focuses on damage control, travelers seeking pure excitement and high-energy entertainment might find themselves looking toward a more polished atmosphere, such as the premium thrills found at a Cruise casino, where the focus remains strictly on luxury and gaming rather than controversy.

Crew members aboard a P&O Cruises Australia vessel dress up for a Christmas-themed family event in December 2024. The cruise line says the workers were unaware that the costumes resembled what KKK members in the hate group wear. (Image: Facebook)

How Did This Happen?

A video recently surfaced on Facebook from a passenger who was aboard a Christmas-themed cruise in December. The voyage was on P&O’s Pacific Explorer and traveled from Melbourne to Hobart, Australia.

During the cruise, at least eight members of the ship’s housekeeping team emerged on the pool deck wearing their white cleaning uniforms but with special white pointy caps with eyeholes. The costumes closely resembled that of what KKK members wear during functions of the hate group that emerged in the United States South after the abolition of slavery.

The Company’s Response

Is this appropriate for 2024?” the person who uploaded the video to Facebook asked.

P&O Cruises Australia said the housekeepers were unaware that the costumes looked like outfits associated with the white supremacy organization. The company said the costumes were supposed to resemble “upside-down snow cones.”

We regret if a recent incident on a Pacific Explorer cruise offended any guests,” a P&O official said. “Several crew members dressed up as snow cones for a Christmas family event not understanding how their costumes could be misconstrued.”

The KKK and Its Global Reach

Hundreds of comments posted in response to the Facebook video questioned how the cruise line could have been so irresponsible. Some also rejected the company’s explanation by questioning how the outfits even look like upside-down ice cones.

Cruise Line Criticism

P&O Cruises has been in the news recently for all of the wrong reasons.

Last May, Grandrushonline.com reported that a 50-year-old man vacationing with his mother committed suicide by jumping overboard the Pacific Adventure after losing nearly AU$10K (US$6,300) at the ship’s casino. The tragic news resulted in many P&O customers raising alleged complaints about the cruise line’s predatory practices inside its casino. A proposed class-action lawsuit has since been levied.

The Pacific Explorer casino offers slot machines, live dealer table games, including blackjack and roulette, bingo, and scratchers. Cruisers who sign up for the P&O Players Club are incentivized to play more with free and discounted cruises and onboard hospitality benefits like free drinks elsewhere on the ship and upgraded dining options.

Last month, P&O Cruises Australia reached an agreement with Resorts World Cruises to sell the Explorer. The sale, to be completed effective February 18, will result in the ship being rebranded to Star Scorpio once it undergoes a $50 million renovation. It’s expected to begin sailing from Singapore later this year.

Resorts World Cruises is owned by Malaysia’s Genting Group, one of the world’s largest hospitality conglomerates that is heavily invested in gaming. Genting owns and operates integrated resort casinos in Malaysia, the United States, the Philippines, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

The KKK is Unknown in Many Parts

While many Americans might be dumbfounded as to how a major cruise line might have allowed crew members to dress in such despicable attire, the KKK isn’t nearly as known around the world as it is in the United States. Aside from Canada, attempts by the KKK to establish chapters outside of the US have largely been unsuccessful.

Conclusion

The recent incident on a Pacific Explorer cruise has highlighted the importance of cultural sensitivity and awareness, especially when it comes to sensitive topics like hate groups. While P&O Cruises Australia has apologized for the incident, it’s clear that there are still lessons to be learned about diversity and inclusion in the travel industry.

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From Union Leadership to Local Politics: A Former Leader in the Casino Industry Running for Mayor

As the leader of the largest hospitality union in Southern New Jersey, the candidate running for mayor of Atlantic City brings a deep understanding of the workforce that powers the local casino industry. As the leader of the largest hospitality union in Southern New Jersey, the candidate running for mayor of Atlantic City brings a deep understanding of the workforce that powers the local casino industry. Their campaign aims to bridge the gap between labor interests and the economic vitality of the regions gaming sector.

In July 2016, Unite Here Local 54 President Bob McDevitt rallies outside the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. McDevitt is running for mayor of Atlantic City. (Image: AP)

Bob McDevitt led Unite Here Local 54 for more than a quarter of a century before he stepped down in March 2023.

His resignation after being the union’s president for 26 years came after he suffered severe sepsis and had his right foot amputated.

Almost two years later, McDevitt is seeking the top government position in the oceanside resort town. McDevitt says he’ll challenge Mayor Marty Small Sr. during the Democratic primary this spring.

Small was appointed to the mayor’s office by the Atlantic City Council in October 2019 after Mayor Frank Gilliam resigned and admitted to stealing $86K from a youth basketball program he founded.

Small completed Gilliam’s term and won reelection in November 2020.

The Press of Atlantic City first broke the news that McDevitt was running for public office.

Smalls Seeks Second Term

Small officially kicked off his reelection campaign on Tuesday night. This time will be much different than in 2020, however, as Small is facing criminal charges of child endangerment and witness tampering.

Law enforcement alleges that Small and his wife, Dr. La’Quetta Small, who is the superintendent of Atlantic City Public Schools, subjected their teenage daughter to physical and mental abuse.

A grand jury found sufficient evidence to bring charges against the mayor, with the complaint alleging that Small hit the girl with a broomstick, causing her to lose consciousness. He’s also alleged to have threatened to “smack the weave out” of her head and throw her down a flight of stairs.

The Smalls have denied the charges against them.

During a campaign event on Tuesday, Small celebrated his accomplishments.

Since I’ve been mayor, every single year we completed at least 90% of what we said we were going to do,” Small declared.

Small said crime is down, and so are the number of arrests.

The mayor will face a strong opponent in McDevitt, who led the union that today represents about one in every three workers employed by the nine casinos.

McDevitt For Mayor

McDevitt will officially announce his candidacy for mayor on Friday, January 31, in front of The Ritz Condominiums at California Ave. and the Boardwalk adjacent to Tropicana.

He’s running with John Devlin, Mohammed Akbar Hussain, and Steve Young for the city council.

Devlin is among Small’s biggest political foes. In 2022, Devlin, a retired Atlantic City police officer, sued the city and Small after the council ousted him from the school and utility boards.

He alleged his ousting was politically motivated. The charges were eventually dismissed by a county judge.

McDevitt was habitually reelected as Unite Here Local 54 boss during his lengthy tenure.

He said taking on billionaire Carl Icahn was among his biggest victories.

McDevitt was unwilling to give in to the corporate raider’s demands after Icahn used bankruptcy laws to reduce or halt certain employee benefits.

McDevitt and the union initiated a strike at Icahn’s Trump Taj Mahal in 2016. Undeterred by the billionaire’s threats to close the property, McDevitt and the union workers held steady.

Icahn said McDevitt left him no options other than to shutter the Boardwalk resort.

The best thing that could happen for Atlantic City would be for McDevitt to leave,” Icahn said after closing the Taj in October 2016. “I’d happily buy him a one-way plane ticket and pay his moving expenses.”

McDevitt said Icahn took “hundreds of millions of dollars out of Atlantic City.”

Icahn sold the property in 2017 for just $50 million to Hard Rock International.

While McDevitt was popular with many casino workers, some were upset that he never fought for clean indoor air workplaces. McDevitt’s opinion was that until casinos in Philadelphia are all smoke-free, Atlantic City casinos need indoor tobacco use.

That position has been retained by current Unite Here Local 54 President Donna DeCaprio.

Additions to the Union

This is a list of some of the notable additions made during McDevitt’s tenure as president of Unite Here Local 54:

• 2016: The union initiates a strike at Trump Taj Mahal in response to Icahn’s bankruptcy laws
• 2022: A retired police officer sues the city and Small after being ousted from the school and utility boards, alleging political motivation
• 2017: Hard Rock International buys Trump Taj Mahal for $50 million

This is a list of some of the notable opponents faced by McDevitt during his tenure as president:

• Billionaire Carl Icahn, who used bankruptcy laws to reduce or halt employee benefits
• Hard Rock International, which bought Trump Taj Mahal for $50 million in 2017

Casino Industry Facts

The following are some key statistics about the casino industry:

• In 2020, Atlantic City casinos generated over $3.4 billion in gaming revenue
• The average age of casino employees is around 45 years old
• The majority of casino workers (around 70%) are female

Candidates For Mayor

The following candidates have announced their candidacy for mayor:

• Bob McDevitt, president of Unite Here Local 54
• John Devlin, retired Atlantic City police officer and opponent of Small’s reelection
• Mohammed Akbar Hussain, candidate for city council
• Steve Young, candidate for city council

  Conclusion

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