Crew members on P&O’s Pacific Explorer were “horrified and extremely apologetic” after they learned of the distress they caused when what they thought were festive costumes in fact resembled those worn by the Ku Klux Klan.
A media report showing video and photos show crew members dressed in what one female passenger described as “offensive KKK costumes”.
“We regret if a recent incident on a Pacific Explorer cruise offended any guests,” a P&O Cruise spokesperson said after the video emerged a month after the cruise.
“Several crew members dressed up as snow cones for a Christmas family event, not understanding how their costumes could be misconstrued. They were only in public view for a short time before management acted quickly and had them remove the costumes.”
The outfits worn by the ship’s housekeeping staff consisted of white overalls and white masks with pointed tops and eye-holes cut out as they set out to compete in a Christmas-themed “family fun day”.
Passenger “Terri” told Daily Mail Australia there was a lot of excitement about the event, but everything went quiet when the housekeeping team arrived on the outdoor Lido deck. After being informed about the similarity of the costumes to the KKK, staff withdrew from the area.
“No one can seriously think that was their intention,” Carnival communications director Lynne Scrivens responded to Ben Fordham on 2GB this morning.
“Our housekeeping crew decided to dress up as snow cones. They’ve got to make do with they’ve got and they are wearing their cleaning uniforms and they’ve put something on their heads upside down that looks like a snow cone.
“We accept this should not have happened and we take responsibility for it,” she said. “(The crew) were just horrified that this happened.
“It’s just stupid to think there was any malice in this.”
The Ku Klux Klan is a racist organisation recognised through its white-hooded and white-cloaked lynch mobs terrorising black and other non-white communities.
Feature image: Daily Mail Online
