MSN is carrying this story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9188316/

Apparently, Carnival ships from home ports of New Orleans, Galveston, and Mobile are being rented for six months to the US government to house up to 7,000 people displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The passengers who had booked passage on these ships will be refunded, and the Carnival CEO apologized to them, and said they would receive a $100 credit on a future cruise. ($100. towards future cruises may not sound too enticing especially for those that had already booked flights, vacation time or have to re-book on another line for original dates at higher fares even if it is for the greater good).