P&O Cruises Australia found itself at the center of a controversy after crew members’ costumes were mistaken for Ku Klux Klan attire during a holiday-themed event. During a Christmas-themed family event on a cruise from Melbourne to Tasmania last month, several crew members donned what the company later described as “snow cone” costumes.
However, the all-white outfits, complete with pointed hoods covering their faces, bore an unfortunate resemblance to the infamous garb associated with the KKK, a hate group known for its white supremacist ideology. Videos of the incident published by 7NEWS Australia show crew members walking on an outside deck, following another person dressed as Santa Claus. The sight of these costumes caused immediate distress among some passengers, with one guest reportedly dubbing it the “KKK cruise,” according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Cruise Line Apologizes For Staff’s “Inappropriate Dress”
In the wake of the controversy, P&O Cruises Australia quickly addressed the situation. A spokesperson for the cruise line emphasized that the costumes were never intended to evoke any association with the KKK. “P&O Cruises Australia acknowledges an incident of inappropriate dress onboard Pacific Explorer has caused distress and wish to be clear this was not the intention of crew,” the company stated in an email to USA Today.
The cruise line further explained that the crew members, who come from diverse cultural backgrounds, were “horrified and extremely apologetic” upon learning of the distress their outfits had caused. Management reportedly acted swiftly, removing the costumes from public view shortly after they appeared.
Lynne Scrivens, communications director for P&O Cruises Australia, told 2GB radio that the crew members involved were young and from different cultures around the world. She emphasized that they had “never heard of that organization or what their outfits could symbolize.” P&O Cruises Australia has committed to preventing similar occurrences in the future.
