Cruise Company Under Fire for Offensive Staff Costumes Resembling KKK Attire

Cruise Company Under Fire for Offensive Staff Costumes Resembling KKK Attire

Edited by: Fern Sidman

A cruise ship operated by P&O Cruises Australia has sparked widespread outrage after footage surfaced showing workers marching through the vessel dressed in costumes that closely resembled the infamous white hoods worn by the Ku Klux Klan. The New York Post reported on Wednesday that the unsettling incident occurred during a Christmas-themed event on the Pacific Explorer cruise, which traveled from Melbourne to Hobart in December.

According to the footage shared by a passenger, the workers—dressed in all-white outfits with pointed, face-covering hoods featuring eye holes—paraded across the ship’s deck near a pool area. The eerie resemblance to the attire of the notorious white supremacist organization left many passengers shocked and deeply offended. As The New York Post report highlighted, one passenger captioned the video on Facebook with the question, “Is this appropriate for 2024?”

In the video, a woman’s visible look of discomfort and disbelief depicted the sense of outrage shared by those who witnessed the spectacle. “We were like, ‘Are we seeing this correctly?’ It was so bizarre,” said Terri, a passenger from Melbourne, in an interview with news.com.au. As reported by The New York Post, Terri said the event left everyone asking, “What the hell?” She later contacted P&O Cruises for an explanation.

The cruise company responded to the controversy by stating that the workers were dressed as upside-down “snow cones” as part of the holiday festivities. A P&O Cruises Australia representative acknowledged the backlash, telling The New York Post, “We regret if a recent incident on a Pacific Explorer cruise offended any guests.”

P&O Cruises further explained that the cleaning crew involved in the parade was unaware of the Ku Klux Klan and its history. Lynne Scrivens, a spokeswoman for the company, told The New York Post, “The cleaning crew had ‘never heard of the [KKK] organization’ before the incident.” She defended the workers, stating, “No one can seriously think that was their intention.”

Despite the explanation, the rationale for the peculiar costumes remains unclear. Scrivens attributed the incident to limited resources on cruise ships for costumes and events, but many passengers and online commentators questioned how such a glaring resemblance could have been overlooked.

The New York Post report noted that the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist group founded in Tennessee in 1865, is less widely recognized in Australia compared to the United States. However, the organization’s infamous iconography is known worldwide, leading to confusion and frustration from passengers who viewed the incident as insensitive and avoidable.

This controversy has brought renewed scrutiny to corporate accountability and cultural sensitivity in global industries, especially when events involve a multicultural and international audience. As The New York Post report indicated, P&O Cruises Australia has faced sharp criticism online, with many calling for better oversight and sensitivity training to prevent similar incidents in the future.

While P&O Cruises Australia has expressed regret and provided explanations, the incident remains a jarring example of how cultural missteps can lead to widespread outrage, especially in an era of heightened awareness about historical injustices and their symbols. For many, the episode on the Pacific Explorer shines a spotlight on the need for thoughtful planning and cultural understanding, even in seemingly lighthearted holiday celebrations.