24 



to understand that what you have seen today on Al's film is an ab- 

 erration. It is not a policy. Our industry is serious about it. We rec- 

 ognize it, and we are doing everything in our power to minimize 

 these episodes and hopefully prevent them. There is no excuse for 

 them. We recognize that. 



We urge you, Mr. Chairman, and the members of this committee, 

 come and see our ships; come and look at the equipment that is on 

 board; talk to our employees. We have absolutely nothing to hide, 

 and we encourage your involvement. It is a tough problem. We 

 think we are on top of it. We are going to do everything we can to 

 eventually eliminate all of these episodes. Thank you, Mr. Chair- 

 man. 



[Statement of Mr. Estes may be found at end of hearing.] 



Mr. Tauzin. Thank you, Mr. Estes. Mr. Estes, is the Regal Prin- 

 cess a member of your Association? 



Mr. Estes. Yes, it is. The owner is. Right. 



Mr. Tauzin. I want you to imagine with me that cruise, and at 

 the beginning of the cruise the captain announces on the public ad- 

 dress system that every passenger is admonished not to throw any- 

 thing overboard. And then before the cruise is over, the passengers 

 are witnessing crew members tossing 20 bags full of garbage into 

 the ocean. What kind of picture is that? 



Mr. Estes. That is a lousy picture, and it is something that can't 

 be condoned, and it is something for which the company has apolo- 

 gized, Mr. Chairman. It is certainly a bad performance, and there 

 is absolutely no way that one can defend that. 



Mr. Tauzin. Do you assume those crew members were throwing 

 that garbage without the permission of the captain or without 

 orders from the captain? 



Mr. Estes. There was an investigation that has been conducted. 

 This happened quite sometime ago. My understanding is that they 

 have not been able to nail down just exactly how it did occur. I 

 would imagine, yes, it did not occur with the blessing of the cap- 

 tain, but I am not that familiar with the specific facts. 



Mr. Tauzin. Ms. Schrader has presented evidence to us that 

 during data analysis of a September 1992 beach cleanup — prelimi- 

 nary results showed items embossed with the names of at least 15 

 different cruise lines. How does that stack with your testimony 

 that this was just an aberration — an indiscretion on the part of one 

 ship? 



Mr. Estes. Well, I am not sure I understand the question. 



Mr. Tauzin. Well, let me say it a different way. Ms. Schrader 

 has testified that in beach cleanups they found evidence of trash 

 with the names of 15 different cruise ships on the trash indicating 

 that somehow trash from 15 different cruise ships entered the 

 waters and ended up on the beaches. How does that stack with 

 your testimony that this incident that received national attention 

 was just an aberration — just an indiscretion on the part of one 

 ship? 



Mr. Estes. Well, we carry four and a half million people a year. 

 We are going to carry eight million people shortly. We have 27 to 

 28 million passenger cruise days annually. Fifteen incidents are 15 

 too many. I have looked at the CMC, and, incidentally, in all seri- 



