"Horrifying": Cruise passengers left reeling over "KKK cruise"
<p>Passengers onboard a P&O Australia cruise have been left reeling after staff members emerged in costumes resembling the Ku Klux Klan during a themed event. </p>
<p>According to the cruise liner, the disturbing incident occurred onboard the Pacific Explorer during a Christmas-themed voyage, when a staff fun day went wrong. </p>
<p>One passenger captured the "horrifying" moment the crew donned what she described as "offensive KKK costumes".</p>
<p>The crew were believed to be part of the ship's housekeeping staff, with one member pictured holding up a housekeeping sign.</p>
<p>Dressed in white cloaks and white masks with pointed tops and eye-holes cut out - the same as those worn by the KKK - the crew members competed in a Christmas-themed 'sports battle day'.</p>
<p>Passenger Terri told <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14306781/P-O-cruise-klu-klux-klan.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a></em> that many were excited about the onboard event day, which was highly publicised throughout the ship in the days before. </p>
<p>However, everything allegedly went "quiet" when the costumed staff emerged, as Terri instructed her husband to "get the camera" and document the shocking moment. </p>
<p>"I (requested) a please explain and have received no response," Terri said. "This is not tolerated in this current environment and education is desperately needed."</p>
<p>Terri also shared the video on of the moment on social media, recounting the incident. </p>
<p>"There was a lot excitement then it all went quiet… the lack of judgement was astounding," she said.</p>
<p>"Everyone was there, everyone gathered, it was advertised, there was a lot of noise and it went dead quiet, just silent."</p>
<p>"A lady sitting in front of me, her jaw dropped she was like 'what the hell', everyone was like OMG - they were calling it the 'KKK cruise'."</p>
<p>"They’d gone the whole way through this ship dressed as the KKK and paraded through the Lido deck in front of basically every passenger but it was only then when senior crew saw them and they took their hats off."</p>
<p>"I spoke ... to one of the (housekeeping) staff - they were all male - and he told me 'we didn't think we didn’t anything wrong'. They didn't say they weren't dressed as the Ku Klux Klan when I asked them but I truly believe it was an innocent mistake."</p>
<p>Terri said she expected senior ship crew to offer an apology or explanation but none was given. </p>
<p>After the controversy, A P&O Cruises Australia spokesperson clarified that the crew were dressed as "upside-down snow cones" and not as the Ku Klux Klan. </p>
<p>"We regret if a recent incident on a Pacific Explorer cruise offended any guests," the spokesperson told <em>Daily Mail Australia</em>. </p>
<p>"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 crew members were horrified and extremely apologetic when they learned of the distress their outfits could cause."</p>
<p><em>Image credits: Facebook / Daily Mail Australia</em></p>
