The Cruise Industry Goes Green
A cruise is all about fun, adventure, and escape. Once the ship sets sail, cruisers are encouraged to leave all their concerns behind them. But amidst this attitude of care-free indulgence, some are wondering whether cruise lines are taking into account the environmental impact of all this fun and adventure.
A city-at-sea providing lavish accommodation and entertainment for thousands of passengers may seem destined to take a significant toll on the environment over time, and it is true that historically cruising has not been very gentle on the great outdoors. But in today’s world, it is the duty of every individual and every industry to start thinking greener, and cruising is no exception. Cruising has been around for over a hundred years, and is forever evolving and improving. Worry-free fun may be the name of the game on board, but behind the scenes the cruising industry is aware of its carbon footprint and is taking major steps toward reducing it.
Cruising is one of the fastest-growing travel industries in a world that increasingly insists on ecological sustainability. Staying on top means going green and all the big cruise lines are getting in on the game. Upper-premium lines such as Holland America and Princess are largely dependent on eco-tourism and pride themselves on going above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to footprint reduction. But several environmentalist concerns are so pervasive, and so frequently directed at cruising, that all of the major lines are undertaking huge initiative in response to them. Here are three of the biggest topics dominating the environmental question, along with the ways that different cruise companies are addressing them head-on:
Recycling
One of the great things about recycling is that anyone can do it. Everyone can commit to minor changes which add up to a major impact, and cruise ships are making it easy for passengers to do their part. Every ship in the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Fleet (that encompasses Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Azamara ships) comes with an onboard waste handling facility with staff for sorting and storing all waste until the ship reaches a port where it can be recycled properly. Carnival also has ships in its fleet with advanced recycling systems, and the company is also placing recycling bins throughout the ships.
Fuel Efficiency
Itineraries are being adjusted to require less speed and therefore less fuel. Some fleets are experimenting with sails and wind turbines as energy sources. Some recently built or refurbished additions (such as the Celebrity Solstice class ships) are equipped with solar panels. Most cruise lines are trying to keep their emissions below the level that is mandated by the government.
Waste in the Water
Sewage (“blackwater”) and water from showers and sinks (“greywater”) may not be the most delightful topic of conversation, but it is an important one for cruise lines. Haphazardly dumping the unpleasant stuff without consequence is a thing of the past. Cruise lines are limited by outside regulations as well as independent accountability when it comes to where, how, and when they release these materials. The policy for Royal Caribbean is to dispose of waste only after it has undergone treatment by a marine sanitation device. Even then, the disposal takes place 12 or more miles from shore, and only at a minimum speed of 6 knots. These regulations have been shown to minimize any harmful effects to the water, but they are only the beginning. Royal Caribbean (along with Princess), has invested millions of dollars in developing waste management and water purification systems which surpass their landed counterparts in effectiveness, and Carnival is building new filtration systems and researching new technologies for grey and blackwater management.
What’s Next?
Of course, the real motivation behind these changes is off board. Civilization has built some extraordinary things over the years. But even the most ingenious human labors cannot compare to what nature accomplishes effortlessly. The tranquil beaches of the South Pacific, the pristine Norwegian Fjords, the rich biodiversity of Madagascar: where would cruising be without the unmarred beauty of these locales? Many popular cruise destinations are protected as world heritage sites and National Parks. Cruising is a means of showcasing the beauty of the world, and cannot continue to exist if that beauty is not carefully preserved.
Cruising is a long way from being the greenest way to travel, but a tremendous amount of time, money, and innovation is being put towards changing that fact. The cruise industry is not just getting on board (no pun intended!) with the latest technologies, it is charting the course for new ones to be developed (ok, that one was on purpose).
More than just cosmetic changes aimed at improving the industry’s image, these are fundamental transformations with functional, long-term goals. Just because a cruise line is being pressured by the outside world to “clean up its act” doesn’t mean it doesn’t genuinely care about the outside world. Everyone needs the world to remain a hospitable place, but cruise lines need it to remain not only hospitable but awe-inspiringly beautiful.