Cruise Line Paper Waste?

[WinnieinWA]

We all know the paper involved in the thousands of pictures printed is immense. Many are not purchased. I'm guessing that thousands are not purchased

 

We all know the flyers distributed with the Daily are immense, you know...the usual Spa, Shopping, Diamonds International flyers. I personally hate those flyers but maybe some people like them. Do you like them? Do they help you?

 

 

I do not buy the pictures and I make a pile of the flyers and leave them in the cabin in hopes they will re-distribute them. I hope they do but I think I'm wrong.

 

I think all cruise lines and hotels have taken great strides in helping the environment by not changing sheets daily and having travelers re-use towels, among other things.

 

I'm wondering what the cruise lines are doing to cut down on those two huge paper wasters and am curious if anyone might know the answer? Do you have any speculation?

[Jamisonke]

This is an interesting topic. During our last cruise, there were tons of photos that went unpurchased. I asked what they do with them and was told they throw them away.

 

If cruise lines really wanted to save money (and the environment at the same time), they would leave all photographs as digital images and fill the photo gallery with computers that passengers could use to view their photos (perhaps arranged by cabin number). Passengers could identify which photos they would like to purchase and pick them up the next day.

 

I don't understand why none of the mucky mucks working for the cruise lines haven't thought of this.

[mtwingcpa]

I'm also grossed out by the volume of paper that is distributed. The Daily is fine, but anything in addition to that is a waste as far as I'm concerned.

 

As I understand it, most of the waste paper is incinerated (probably late at night so you can't see the smoke) when the ship is sufficiently off shore. But I'm not sure if the photos are burned since those have been treated with chemicals. Not a pretty sight, in any event. :-(

[bakerintn]

Some good news......the incineration of paper waste generates heat which can be used to create more potatable water or electricity. All is not wasted onboard.

 

I lke the idea of digital images with kiosks to view / print them. If Wal-Mart and Walgreens can do this, why not cruise lines???????????????

[SeaShark]

Could it be because people are far more likely to make a purchase if they are holding and touching the actual finished photograph?

 

 

Could it be because the photographs are more attractive to passers-by than images on a screen?

 

 

Could it be because the cost of printing and destroying unwanted photographs is way less than the profits generated by the sales of the other pictures?

 

 

Could it be because they have marketing experts who are recommending practices designed to maximize the revenues from the photo gallery?

 

 

 

I'm betting that the cruise lines have a far better handle on the best-practices of photo selling than the bunch of us posting on a message board do. If they weren't making money....they wouldn't be doing it the way that they are.

[ddakrt]

Side note, did you know that many office buildings do not actually recycle paper? The company may provide blue bins but in the end of the day the cleaners usually just toss them into a garbage bag as waste.

 

Most of the time only the "shred-it" bins (the ones where a company come and dispose of the confidential documents) are actually recycled.

[Jamisonke]

Could it be because people are far more likely to make a purchase if they are holding and touching the actual finished photograph?

 

Could it be because the photographs are more attractive to passers-by than images on a screen?

 

Could it be because the cost of printing and destroying unwanted photographs is way less than the profits generated by the sales of the other pictures?

 

Could it be because they have marketing experts who are recommending practices designed to maximize the revenues from the photo gallery?

 

I'm betting that the cruise lines have a far better handle on the best-practices of photo selling than the bunch of us posting on a message board do. If they weren't making money....they wouldn't be doing it the way that they are.

 

When all is said and done, I'm happy to share that the photo gallery doesn't make any money on me. I suspect we will see cruise lines moving toward the kiosk idea as the next generation of cruisers begin cruising. Children are far more technologically advanced than the adults cruising now.

[WinnieinWA]

Some good news......the incineration of paper waste generates heat which can be used to create more potatable water or electricity. All is not wasted onboard.

 

Is that incineration bringing more global warming?

 

I lke the idea of digital images with kiosks to view / print them. If Wal-Mart and Walgreens can do this, why not cruise lines???????????????

 

That is a brilliant idea!! Wonder why the cruise lines don't do that yet???

 

Could it be because people are far more likely to make a purchase if they are holding and touching the actual finished photograph?

 

Probably!

 

 

Could it be because the photographs are more attractive to passers-by than images on a screen?

 

Probably!

 

 

Could it be because the cost of printing and destroying unwanted photographs is way less than the profits generated by the sales of the other pictures?

 

Probably!

 

 

Could it be because they have marketing experts who are recommending practices designed to maximize the revenues from the photo gallery?

 

Probably, but with world consciousness about global warming wouldn't you think the cruise lines would be doubling their efforts to minimize their footprint therefore maximizing their profits due to goodwill to the environment? I don't have a clue but am curious about this.

 

 

 

I'm betting that the cruise lines have a far better handle on the best-practices of photo selling than the bunch of us posting on a message board do. If they weren't making money....they wouldn't be doing it the way that they are.

 

Of course they are making money or they wouldn't be doing it. Perhaps if some of us who are more environmentally conscious would express our distaste of this waste that the cruise lines might pay attention. :confused:

 

Side note, did you know that many office buildings do not actually recycle paper? The company may provide blue bins but in the end of the day the cleaners usually just toss them into a garbage bag as waste.

 

No, I did not know that for a fact. That sickens me.

 

Most of the time only the "shred-it" bins (the ones where a company come and dispose of the confidential documents) are actually recycled.

 

I know that in my area we are very tuned in to recycling and re-using. I know it isn't that way for many and that option isn't available to many.

 

Thanks to you who have thoughtfully added to this thread. I know that change doesn't happen without discussion and I hope this thread brings that and perhaps the cruise lines will make note.

 

Happy Holidays!:)

[iheartbda]

........ I personally hate those flyers but maybe some people like them. Do you like them? Do they help you?

Hate them as well an immediately take them out before I read the Daily.

 

 

I do not buy the pictures and I make a pile of the flyers and leave them in the cabin in hopes they will re-distribute them. I hope they do but I think I'm wrong.

Probably not since it would be more work for the cabin stewards.

 

 

I'm wondering what the cruise lines are doing to cut down on those two huge paper wasters and am curious if anyone might know the answer? Do you have any speculation?

Wish I could find it but there was a discussion about the photos on another board, a person who works for a cruise line talked about recycling and the waste is not as bad as people think. This person seems to be a straight shooter.

 

I tend to agree with SeaShark about his take on the photos as a whole....that marketing has it all figured out and the cruise lines know what works and what doesn't.

[crew mom]

I don't know how the photos and fliers are recycled but I'm sure that they are in some way.

 

NCL ranks as one of the top 10 green cruise lines in the world. They sort and recycle all glass, soda cans, and even scrape plates to dispose of food waste properly. I'm sure, if nothing else, the paper waste is bundled and off-loaded in port.

 

I work at a business that uses blue bins for recycling. All recycle paper waste, paper & cardboard, are put into a different dumpster then garbage. So while it looks like it's just being dumped like other garbage, a different truck empties that bin and takes it to a recycler.

[Philip217]

This is an interesting topic. During our last cruise, there were tons of photos that went unpurchased. I asked what they do with them and was told they throw them away.

 

If cruise lines really wanted to save money (and the environment at the same time), they would leave all photographs as digital images and fill the photo gallery with computers that passengers could use to view their photos (perhaps arranged by cabin number). Passengers could identify which photos they would like to purchase and pick them up the next day.

 

I don't understand why none of the mucky mucks working for the cruise lines haven't thought of this.

 

You may be surprised to learn that those "Mucky Mucks" are far smarter than you might think. You don't understand because you didn't spend big money (like they did many years ago) onboard many cruise ships conducting consumer purchasing surveys and tests.

 

They have been talking about digital images on demand for decades, and every time they test the idea, it falls flat. It seems that the average cruiser would like to view the digital images on a screen before purchase, but when he does that he frequently decides not to buy.

However, when he has the finished photograph in his hands, he is far more likely to purchase it. It's called "impulse buying". If you can get the product into the punter's hands before he has a chance to think it over, the chances are far better that he will buy it.

 

Putting those thousands of photographs in the gallery and then throwing a large number away seems crazy, but sales of finished photos have been nearly double the sales of photos you can view first on a screen.

 

Econ 101

[Philip217]

I don't know how the photos and fliers are recycled but I'm sure that they are in some way.

 

NCL ranks as one of the top 10 green cruise lines in the world. They sort and recycle all glass, soda cans, and even scrape plates to dispose of food waste properly. I'm sure, if nothing else, the paper waste is bundled and off-loaded in port.

 

I work at a business that uses blue bins for recycling. All recycle paper waste, paper & cardboard, are put into a different dumpster then garbage. So while it looks like it's just being dumped like other garbage, a different truck empties that bin and takes it to a recycler.

 

Actually you nearly got it right. We do recycle EVERYTHING.

But paper is far easier to burn onboard. Bundling it and storing it for offload would take up precious space and create a fire hazard.

 

The ship's incinerators burn everything that is safe to burn (even dried food and sewage solids).

Then the heat from those incinerators is recycled to produce hot water for your shower, the laundry, and the galley.

[Philip217]

We all know the paper involved in the thousands of pictures printed is immense. Many are not purchased. I'm guessing that thousands are not purchased

 

We all know the flyers distributed with the Daily are immense, you know...the usual Spa, Shopping, Diamonds International flyers. I personally hate those flyers but maybe some people like them. Do you like them? Do they help you?

 

 

I do not buy the pictures and I make a pile of the flyers and leave them in the cabin in hopes they will re-distribute them. I hope they do but I think I'm wrong.

 

I think all cruise lines and hotels have taken great strides in helping the environment by not changing sheets daily and having travelers re-use towels, among other things.

 

I'm wondering what the cruise lines are doing to cut down on those two huge paper wasters and am curious if anyone might know the answer? Do you have any speculation?

 

You hope that the Cabin Steward re-distributes those flyers ???

 

You may have heard of Norwalk Virus and H1N1 Flu.

Both these viruses are best spread by contact. You are sick and touch the flyers. You hand them back to the Cabin Steward who places them in several of his 20 or so cabins. Now everybody has the bug - and you can blame the cruise line for failing to take proper precautions.................

 

Brilliant.

 

Cabin Stewards are constantly instructed that they should NEVER move items from one occupied stateroom to another, to avoid cross contamination and prevent disease outbreaks.

[terrymtex01]

On our last cruise I actually spoke to the manager of the photo area about the idea of them leaving the pics as digital images until someone was ready to purchase them. The biggest problem with that idea is that most people, us being one, would not spend their time standing at a computer screen looking through 1000's of other folks pics to find their own. I barely have enough interest to look through the gallery as it is. I spend my entire work day looking at a computer screen, I am certainly not going to spend my vacation time doing the same. According to the manager if they could find a way to associate the actual picture taken with the guest so that the guest could easily find the digital picture, they would do it in a heartbeat. The only way they have come up with so far is for the guest to wear a bracelet with a bar code that is scanned every time they take the guest picture. There again, nothing I'm going to do, walk around a cruise ship with a bracelet on just so they can take my picture and I can find it on a computer.

 

As far as the Freestyles, I do agree. Although I enjoy the Freestyles very much, it is all the other paperwork you get with them that drives me insane. Unfortunately until all that extra paper stops making them money by people buying in the store or whatever the sales paper is advertising, they will continue to print and distribute them.

[jingle5616]

There is nothing ecologically sound about cruising period. It goes far beyond paper. But if it make you feel better......go for it.:eek:

[rollie]

We go out of my way to avoid having our picture taken on a cruise for this very reason. I hate to see the waste.

 

Rollie

[bike1964]

You hope that the Cabin Steward re-distributes those flyers ???

 

You may have heard of Norwalk Virus and H1N1 Flu.

Both these viruses are best spread by contact. You are sick and touch the flyers. You hand them back to the Cabin Steward who places them in several of his 20 or so cabins. Now everybody has the bug - and you can blame the cruise line for failing to take proper precautions.................

 

Brilliant.

 

Cabin Stewards are constantly instructed that they should NEVER move items from one occupied stateroom to another, to avoid cross contamination and prevent disease outbreaks.

 

What if the cabin steward who puts them in the cabin for you is sick?:eek: What if the person who printed them is sick?:eek: Paranoia may destroy ya!!!:rolleyes:

[ImADaneFan]

We would like to see NCL bring back the Photo Package. We normally don't purchase photos because of the high price to buy by the pic. If they offered a $100 package of all your photos that were taken for the week we would be more likely to purchase that. We also wouldn't be as upset to have our dinner interrupted by the photoghapher.:rolleyes:

[scchasgal]

We would like to see NCL bring back the Photo Package. We normally don't purchase photos because of the high price to buy by the pic. If they offered a $100 package of all your photos that were taken for the week we would be more likely to purchase that. We also wouldn't be as upset to have our dinner interrupted by the photoghapher.:rolleyes:

 

I second that. We missed the last photo package by a couple of weeks:(

[cruzeluver]

According to the manager if they could find a way to associate the actual picture taken with the guest so that the guest could easily find the digital picture, they would do it in a heartbeat. The only way they have come up with so far is for the guest to wear a bracelet with a bar code that is scanned every time they take the guest picture. There again, nothing I'm going to do, walk around a cruise ship with a bracelet on just so they can take my picture and I can find it on a computer.

 

Celebrity is already doing this, sort of. A lot of the photos are still printed and hung on the wall for you to find, but you also can swipe your boarding card at a kiosk and it will pull any pictures taken.

[CTCruisers]

We have taken ship tours and have seen how they recycle everything from plastics, glass, metals, and paper.

 

It seemed to us that NCL was was aggressive in their recycling efforts.

[scchasgal]

According to the manager if they could find a way to associate the actual picture taken with the guest so that the guest could easily find the digital picture, they would do it in a heartbeat. The only way they have come up with so far is for the guest to wear a bracelet with a bar code that is scanned every time they take the guest picture. There again, nothing I'm going to do, walk around a cruise ship with a bracelet on just so they can take my picture and I can find it on a computer.

 

Celebrity is already doing this, sort of. A lot of the photos are still printed and hung on the wall for you to find, but you also can swipe your boarding card at a kiosk and it will pull any pictures taken.

 

Instead of a bracelet why can't they add the bar code to your key card?

[Planer's Edge]

Instead of a bracelet why can't they add the bar code to your key card?

 

....and have to pull out your key card every time a photographer sticks a camera in your face. No thank you. They are annoying enough as it is.

 

PE

[scchasgal]

....and have to pull out your key card every time a photographer sticks a camera in your face. No thank you. They are annoying enough as it is.

 

PE

 

Hey no worse than having to wear a plastic bracelet. You do have a choice not to get your picture taken.

[Planer's Edge]

Hey no worse than having to wear a plastic bracelet. You do have a choice not to get your picture taken.

 

...and I choose not to as frequently as I can. :D

 

PE