What happens to all the paper? Is it recycled?

[McFins]

Hi there.   I have never seen a designated recycle bin for paper in either the cabins or in some central area of the ship.  Wondering what happens to all the paper (i.e. freestyle dailies, advertisements, etc.)   It does pile up over the course of a week ---we save them up and leave them in a neat pile on the counter at the end of the week but wondered if they are actually recycled?  Was surprised to see no mention of it unless I have overlooked?

[chengkp75]

8 hours ago, McFins said:

Hi there.   I have never seen a designated recycle bin for paper in either the cabins or in some central area of the ship.  Wondering what happens to all the paper (i.e. freestyle dailies, advertisements, etc.)   It does pile up over the course of a week ---we save them up and leave them in a neat pile on the counter at the end of the week but wondered if they are actually recycled?  Was surprised to see no mention of it unless I have overlooked?

It all depends on the itinerary and the ship.  Some ships find it cheaper to incinerate the paper, some have good recycling contracts in ports.  Every bit of garbage (even the stuff from your cabins) is hand sorted to remove recyclables and to sort everything into proper disposal streams.  Typically, corrugated cardboard is recycled, but I think most NCL ships incinerate the paper.

[electro]

I wish they would just stop printing all that crap. It is such a waste of paper and ink.

[tomk3212]

If you ever go on a behind-the-scenes (BTS) tour (free to Platinum & up, $50/pax otherwise) they will sometimes show you the recycling area where they do the actual separating & the end-product(s) that they actually recycle.  It's pretty cool to see.  We saw it on Gem a number of years ago when we first turned Platinum & we were very impressed with the diligence they showed in the separating process; not something I would care to do!!  On a cruise they'll also usually have a Q&A session with the senior officers & you can ask specific questions re: recycling.

Edited September 26, 2019 by tomk3212

[KeithJenner]

26 minutes ago, tomk3212 said:

If you ever go on a behind-the-scenes (BTS) tour (free to Platinum & up, $50/pax otherwise) they will sometimes show you the recycling area where they do the actual separating & the end-product(s) that they actually recycle.  It's pretty cool to see.  We saw it on Gem a number of years ago when we first turned Platinum & we were very impressed with the diligence they showed in the separating process; not something I would care to do!!  On a cruise they'll also usually have a Q&A session with the senior officers & you can ask specific questions re: recycling.

Unfortunately, in my experience, they seem to have dropped the recycling area from the platinum tour. We went there a couple of times a few years ago, but not at all in the past few years.

[tomk3212]

@KeithJenner I agree!!  Our first BTS was on Gem almost 10 years ago; we even saw the bridge!!!  Also the BTS's back then were ONLY for Platinum; they didn't offer it to anyone else.

 

On our Breakaway BTS a couple of years ago they showed us where they do the sorting but we didn't spend any time there.

Edited September 26, 2019 by tomk3212

[don't-use-real-name]

The BST are getting less and less detailed - a quick romp by the back stage door - a quicky look

at the laundry - and a passing glance at the main galley between the MDRs.

Have not had a walk down the I95 crew corridor to view the recycle salvage operation since

2017. BST tours lasting just a few minutes over an hour and perfectly timed to avoid the least

disruption to the services (well maybe as it should be) - but you get that feeling Wait for it - - -

"Nothing to see here - move along" !

On the past two cruises there has been a Security Crew Member tailing the group and curtailing

any photography of sensitive areas. 

[luckyinpa]

for those really interested in a cool behind the scenes, go to regal princess. 150 bucks but we had over 4 hours including one hour with the captain on the bridge.  extensive detailed explanations were held in all the places like laundry, kitchen, and even the front part of the ship where the chains/anchors are.  i was impressed! never rushed. they take all the official pics of the group and if you have your camera out you are made to walk the plank

 

and you get lotta goodies as gifts after!

[Sweetnspicy]

I wish they would stop printing so much stuff. I hate all the paper! 

[fava]

I saw the recycling area on the Star last February, so it is still in the rotation.

 

The officer in charge was rather miffed that in some european ports all of their carefully sorted garbage is mixed together and taken to the landfill.

[Gershep]

5 hours ago, electro said:

I wish they would just stop printing all that crap. It is such a waste of paper and ink.

I agree, I just got home from a cruise and I was saying what a waste it was to receive all those flyers each night. Also all the mailings I get each week.

[Paul Bogle]

They will probably drop printing dailies at some point. Most of the information is already available through the app. The advertising which is at least half of the paper will likely never end.

[McFins]

Thanks all.   I had no idea they hand sorted it....wow.   A behind the scenes tour sounds interesting...i will have to add it to the list.

Thanks again!

[goldmom]

One of the cruise lines we were on (maybe HAL) had a divided trash can in the room and the back part was used to recycle all the paper flyers and dailies that we got.  I really thought it was a great idea.

[azcruise]

On 9/26/2019 at 8:08 AM, KeithJenner said:

Unfortunately, in my experience, they seem to have dropped the recycling area from the platinum tour. We went there a couple of times a few years ago, but not at all in the past few years.

On the Spirit this summer, we did the Platinum tour twice, and the garbage room was the highlight!  I know you are on Spirit again this year - go on the tour!!

[dexddd]

We've done the BTS tour many times and one part was always the environmental area.  Those working there were always very proud and serious about their jobs and impacts.  Plastic was baled together and set in one area, old boxes in another, food that could go out to sea (outside limits) was stuck down grinding device by an employee (that didn't smell good there).  They have arrangements in various ports to sell as much as they can.  It has always been interesting.

 

Some things like mattresses and furniture got donated to shelters.  Our last few times we've gone to the stage instead.  That is interesting too and DW prefers it quite a bit more than the environmental area.

[KeithJenner]

1 hour ago, azcruise said:

On the Spirit this summer, we did the Platinum tour twice, and the garbage room was the highlight!  I know you are on Spirit again this year - go on the tour!!

That’s interesting. I’ve done the tour a couple of times on the Spirit, and it was there that we went to the recycling area. I assumed they had stopped doing it because we hadn’t been there in the past couple of years on other ships, but it seems it must differ by ship.

 

We didn’t do it back in August as it was so early in the morning, but may go next time if it doesn’t clash with anything.

[azcruise]

1 hour ago, KeithJenner said:

We didn’t do it back in August as it was so early in the morning, but may go next time if it doesn’t clash with anything.

It was the best of the 10 or so we have fone. The new regulations in the Baltic made it mkre interesting.

[Aunu]

I always keep all of the paper in one spot (where the magazines are on the wall) And leave them in a pile on the desk when i leave so its easier to sort.  I don't put it in the trash so it doesn't get dirty by other things we might throw away (food).