Responsible Cruising

[jubileebabe]

I would be interested to know if anyone feels more should be done by cruisers and cruise companies to ameliorate the effect that cruising has on environmental issues.

I have just been reading an article concerning the Cayman Islands and the intention to dredge the harbour, which requires removing the coral, in order to build a jetty for cruise ships to dock at rather than having to tender to shore.

I wondered what fellow cruisers thought about this?

 

Apologies if you feel this is not a suitable topic for the forums but I needed to know what fellow cruisers think.

Thanks

Concerned Cruiser

 

[ew101]

I think we need a lower impact propulsion system - an upgrade from diesels.  Some of the European lines are responding to customer demand here.  LNG engines are a start.  The black smoke pouring out of the stack is a reminder to me that we can certainly do better.  There will be a change in customer behavior but at the moment in the US market it is go go go with strong demand for anything that floats.  

 

I think modest and responsible harbor development is OK.  The deal with coral- the carbonic acid from rising CO2 emissions (falling ocean pH) will kill all of it.  

 

If somebody markets a lower impact cruising product and customers flock to it- there is a chance for changes.  Until then no.  

[Callie28]

On a somewhat similar topic, I think that cruise lines need to pay closer attention to their guests unintended footprints. Just got home from 44 days at sea from Rome to Hong Kong. In this time sailing across seas, gulfs, straits we did not see any sea life but all kinds of plastic garbage every day.  Tons of it. And tons of plastic garbage throughout south and Southeast Asia.  While a small start, could cruise lines remind their guests to bring their plastic water bottles back to the ship for recycling? And any other garbage they might “create”.  We need to be mindful that in many places in the world recycling is far down the list on day to day living and we should not add to garbage when we go ashore. Our only footprint should be a little contribution to the local economy not tour bus seat pockets filled with our empty water bottles.  “Take your cruise card, photo I’d,, hat, wear comfortable shoes and take water, just remember to bring your bottles back to the ship”. 10 extra words as a reminder, maybe 10 fewer plastic bottles floating in the sea? 

[Responsible Cruiser]

On 12/7/2019 at 10:44 AM, jubileebabe said:

I would be interested to know if anyone feels more should be done by cruisers and cruise companies to ameliorate the effect that cruising has on environmental issues.

I think about these issues too. A point of awakening for me was, when I visited Geiranger in Norway. They have installed a SeaWalk to get people off the ships (see pic below). The aim is to reduce emissions, quicker debark to increase time ashore. However, the cruise line I travelled with used diesel-powered tender boats to bring us ashore instead. There was only one ship but the smell of diesel fumes in the valley was horrible! Thankfully, the Norwegian government has now enforced stricter rules on emissions from cruise ships in the Geirangerfjord. So I guess, there are more environmentally friendly options to port development but that’s probably more expensive to build. I wonder how we can asvocate for a more envirionmentally friendly cruise indutsry?

[changsu634]

Thanks for the post. I was interested in reading about it.

[sergel02]

This is a great topic and one I'm really interested in. I love cruising but I also care for the environment, so I think we can all do a lot better. I post an article stating that Carnival aims to reduce emissions and other sources of pollution by 2050. I also know the Celebrity Apex is able to use shoreside power.

 

From what I've researched, two big ways for cruise lines to reduce Sulfur and other emissions are:

1. LNG fuel

2. Using shoreside power...as long as it's from clean electricity. 

 

Some European countries are bit stricter now with their standards. 

 

Other ways for us as consumers to help out:

 

1. Ask and encourage cruise lines to practice sustainability. 

2. Reduce personal waste on ships and on land.

3. Don't pollute ports.

4. Avoid using plastics if possible.