Cruise Ship Pollution in the Oceans?

[paradise08]

We just returned from our first cruise with RCI. We sailed on Majesty of the Seas on Jan. 7-11, 2008 we loved it and are sailing on the Freedom of the Seas in November 2008.

 

I had an interesting conversation with my Mother and she said her friend boycott's all cruising becasue of all the dumping the ships do to the ocean. I wanted to scream. This can't be true especially after hearing about "Save the waves" program with RCI. Any comments? I think the cruise ships especially RCI is doing much more these days to protect the environment. I would sure like your feedback.

 

Thanks,

Donna

[Retired LEO]

Yes it is true. By law waste can be dumped in the ocean at a minimum of 3 nautical miles. RC ships dump it at 12 nautical miles. It is fully treated prior to dumping. This was according to Capt. Per recently on the Mariner. All other items such as food waste is incinerated.

[David4]

Ah the chain of life, the non toxic waste will be food for the littlest and so on and so forth. Just glad that we are on top of the food chain.

[Ocean Boy]

Ah the chain of life, the non toxic waste will be food for the littlest and so on and so forth. Just glad that we are on top of the food chain.

 

We are not always the on top.;)

[DHADEN]

Here's some information most "Eco-freaks" don't want you to know, or think about:

 

If you took a rather large map of the US, say about 15" by 20", you could take the area of all the "Landfills" in the nation and they would take up about the area of a dime on that map. That's with 300 MILLION people "dumping" every day.

 

Now, since the oceans are TWO THIRDS of the area of the earth, and they are up to SEVEN miles deep, just think of how much waste a ship can "dump" to make a defference.

Can we say, "Spitting at the ocean"???????

 

Compared to the few Cruise Ships (how many?? maybe a thousand or two??) how much sh#% do 10 BILLION fish dump into the ocean every day????? Most people don't complain about them.;)

 

Something for your mother to think about.

[cot427]

Exactly. There are things that the average person does everyday that can be much more damaging than cruising. Plus, with the Save the Waves program, I think they are really eco-friendly.

 

Give her a copy of the 'green' issue of the crown and anchor magazine, I think it was a year or two ago.

[cb at sea]

Several years ago, RCI was cited for polluting the seas--they've changed their tactics since!

There's really no way to be totally "foot-printless", but they are trying!

[cruzincurt]

We take our carbon footprint with us when cruising rather than "buy" phony credits at some wind farm. Life creates waste no matter where it is. Thankfully, there are no trees to hug on the ship.

 

Such environmentalists are usually those that got there first and don't want to share with anyone else.

 

Most of the waste dumped is organic, ie, what do fish do in the ocean?

[TahoeBob]

Here's some information most "Eco-freaks" don't want you to know, or think about:

 

If you took a rather large map of the US, say about 15" by 20", you could take the area of all the "Landfills" in the nation and they would take up about the area of a dime on that map. That's with 300 MILLION people "dumping" every day.

 

Now, since the oceans are TWO THIRDS of the area of the earth, and they are up to SEVEN miles deep, just think of how much waste a ship can "dump" to make a defference.

Can we say, "Spitting at the ocean"???????

 

Compared to the few Cruise Ships (how many?? maybe a thousand or two??) how much sh#% do 10 BILLION fish dump into the ocean every day????? Most people don't complain about them.;)

 

Something for your mother to think about.

 

call some "Eco-freaks" if you feel the need, but if not for people who care about the enviroment. The United states would be full of Love Canals, We would still be shooting skeet into the Ocean, and cruise ships would still be dumping there raw untreated sewage into the ocean and harbors. This is something most anti-"Eco-freaks" don't want you to know, or think about!

[xpcdoojk]

call some "Eco-freaks" if you feel the need, but if not for people who care about the enviroment. The United states would be full of Love Canals, We would still be shooting skeet into the Ocean, and cruise ships would still be dumping there raw untreated sewage into the ocean and harbors. This is something most anti-"Eco-freaks" don't want you to know, or think about!

 

Bob most of us non eco freaks are not wanting to destroy of pollute the ocean or the earth. It is amazing how clean the USA is today compared to China. Freedom, and industrialization lead to cleaner environments. Remember it was Tricky Dick that gave us the waste of an EPA. If people have the right to sue for harm then business is encouraged to avoid lawsuits, and while abuses surely have happened they are far far less likely to do so in the USA, Canada, Australia, Europe, what do these places all have in common, a high level of liberty. Africa, China, Russia, not so hot, eh..... Socialism the home of the enviromental wackos leads to the very thing they are against. Capitalism and liberty lead away from it... Something is not right there is it, eh, Bob? Enjoy hugging that tree outside your house, just remember the next time an out of control wildfire burns your neighbors house down, that maybe a bit of cutting the trees and a bit less hugging is better. Of course, most committed people on this topic, ignore these basic facts, and return to love canal etc.

 

jc

[FL_Cruiser64]

We just returned from our first cruise with RCI. We sailed on Majesty of the Seas on Jan. 7-11, 2008 we loved it and are sailing on the Freedom of the Seas in November 2008.

 

I had an interesting conversation with my Mother and she said her friend boycott's all cruising becasue of all the dumping the ships do to the ocean. I wanted to scream. This can't be true especially after hearing about "Save the waves" program with RCI. Any comments? I think the cruise ships especially RCI is doing much more these days to protect the environment. I would sure like your feedback.

 

Thanks,

Donna

 

 

You got some good responses. Also one thing to consider that RCI goes beyond even saving coral reefs. Ships when going into dry dock will also be refurbished with state of the art GPS systems. The ones who already have that system build in like the Navigator do not anchor any more when you have to tender in a reef sensitive area (i.e. Grand Cayman). When we got left Grand Cayman with the Navigator the captain told us that the entire time the ship was held in place with no anchor by electric engines and perfectly positioned by the GPS system which automatically adjusted these engines. In over 6 hours the ship was never more than 1m (3.3 feet) out of his initial position.

 

You can not prevent waste but you can minimize it. You can not totally eliminate hurt to the environment, but you can minimize the damage.

 

Did you know that when you go potty on a train it dumps right onto the tracks. ;)

[xpcdoojk]

You got some good responses. Also one thing to consider that RCI goes beyond even saving coral reefs. Ships when going into dry dock will also be refurbished with state of the art GPS systems. The ones who already have that system build in like the Navigator do not anchor any more when you have to tender in a reef sensitive area (i.e. Grand Cayman). When we got left Grand Cayman with the Navigator the captain told us that the entire time the ship was held in place with no anchor by electric engines and perfectly positioned by the GPS system which automatically adjusted these engines. In over 6 hours the ship was never more than 1m (3.3 feet) out of his initial position.

 

You can not prevent waste but you can minimize it. You can not totally eliminate hurt to the environment, but you can minimize the damage.

 

Did you know that when you go potty on a train it dumps right onto the tracks. ;)

 

On the Italian train I took a few years ago, you pottied in your room in the chamber pot and then I guess you dumped it or had your cabin steward dump it. I went to the public toilet that dumped it on the tracks instead, but I did have the option of sleeping with it.:D

 

jc

[J and G]

We just returned from our first cruise with RCI. We sailed on Majesty of the Seas on Jan. 7-11, 2008 we loved it and are sailing on the Freedom of the Seas in November 2008.

 

I had an interesting conversation with my Mother and she said her friend boycott's all cruising becasue of all the dumping the ships do to the ocean. I wanted to scream. This can't be true especially after hearing about "Save the waves" program with RCI. Any comments? I think the cruise ships especially RCI is doing much more these days to protect the environment. I would sure like your feedback.

 

Thanks,

Donna

 

It is my understanding that most large cruise ships have their own water and sewer treatment plants so that they are not polluting delicate ecosystems....after all, those areas are their living.

 

Also, if you watch the programs on the Travel Channel, you will see that they recycle a tremendous amount of the garbage that is generated on a cruise....far more than those 3000 passengers would recycle if they were at home for that time period.

 

I actually feel that the cruise ships are good stewards of the seas. And we are boaters, so we really are concerned about that!

[mckinna]

I watched the program on TLC about the Sovereign in dry dock for refurbishment. They had an officer on board for recycling. I don't remember exactly what her title was, but all the construction people were irritated with her, because she would scour their waste for anything that could be recycled, and really fuss at them for throwing things away. She was very serious about her job, and didn't mind butting heads with the construction manager. I thought that was great.

[paradise08]

Thanks for all the great responses!

 

Donna

[DHADEN]

call some "Eco-freaks" if you feel the need, but if not for people who care about the enviroment. The United states would be full of Love Canals, We would still be shooting skeet into the Ocean, and

and harbors. This is something most anti-"Eco-freaks" don't want you to know, or think about!

 

 

Tahoe Bob, why do you think that everyone who "cares about the environment" would fall into the 'Eco-freaks' catagory? The 'Eco-freaks' of whom I speak are the ones who would have us living in caves and riding horses instead of progressing in a modern world.

 

Try to name me one person who WANTS to destroy the ecology....

 

What in the world is wrong with "shooting skeet into the Ocean"? You got your buckshot (iron), you got your clay (dirt), whatsamatta you?

 

And as for "cruise ships would still be dumping there raw untreated sewage into the ocean", you haven't addressed my previous statement about 10 BILLION fish - - and that doesn't even include all the ANIMALS that also "dump their raw untreated sewage into the ocean". I don't hear you or anyone else talking about that, and it's been going on for 4 BILLION YEARS.:eek:

 

Why don't you think about the real issue when it comes to the environment; and start asking yourself what it's really all about.

[wraithe]

Cruise ships do not dump anything except black and grey water, and even that is treated with halogens and then the halogens are evaporated before the water is dumped. The cruise ship industry is testing various systems that will eventually produce drinking water quality discharge from the black and grey water streams. Here's a link to a power point from CLIA that talks about the waste streams, what is legal and what RCL's policy is, http://www.marine.usf.edu/flcoos/FCC10_powerpoints/CLIA_Cruise_Env_101_Pruitt.ppt

 

Trust me, biologics, that is, fish and bottom feeders (crab, shrimp, lobster) love it when ships discharge sanitaries. I can tell you, I've been in sonar and listened to the biologics when the ship has discharged sans. Nothing goes to waste.

[boaterette]

Cool. So the next time you are enjoying your lobster on formal night just remember that the lobster could have fed off the waste of the passengers before you. Bon appetit.

[Jimmers]

Some interesting facts albeit from what is probably an "ecofreak" source.

 

http://www.earthisland.org/project/reportPage2.cfm?reportContentID=111&subSiteID=6&pageID=174

[Jimmers]

I read where this particular environmental group was a co sponsor of the head tax ballot in Alaska that imposes a $50 pp tax on any cruiseline that sails into Alaskan waters and also levies a 33% tax on any casino revenues generated.

 

The money goes in part to protect the clean waters of Alaska. It even provides for an onboard "ocean ranger" to monitor the ship emissions.

 

Alaskan voters passed the ballot despite counter arguments and pleas from the cruise and tourism industry.

[FL_Cruiser64]

Cool. So the next time you are enjoying your lobster on formal night just remember that the lobster could have fed off the waste of the passengers before you. Bon appetit.

 

 

Based on that you shouldn't eat chicken anymore. It feeds on its own poop. :D

[rolloman]

Of course everyone here is posting about what they dump on purpose and not what gets dumped by accident. Think of your friends car that pulls in your driveway and then you notice a little oil stain after they leave.

[TahoeBob]

Enjoy hugging that tree outside your house, just remember the next time an out of control wildfire burns your neighbors house down, that maybe a bit of cutting the trees and a bit less hugging is better.

 

One thing I do know is forest fires, please tell me how a little bit of cutting the trees is a good thing. to tell you the truth cutting down a few extra trees would not have changed anything. The bottem line is I live in a forest, we have trees and trees burn in a forest fire. Never mind that we had 70 MPH winds, over 90 degrees, and the fire was man caused. Blame the tree huggers. thats the easy thing to do.

By ther way 4 of my coworkers, my niece, and 18 other people I know lost there houses that day. So just go on and pass the blame the tree huggers.

 

(I am talking about the fire we had here at Lake tahoe last summer)

[David4]

We are not always the on top.;)

Yes that is true:D

[Crosboro]

All other items such as food waste is incinerated.

 

Nope, not true. On our last cruise to HI on RCCL in Oct., one of the questions to the captain was "what happens to the leftover food". His response was that there is much less waste than one would think, but what is left over goes through a "garbarator" that grinds the food up, and is then dumped into the sea to feed the fish.