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| CRUISES Our guide to eco-friendly cruises - for beginners and old sea dogs - whatever your shade of green. | |
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CRUISES GUIDE Start planning your voyage with our cruise guide and discover how some leading cruise lines are going green. | EMBARK HERE A general guide to cruise holidays is available via the Passenger Shipping Association – a not for profit organisation representing the UK cruise industry. It features an introduction for people new to cruises, with information on what to expect, on board activities, things to consider and tips and advice. It has the lowdown on types of cruises - family friendly cruises, luxury cruises, romantic cruises, river cruises, no fly cruises, min-cruises, world cruises, sail cruises under canvas, expeditions, adventures, cruises for solo travelers, and cruises for seniors. It has a host of ideas and destinations, plus links to member cruise companies. There is also a cruise finder search. Find out more ► | INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS Cruise and ferry companies operate within international environmental regulations and standards set by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the London based United Nations agency. These include the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) which has strict standards for all commercial vessels to prevent ship-generated pollution from oil, garbage and waste. The IMO highlights the positives for shipping. It says that its major contribution to global trade and prosperity has only a relatively small negative impact on the global environment. Moreover, compared with land-based industry, it says shipping is a comparatively minor contributor, overall, to marine pollution from human activities.
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| WHAT ARE UK CRUISE LINES DOING? Cruise bookings have soared and, as the UK Passenger Shipping Association acknowledges, by its nature travel by sea is bound to have an impact on the environment. So the PSA has drawn up a policy to ‘minimise negative impacts, improve positive impacts and support sustainable tourism while meeting the increasing demand for travel’. It says its members are committed to a number of green measures. These are achieved, for instance, through the ways vessels are built, waste management, supporting communities, reducing fossil fuel consumption, increasing renewable energy use, recycling, marine conservation, and employing dedicated environmental officers. Find out more ► | WHAT ABOUT CRUISE LINES WORLDWIDE? Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) is the world’s largest cruise industry body representing 95 percent of the worldwide market, and including some 25 cruise lines with 200 ships serving North America. It regrets that ‘in the past there have been violations of environmental laws involving cruise lines’. It says these have been a wake-up call, causing the industry to improve its environmental performance with state-of-the-art environmental equipment installed on board vessels. This includes: grinders for food and product waste, separators for galley products and recycling, crushers for glass, aluminum and cardboard materials; incinerators for food, cardboard, paper and other waste by-products; and sophisticated engine room equipment to reduce or eliminate liquid discharge. Find out more ► | CRUISE SHIP ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT CARD The international campaigning organisation Friends of the Earth argues that taking a cruise is more harmful to the environment and human health than many other forms of travel. But it also points out that not all cruise lines are the same. So you can choose a greener cruise. In 2009 FOE (North America) started publishing an annual Cruise Ship Report Card which compares the environmental footprint of major cruise lines and cruise ships. This looks at sewage treatment, air pollution reduction, water quality compliance and accessibility of environmental information. Find out more ► | GREEN CRUISE LINE AWARDS The World Travel Awards - hailed as “The Oscars of the Travel Industry” – are presented annually in London. The World’s Leading Green Cruise Line category was introduced in 2008. The votes come from executives working within travel and tourism, with the majority from travel agents. In 2009 the voting became open to the travelling public too. Nominations are vetted and the winners decided by industry experts. Find out more ► | |
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| | This guide is a new feature on ecofriendlytourist.com. We have plans to expand it and welcome suggestions - please contact us
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| ABOUT THIS GUIDE This guide is a new feature on ecofriendlytourist.com. We have plans to grow it further and welcome suggestions.
There is no universally accepted set of standards for eco-friendly tourism in general or cruises in particular and dozens of bodies provide inspection and certification. Some of these have rigorous vetting procedures while others just require payment of a membership fee.
To decide which organisations to list we rely on our own professional research plus recommendations by other writers.
HOW IT WORKS There are direct links to each organisation’s own website. Some of the links are to sites who advertise with us. Other links may be to sites with which we are affiliated. If you click through to these sites or make a purchase from them this may result in us receiving a fee or commission. These links are clearly indicated with this symbol: +
There are also links to sites which do not pay us. Any link or other information is only included if we believe it is useful - not whether we are paid.
To suggest an idea for inclusion please contact us
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ABOUT GREEN CRUISES With the world’s largest cruise ship capable of carrying over 6000 passengers many of these vessels are effectively floating towns. It has been claimed that a cruise ship can emit almost twice as much CO2 as an aircraft. Moreover cruise liners pump out hundreds of thousands of gallons of sewage and pollutants. Cruise ship anchors and sewage have been accused of causing extensive damage to coral reefs. What’s more, it is said cruise liners bring very little benefit to local communities at their ports of call.
On the other hand with stricter regulations the cruise industry has been trying to clean up its act. Advances include on board solar panels, plugging in to greener shore power to reduce emissions and cut shipboard fuel consumption, the introduction of new emissions abatement systems, more recycling, and improved environmental awareness programmes for passengers and staff.
There are things cruise ship passengers can do to be more environmentally friendly. For instance, take public road, rail or sea transport to and from the ship; pack phosphorous-free and biodegradable soaps, shampoos, and detergents; and whilst on board minimise waste, recycle if possible and don’t throw anything overboard. Perhaps the most important tip is to do your research before you go: try and find out what steps the cruise company is taking to protect the environment. Watch out for some more ecofriendly cruise hints and tips, coming here soon. |
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