By Sarah Pruzansky, Cruise & Travel Writer | April 25, 2019 ( Comments)
With Earth Day of 2019 now passed, you may be thinking of ways you can be more sustainable come the environmental celebration next year. And you're not the only one. Journeying through the ocean and travelling to communities throughout the world, cruises, without a doubt, have a significant impact on the environment. From where they get their fuel, to how they handle their wastewater, to how the ship itself is shaped, every detail matters on a cruise.
That's why several cruise lines are currently working hard to please the demands not only of their cruise passengers, but also of the ocean water, air and lands they are passing through.
And while the progress will take some time to convert older ships and build new more eco-friendly cruise ships, there are plenty of things that both you and the cruise line can do to be more mindful of the planet. Instead of opting to forego travel altogether, take a look at what each cruise line is doing for the environment and select a trip that makes the most sense for you, taking action steps along the way to make sure that you're doing what you can to minimize your carbon footprint.
So are cruise ships environmentally friendly? Well, here's what some cruise lines are doing as part of their sustainability efforts to create a more environmentally friendly cruise:
Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas
- The cruise line has started testing the prospect of using fuel cells to power their ships, a 0 carbon dioxide emission option that uses the chemical reactions of hydrogen and oxygen to create electric currents.
- Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas ship creates microbubbles that reduce drag and increase the ships' fuel efficiency.
- They have partnered with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to make a commitment to reduce their emissions and be more mindful of food onboard (by sourcing local food, switching over to cage free eggs, and getting the majority of their seafood from fisheries that have been verified as sustainable by organizations such as the Marine Stewardship Council).
- Royal Caribbean uses advanced wastewater treatment (AWT) technologies to treat the ships' wastewater before emptying into the ocean.
Click for more on Royal Caribbean's sustainability efforts.
Click for more on UnCruise's sustainability efforts.
- Ponant's Le Commandant Charcot will have a hybrid power engine that uses a combination of electricity, battery power, and liquified natural gas (LNG), resulting in reduced to zero noise levels or vibrations and a lower carbon footprint in locations of the Arctic.
Click for more on Ponant's sustainability efforts.
Fluorescent and LED lighting aboard Celebrity Cruises
- The cruise line has solar power panels, smooth hulls to reduce drag, energy-efficient windows, and more on their ships, in an effort to reduce the cruises' consumption of energy.
- Their ships also utilize AWT technologies to reduce water pollution.
Click for more on Celebrity's sustainability efforts.
- The cruise line's newest expedition ships will be hybrid powered.
- Hurtigruten has banned unnecessary single-use plastics on their ships, replacing plastic straws, cups, and more with more sustainable options.
Click for more on Hurtigruten's sustainability efforts.
- On many of the line's ships and at certain ports of call, Princess will turn off the cruise engine and plug the ship into the shore's electric power when docked, reducing emissions at the itinerary's port of call.
Click for more on Princess's sustainability efforts.uxbraybtwtrezfdseacsdvfacbswuaaedf
These are just some of the things cruise lines are doing to become more environmentally conscious. But what about what you can do as a passenger? Simply selecting more environmentally friendly cruise lines isn't the only step to reducing your footprint while out on the water. Here are some of the things to be mindful of when planning your cruise vacation:
Fuel & Energy
At iCruise, we have available bookings across most major areas of the U.S. This means when looking to book a cruise, it's no longer necessary to fly across the country to get to your ship. Simply take a look at which cruises are available at your nearest port. This will not only help you save on money, but will reduce your carbon emissions.
In your cabin, we recommend being mindful of the power you are using. When you're unplugging your phone from its charger, unplug the charger from the outlet as well. If you don't need the lights on, such as during the day, keep them off. Don't bump the AC up high everyday when you're not in the cabin. These are just some of the things that you can do to be more conscious of your energy usage.
Water
Just like at home, be mindful of how much time you spend in the shower. On average, one shower uses approximately 5 gallons of water every minute. Therefore, the less time you take showering, the less water down the drain.
But also be mindful of the linens and towels you use while on your vacation. When you grab a poolside towel, instead of leaving it for the cruise staff to clean, bring it back to your room to reuse when going back to the pool later on. Only leave linens and towels to be cleaned if they are actually in need of cleaning.
Plastic
First and foremost, do NOT throw anything overboard the ship. Plastics and other litter can seriously harm, even kill, marine animals, and if you don't believe that fact, look up videos online on the topic and you will likely be horrified by what you find.
Even if you're not littering, the plastics and other disposables you use can still make their way into the ocean, therefore, it's important to be mindful of where you can reduce your plastic usage and what to do with disposables when you have them.
If your ship has recycling bins, use them! But try to avoid purchasing disposable bottles and cans in the first place. Pack a refillable water bottle for your cruise, and if the cruise you're on doesn't allow refilling glasses and bottles in the buffet, simply order glasses of water from room service to your stateroom and refill your bottle with those. In the packing process, make sure as well to pack either a large enough bag to hold your purchases when shopping on-shore or bring an extra reusable bag for shopping.
While cruising still has a long way to go to become a sustainable form of travel, more eco-friendly cruises are possible and many cruise lines are headed in the right direction. These are just some of the things that you and the cruise lines can do to make your vacation more environmentally-friendly.
If you're looking to book a cruise on any of the cruise lines that we mentioned, make sure to fill out our free cruise quote form today and one of our travel agents will help you plan your next cruise vacation.
