Cruise Lines Celebrate World Environment Day
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is celebrating World Environment Day, June 5, by highlighting some of its members' environmentally friendly programs:
Dedicated Action: All Disney Cruise Line ships have dedicated Environmental Officers who are ranked among the most senior leaders on board. These officers possess previous maritime experience and specialized training in environmental regulations and systems. They monitor the ship’s overall water quality and supply, train all officers and crew members on waste minimization and environmental safety programs and oversee multiple environmental initiatives, including all shipboard recycling efforts.
Sustainable Practices: Uniworld is committed to supporting environmentally conscious businesses from family-run enterprises to organic wineries in a variety of destinations. The line aims to connect guests with local and sustainable ventures around the world while bringing environmentally-friendly economic opportunity to a variety of regions.
Smart Ships: Carnival Cruise Lines worked closely with the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the City of Long Beach, California, and Southern California Edison to facilitate cutting-edge shore power technology in Long Beach, used on the Carnival Inspiration and Carnival Miracle. The line also employs cleaner fuel technology to reduce CO2 and other pollutants.
Windstar Cruises’ three sailing yachts, powered by both sails and engines, reduce fuel usage while providing a scenic and memorable cruise experience for guests.
On board their Zambezi Queen ship in Africa, AmaWaterways uses fuel-efficient, low-emission generators during daylight hours, and operates on battery power at night. The ship’s hot water is provided by a solar heating system, and water-saving taps and showers as well as energy-saving lights are used throughout.
Royal Caribbean International's Harmony of the Seas, the company’s most efficient ship, is equipped with smart HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems which reduces cooling energy consumption by a quarter.
Waste Minimization: Cruise lines minimize potential waste that comes on board by partnering with suppliers to reduce packaging and some employ onboard composting practices in order to reduce food waste. In stocking the kitchens and pantries of ships, many lines employ sustainable practices and purchase ingredients like seafood and produce only from sustainable vendors.
In May 2015, Costa Cruises became the first travel company to sign the Milan Protocol to reduce food waste, help eliminate hunger and under-nutrition and raise awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle. The Milan Protocol is implemented fleet wide.
Green Policies: Seabourn’s green policies include using advanced waste water treatment systems, environmentally friendly cleaning supplies, recycling, and donating items for reuse. The cruise line has increased fuel efficiency of its fleet year over year by investing in newer, more modern ships, which also include low-flow toilets, sinks and showers in all passenger cabins.
Education: In partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Azamara Club Cruises, part of Royal Caribbean Cruises, is setting ambitious sustainability goals, supporting WWF’s ocean conservation work and featuring WWF guest speakers during select cruises.
Paul Gauguin Cruises’ new partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society provides interactive, educational programs on board. Children aged 7 to 17 and their families can appreciate nature through hands-on interactive learning. The Wildlife Discovery Series is an onboard lecture program focusing on the environment and wildlife presented by conservationists, scientists and oceanographers.
Celebrity Cruises invites its guests to participate in hands on conservation through the Galapagos Conservancy. Guests sailing onboard Celebrity Xpedition are encouraged to plant trees in support of the Scalescia reforestation effort in Galapagos National Park – to date more than 20,000 trees have been planted.
Wildlife Conservation: Holland America Line's "Avoiding Whale Strikes" program and its commitment to the conservation of whales have been recognized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service with a Conservation Partnership Award, part of a newly established Sustainable Fisheries Leadership Awards Program.
Holland America Line developed the interactive, computer-based training program designed to avoid whale strikes in cooperation with NOAA and the National Parks Service. All deck officers on Holland America Line vessels have taken the course, and the program is being shared with the cruise and maritime community.
CLIA, on behalf of the cruise community, is a member of the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce which is working together to break the chain between suppliers and consumers in illegal wildlife trade throughout the world. In addition, CLIA, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Carnival Corporation are all members of the US Wildlife Trafficking Alliance that is working together to reduce the purchase and sale of illegal wildlife products in the United States.