As the tides of the travel industry change, we’re all becoming more aware of our environmental responsibility when seeking to explore new places. While we still search for new experiences that offer exhilaration and discovery, we also want to preserve the world’s magnificent marvels.
The cruise industry is aligning with these concerns, creating more sustainable cruises that ensure we can continue to enjoy adventures across the seas without negatively impacting the future of our planet.
If you’re considering a cruise holiday but are concerned about the environmental footprint, read on as we explore the cruise industry’s sustainability.
As well as highlighting the top five most sustainable cruise ships that blend luxury with responsibility, we’ll also delve into what sustainable cruising is and how the most sustainable cruise lines are adapting their activity to protect our planet for generations to come.
What Is Cruise Sustainability?
Sustainable cruising aims to minimise the environmental impact of cruise tourism, striving to protect the oceans and promote the health of destinations visited. This responsible approach encompasses a wide range of practices, from reducing emissions to managing waste more efficiently and using sustainable materials onboard.
Cruise sustainability also involves conserving water, enhancing overall energy efficiency, and ensuring that local cultures and ecosystems are respected and preserved.
While cruise lines have a significant role in cruise sustainability, when asking, “Are cruises sustainable,” we also need to look at the role of the cruise guests. Eco-friendly cruising needs you as a guest or customer to become more environmentally aware, support and participate in conservation efforts and choose excursions that support local communities without harming the natural surroundings.
What Makes a Cruise Ship Sustainable?
Sustainable features in modern cruise ships include advanced wastewater treatment plants, energy-efficient systems like heat recovery, solar panels, and LED lighting, and the use of alternative fuels such as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
LNG is particularly noteworthy for being a cleaner energy source, producing less carbon dioxide than coal or oil and insignificant amounts of sulphur dioxide and mercury. It also emits much less particulates, such as soot and dust, all significantly helping to reduce air pollution.
Which Cruise Ships Are Leading The Way In Sustainability?
To learn more about how cruises are sustainable, let’s take a look at the pioneers in this area. Here are five of the most sustainable cruise ships that have led the way in protecting our planet with eco-friendly practices.
AIDAnova – AIDA Cruises
In 2018, AIDAnova was the first cruise ship to sail entirely using LNG. By emitting near-zero sulphur oxide and particulate matter and reducing its nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide pollutants, it was able to lower its carbon footprint considerably.
This ship represented a major step forward in ‘green’ technology in the cruising world, setting a benchmark for future ships.
Icon Of The Seas – Royal Caribbean
When exploring how cruises are sustainable, it may surprise you that one ship leading the way is currently the largest in the world: Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas. With its maiden voyage at the beginning of this year, this next-generation vessel seeks to drive forward progress in cruise ship sustainability.
As well as being the first Royal Caribbean ship to be powered by LNG, it has shore power capabilities, meaning that when docked, it can run on electricity in ports, a cleaner alternative to fuel. It also offers a first-of-its-kind waste management system that converts waste into energy and an advanced water treatment system that removes contaminants from wastewater to make it reusable.
Celebrity Flora – Celebrity Cruises
Specifically designed for sailing the Galapagos Islands, Celebrity Flora blends in with its surroundings by utilising environmentally friendly materials and cutting-edge technology.
For example, built-in water filtration systems replace disposable plastic bottles, air-conditioning condensation provides water for laundry operations, and reverse osmosis filtration technology allows seawater to be converted into freshwater. The ship is also designed to protect the sensitive seabed with a dynamic positioning system that removes the need for anchors.
Norwegian Bliss – Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Bliss cruise ship is designed for sailing in Alaskan waters, so it needs to meet strict environmental regulations.
It ensures cruise ship sustainability with innovative eco-friendly features, such as its Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (EGCS), reducing its sulphur oxide and particulate matter emissions by up to 99%, and energy-efficient engines.
MS Roald Amundsen – Hurtigruten
Named after the legendary Norwegian polar explorer, this hybrid-powered ship launched in 2019, providing a new direction for cruise ship sustainability.
MS Roald Amundsen uses electric propulsion, significantly reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. With a sleek, modern design and use of LED lighting, this polar expedition ship is able to further reduce energy needs.
Which Are The Most Sustainable Cruise Lines?
MSC Cruises
MSC Cruises‘s sustainability policy includes a pledge to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
They are investing in LNG-powered ships, improving operational efficiency through strategies such as LED lighting and heat recovery systems, minimising local pollutants by connecting to shore power and using reverse osmosis to create fresh water.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line’s sustainability approach, Sail & Sustain, focuses on energy efficiency, waste management, and the protection of oceans and wildlife.
Its targets to combat climate change include pursuing net-zero greenhouse gases by 2050, continuing to reduce fuel consumption after a 25% reduction between 2008 and 2019, and investing in more shore power, with 40% of the fleet currently having this capability.
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises continues to innovate with sustainable technologies and responsible practices. Its sustainability initiatives include its Blue Green Promise, designed to protect our oceans, and working towards zero waste (85% is currently recycled).
Other Celebrity Cruises’ sustainability approaches include Go Green, its reduced housekeeping option to conserve energy and resources without impacting standards, and developing environmental stewardship partnerships in places such as the Galapagos.
Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean is not only investing in sustainable ships but also in technologies that can update its existing fleet.
The cruise line’s sustainability goals for 2025 include reducing carbon intensity by double digits from its 2019 baseline, increasing or maintaining 90% portable water production and eliminating single-use plastic.
Choosing a sustainable cruise doesn’t mean compromising on comfort or luxury. These top ships and plans from leading cruise lines prove that you can enjoy a guilt-free holiday while helping to protect the planet. As more cruise lines increase their focus on eco-friendly practices, the oceans and all who depend on them stand to benefit.
If you have any questions about sustainable cruises, please get in touch with our cruise specialists.
