Porthole....

HONOR THY MOTHER

Cruise lines and their passengers are playing their part in preservation

Sailing to unique destinations and experiencing different environments is part of what makes cruise travel so appealing. And given all the natural wonders of the world that you can enjoy on a cruise (both on land and at sea), it makes perfect sense that preserving pristine environments has become a priority for cruise lines. Lines clearly have a deep love for their "mother"--Mother Nature, that is, and it is demonstrated in the many environmental projects they have initiated. “Although cruise tourism has the potential to overwhelm fragile destinations if not managed effectively, the industry is also a great potential ally for conservation,” said Russell Mittermeier, president of Conservation International. The organization’s Center for Environmental Leadership issued last year’s landmark report, From Ship to Shore: Sustainable Stewardship in Cruise Destinations. Indeed, cruise lines have taken many steps to decrease the “footprint” of their vessels, passengers, and crew while at sea and during port calls. From huge onboard recycling programs to partnerships with shore excursion operators to minimize negative passenger impact ashore, cruise lines are now one with their mother more than ever before.

Onboard Innovations

The programs implemented by cruise lines are too numerous to cover in a short feature, but the scope and variety of their initiatives speaks loudly (and proudly) of the industry’s commitment to environmental stewardship. After all, the world’s oceans and seas keep cruise lines and their ships afloat physically and fiscally, so it only makes sense that both line executives and their passengers want to keep these waters full of wonder for all to enjoy.

Holland America Line has a long history of commitment to protecting the environment. Fleetwide programs and innovations include an environmental officer onboard each ship; a staff of five crewmembers on each ship responsible for processing, storing, recycling, and disposal of garbage (typically eight tons each week); a comprehensive recycling program since 1993; a 20-minute environmental stewardship video for passengers, which is presented by the ship’s environmental officer and followed by a Q&A session; gas turbines, which reduce visible exhaust emissions,  for all Vista-class vessels; shore power in Seattle (the line’s hometown) for three specifically outfitted Vista-class ships (also reducing air emissions); and revolutionary wastewater treatment plants employing advanced membrane filtration technology.

“Holland America has always had a strong commitment to the environment and seeking innovative solutions to cruise ship waste," says Stein Kruse, president and CEO. "These ships [with the new system] discharge water that is virtually pure--and it’s cleaner than the treated wastewater of many communities.” Holland America’s efforts have been recognized many times. Three of Holland America’s Vista-class ships earned a “Green Planet Award” from Kuoni Switzerland last year, while the line’s “Avoiding Whale Strikes” training program received the first-ever Conservation Partnership Award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service.

By the very nature of the line’s ships, Windstar Cruises is friendly to the environment. Thanks to billowing white sails that unfurl at a touch of the button, Windstar’s three motor sailing yachts feature both fuel conservation and reduce air emissions. Depending on weather conditions and the itinerary, the ships can use either sail or motor, or a combination of both. In addition, Windstar has a comprehensive fleetwide program that emphasizes waste reduction, recycling, and passenger and crew education.

One of the industry’s most visible ocean-oriented programs is Royal Caribbean’s Ocean Fund. Established in 1996, this far-reaching initiative has, according to From Ship to Shore, focused on helping “restore and maintain healthy marine environments, minimize negative human impact on the oceans, and promote awareness about oceans, coastal ecosystems, and marine life.” The Ocean Fund provides grants to an array of marine conservation institutions and other non-profits to support research, education, and technology development. Thus far, Royal Caribbean has awarded nearly $9 million to more than 50 organizations, leading to projects including habitat conservation in coastal Alaska, coastal clean-up off Panama, and building of rehabilitation pools at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, California.

Costa Cruises works with the World Wildlife Fund to protect three of the planet's most endangered marine ecosystems (the Mediterranean, the Greater Antilles, and the waters of northeastern Brazil). In addition, Costa is introducing an aluminum recycling program for ships calling on Savona, Italy, in 2007 and 2008. The line also plans to release its first Sustainability Report outlining results of Costa's environmental compliance efforts.

Other “at sea” examples include atmospheric and oceanographic laboratories aboard Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas and Carnival Cruise Lines' Carnival Triumph and Carnival Spirit (to help scientists with ocean and climate research); “edutainment” programs for children aboard all Princess Cruises' ships using the National Wildlife Federation’s NatureLink activities (many lines have environmental programs targeted at young passengers); Norwegian Cruise Line's patented Ecobalast System, the first ballast treatment system approved by the State of Washington for use in the pristine waters of Puget Sound; Carnival’s work with Reef Check and the work of several lines with the Reef Ball Foundation to protect and restore fragile coral reefs; “green ship” design and building throughout the industry; and specific environmental protection and reporting procedures (Carnival Corporation-owned lines even have a dedicated email address for passengers and crew to report concerns: environmental@carnival.com).

Onshore Entities

The aforementioned From Ship to Shore report specifically focused on all of the positive things cruise lines (along with governments, civil society, and shore operators) are doing for their far-flung destinations . “As cruise lines expand their ports of call, it is important to not only identify the environmental challenges facing the tourism industry, but to also highlight the sustainable practices that are being employed in these destinations so that others can emulate them,“ said Jamie Sweeting, the report’s co-author. “It is crucial that the cruise lines work with their local destination partners to ensure the sustainable management of fragile ecosystems.“

Dozens of examples were provided in the report to show how the various entities involved in cruise travel can work together to keep ports of call prepared for future generations of cruise travelers. Sweeting also cites the creation of the Ocean Conservation & Tourism Alliance as a specific example of how the cruise industry as a whole is working with Conservation International to protect biodiversity in top cruise destinations.

Along with programs that ask (and teach) passengers to be environmental stewards while ashore, cruise lines also work with crew members, shore excursion operators, local governments, and other entities. Thus, when cruise ships depart, the hope is that the port of call remains the same or even better.

Some shining examples of this include: the Port of Seattle’s shore power plan (it is only the second cruise destination with this capability--Juneau, Alaska, was the first); Royal Caribbean’s tree planting program in Kusadasi, Turkey (one tree seedling planted for each passenger taking a tour); Silversea’s work with Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano (the National Trust of Italy) to protect, preserve, and promote Italian artistic and environmental heritage (Silversea is an Italian company); and the new Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center near Key West‘s cruise ship pier.

Though traditional ports of call are more numerous, various “private islands” have proven quite popular with passengers--and lines have taken extraordinary steps to make sure these little pieces of paradise aren’t overwhelmed. For instance, Holland America’s Half Moon Cay, a 2,400-acre private island in The Bahamas, was developed with minimal environmental impact (using less than 2% of the land and “green“ shoreside equipment). The Bahamian National Trust has actually designated part of the island as a wild bird preserve, thanks to nesting grounds for waterfowl that can include around 10,000 sooty terns, noddy terns, 200 pairs of roseate terns, shearwaters, and Bahamian pintails.

It’s also important for future generations to recognize the value of conservation. Since 2003, Disney Cruise Line has worked with the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism in Jiminy Cricket’s Environmentality Challenge. This program typically involves nearly 1,500 students in three grade levels, who take an “Environmentality Pledge” and work on a class project that raises awareness of environmental issues or takes action to help the environment of the Cayman Islands (above or below the surface). The grand prize is a gala luncheon aboard Disney Magic, one of Disney’s two kid-friendly cruise ships.

Both afloat and ashore, cruise lines, their passengers, and their crew recognize that "loving your Mother" is clearly the right thing to do.

For further information about this subject, visit the website of Conservation International’s Center for Environmental Leadership in Business (www.celb.org).