CRUISE ISSUES
The shallower draft of the smaller vessels allows them to get close in shore as here in northern Corsica.
compactors, incinerators and glass crushers. MSC Cruises: the new MSC
S ca gr
Star Clippers’ Star Flyer sailing around Thailand with only the wind to power her along.
Star C
an be
up to 1,500 cubic meters of liquid waste per day using a sophisticated fi ve-stage process producing water so pure it can be released straight into the sea without harming the environment (although it is generally stored on board and emptied into the systems in port or re-used in technical services such as washing the decks). Special clean incinerators handle paper and cardboard waste while highly
Splendida has an Advanced Water Treatment plant that can process u
s
in e g e
re in
effi cient compacting machines and grinders sort through waste glass and aluminium, with all the latter being recycled.
cruising and help passengers reduce their carbon footprint. Hurtigruten: the Norwegian company
actively participates in a ‘Clean Up Svalbard’ campaign. Spitsbergen, also known as the Svalbard Archipelago, north of mainland Norway, is a spectacular and almost untouched wilderness. Almost. Unfortunately, there are beaches littered with empty plastic oil drums, fi shnets and other waste. So guests are invited to take part in volunteer action by collecting rubbish. Costa Cruises: their commitment to safeguarding the environment and sustainable tourism is refl ected in the reduction of water consumption on board the ships, which is achieved through the use of reverse desalination plants. The minimisation of rubbish generated on board is achieved through the sorting and recycling of waste at sea, which is treated separately for each category using
Star Clippers: You can’t get much more green than a sailing ship, and Star Clipper vessels have a policy to use their sails in preference to engines whenever they can. Small numbers of passengers and crew ensure waste products are kept to a minimum and the company has a policy of stocking up at ports to use local produce when possible. The company is passion- ately committed to preserving the environ- ment and, by having a resident marine biologist on Royal Clipper, they hope to pass on their enthusiasm to their guests, many of whom join in with his fascinating talks, beach walks and dives. Celebrity Cruises: Their Solstice-class ships are built with eco-friendly technology and design in every phase of construction. The hull is one of the most fuel-effi cient possible and the rest of the ship was designed to operate around it, including 216 solar panels installed over a 500sq
metre area. Besides effi cient LED lights throughout, the ships have window coatings that refl ect outside heat, thus reducing the amount of air conditioning needed. Royal Caribbean: RCI runs Save the
Waves, a comprehensive environmental protection programme to reduce waste material, recycle as much as possible and ensure proper disposal of any remaining waste. They control the volume of material delivered to ships that must be processed as waste and there is also an environmen- tal offi cer assigned to each ship to manage its overall programme. Holland America: Eliminating paper
waste is a key item on HAL’s agenda, including an online booking system that limits the need for printed materials (along the lines of airline e-tickets). Their ships use paper or washable cups, wooden stirrers, paper bags and glass or metal packaging whenever possible to eliminate the use of eco-unfriendly plastics. Bales: their four Dahabiyyas are beautifully crafted 19th century style river sailboats that revive the elegant days when aristocrats and sophisticated travellers cruised the Nile. Fitted out in colonial style with oriental and Egyptian touches, they have six individually designed cabins thus producing low impact on the environment and few carbon emissions.
Smaller vessels like the
Royal Clipper have a clear advantage in environmental terms over the mega-ships.
A greener cruise industry could also see a move towards more eco-destinations, like Voyages of Discovery in Antarctica.
Summer 2010 I WORLD OF CRUISING
35
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92