Here’s a little test: Google “cruise ships and the environment” and tell me what pops up on the browser first. Cruise liners discussing the breathtaking views you’ll see while you sail off to Alaska? Or perhaps pictures of the vibrant reefs seen while scuba diving in the Bahamas? Sure these both fit the description, but most likely you’ll see something along the lines of “cruise ships worse for the environment than airplanes” or my personal favorite “cruise ships and environment: oxymoron?” The truth is, cruises are notorious for causing prodigious damage on ecosystems. Harboring boats pollute and destroy sensitive reefs and thousands of pounds of human waste and grey water are illegally dumped into international waters—nearly 170,000 gallons daily.1 So how bad is it? And what are liners doing to straighten their acts out?
The Damage
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, cruise ships are responsible for a quarter of the ocean’s pollution.2 Included in this aberrant alloy are harmful chemicals from photo processing, paints, human waste, grease, medical waste, and other toxic substances. And the majority of the pollution is dumped illegally because the process and costs associated with proper waste disposal are arguably too steep for companies to voluntarily pay on a regular basis.3 So instead, the liners hush-hushly let it all out in international waters, where they are less likely to get caught and less likely to get sued. In 2002, USA Today did a piece highlighting the rocky history of cruise boats and the coast of Miami, where they reportedly have some of the highest instances of cruise dockings in the nation.4 The coast guard managed to catch and fine multiple companies—including Norwegian, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean—millions of dollars for their dumping offenses. Later, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) even discovered that the previously issued fines were not enough to cover the damage. http://cruisejunkie.com/ has a detailed history of the cruise industry’s fines, at least those that were caught by the government and shown on public record.5
But it is about more than just polluting the world’s waters, it is about what kind of damage they are committing without a second thought. Coral reefs are one of the most revered sights of cruise ship passengers, yet these large boats constantly put the ecosystems at risk by running into them with hulls and anchors when coming ashore.6 In the Caribbean and the Bahamas—two of the most popular cruise destinations in the world—a new disease called White Pox is causing significant damage to reefs. The source? Bacteria from human waste released into the ocean.7
That same bacteria from human waste harms the majority of marine life, provoking death and sickness. Even if you aren’t a whale or dolphin lover, take heed, sewage dumped into oceans spreads diseases like cholera that are transferred via feces. If you eat the fish, some bacterial passages are passed onto you, the consumer.8 Plus, when too many nutrients are disposed of in one area, it can cause eutrophication, catapulting the algae population and ultimately killing all life beneath it.9 See a full list of damage here: http://www.gdrc.org/oceans/marine-pollution.html.
Laws that Aim to Protect, find a Common Ground
States are aware of the damage that heffer boats can cause so many have passed laws banning cruise ships from dumping a certain number of miles offshore. California is one of the strictest states, having banned any waste disposal and use of a ship’s incinerator within state waters (up to three miles offshore) in 2005.10 2006 marked Alaska’s year for pollution prevention, charging a $50 tax per passenger and requiring boats to keep a stringent monitoring system of their environmental performance, as well as enforcing stricter purification standards for grey water.11 Maine and Florida have passed similar laws.12
Green Cruise
Many cruise ships claim to be environmentally friend, but almost none deliver on their promises. Celebrity Cruise introduced a ship with solar panels, a top level with grass, glazed windows to insulate and save heating costs (passive solar design), and used LED lights.13 But passengers have reported that this eco-sounding adventure is in fact a scam. Grass on the roof looks green but it is only so in color, actually costing energy to maintain its appearance, and there are not near enough solar panels to support the type of energy this monstrous boat uses.14
Many other liners have similar claims of eco-friendly behavior: American West Steamboat Company, International Expeditions, and World Explorer Cruises.15 Whether they match their hype, I’m not sure. But it is nice to see an environmentally notorious industry trying to change its ways.
