Can the cruise industry be more sustainable?

This article was originally published in English

Since travel resumed after the pandemic, cruises have made a strong comeback. This rebirth has revived the debate about its environmental impact and the pressure on the most popular destinations.

In 2023, cruise travel surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2019, recording 31.7 million passengers, according to the State of the Industry Report 2024 from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

With 84% of baby boomers and Gen Xers and 81% of millennials planning to return to sea, cruising remains a dominant and enduring travel option. However, industry leaders still need to work to respond to the concerns of passengers regarding sustainability.

Cruise ban in dozens of overwhelmed destinations

The cruise industry travels to all parts of the world, including Antarctica. However, some ports have responded to cruise guests by imposing tourist taxes, limiting the number of ships in port or banning them from docking altogether.

Venice banned cruise ships from docking in its port. Many cruise lines still offer “Venetian” itineraries, but now dock in nearby cities, such as Trieste or Ravenna, and take passengers into the city by coach.

Juneau, the capital of alaskafaces overwhelming cruise traffic during its short season. The city, which receives 1.6 million visitors a yearplans to limit the number of daily cruise passengers in 2026.

Santorini, a Greecereceives more cruise passengers than its population can support, which has led local authorities to limit the number of ships that can dock daily. On this popular Greek island, cruise passengers often encounter tension from locals, even with just one ship in port.

Cruise passengers increasingly suffer the wrath of locals fed up with overtourism, as residents greet the ships with protests and chants. In extreme cases, such as in Barcelona, citizens spray tourists with waterforcing them to abandon the city’s main attractions.

Recently, the inhabitants of Amsterdam protested and prevented the docking of the cruise Royal Caribbean World Cup, which lasted nine months, blocking the locks that the ship had to use to enter the port.

Cruise ships damage waterways and ecosystems

In addition to contributing to excessive tourism, those who oppose cruises claim that this sector destroys the planet with its high emissions and damages waterways and reef systems. They are concerned that with more and larger ships, environmental damage will increase.

“I wouldn’t go on a cruise for several reasons,” says Emese Maczko, owner of Eco Lodges Everywhere. “These megaships have a huge environmental footprint and are overwhelming small destinations,” he added.

How are cruise ships becoming more sustainable?

One way for cruise lines to make their type of tourism more sustainable is to stagger their arrivals to frequently crowded ports. The itineraries can limit the number of boats in the same port by scheduling arrivals on different days or spending less time in port.

In Mykonos, for example, boats stagger their arrival times: one docks in the early morning and another in the afternoon. This strategy reduces overcrowding and allows cruise passengers to discover popular destinations.

Some cruise lines they buy islands and they incorporate these stops into their most popular itineraries. It is planned that 10 destinations owned by airlines will open in the next two years. cruises and five new private islands or beach clubs.

Some of the most popular private islands are located in the Bahamaswhere cruise passengers enjoy crystal-clear waters and white sand. Disney It now has two private stops: Castaway Cay and Lookout Cay, at Lighthouse Point. Carnival Corporation owns Half Moon Cay and Princess Cay, and plans to open Celebration Key in July 2025.

Royal Caribbean offers its popular private island, Perfect Day at Coco Cay, on most Bahamas itineraries. It is one of the favorite stops for cruise passengers, and some passengers select their itineraries specifically to visit it.

Virgin Voyagesthe adults-only cruise line owned by Richard Branson, doesn’t have an entire island, instead offering a beach club option on Bimini, a Bahamian island chain east of Miami.

Working to reduce its ecological impact in the future

The CLIA highlights the goal of many cruise lines to have net zero emissions in 2050. To achieve this, cruise lines have invested in technological advances aimed at reducing their environmental footprint.

Some are being carried out 32 pilot projects and collaborative initiatives with fuel producers and engine companies to test sustainable fuels and technologies.

In your 2023 reportCLIA outlines several key initiatives to make cruise travel a form of tourism sustainable in the years to come. With advanced systems wastewater treatment (AWTS)CLIA cruise lines commit not to discharge raw sewage during regular operations.

Some cruise lines also use advanced infrastructure to produce up to 90% of its water on board, which reduces the need to take water from areas with limited resources.

To reduce the impact on marine lifeCLIA members must reduce speeds in sensitive areas and use technology to reduce underwater noise and vibrations. Some vessels also host scientists to support marine life research.

There are cruise ships that reuse all waste: They take advantage of excess heat from machinery to heat water and reduce food waste with biodigesters.

As for the fuels Greener, ships with flexible propulsion systems will be able to adapt to bioLNG, synthetic LNG or methanol when they become more available.