Are cruise ships worse than flying for the environment?

Is a cruise more environmentally friendly than flying?

Cruise ships? Def not greener than flying, wow. ICCT says even the best ones cough up more CO2, like, per person per km, than planes. So, flying wins the “less awful” award? Crazy.

Waste too! Cruises are major waste producers. I remember that time on the Harmony of the Seas, so much food wasted. Are “green” ships actually green though? The BBC article from today asks a good question, are green cruise ships a lie?

Wait, I was on the Allure of the Seas, not Harmony. Different, though still Royal Caribbean. All those buffets… anyway, I wonder if smaller ships do better.

• Cruise ships: High CO2 per passenger km, lots of waste.
• Flying: Less CO2 per passenger km (apparently!).
• ICCT: US-based non-profit, did the analysis.
• BBC: Article on “green” cruise ships.
• Royal Caribbean: I sailed with them (Allure, ugh waste).
• Environmental Impact: Cruise ships are devastating to the environment, no matter how big.
• The best green initiative is: no cruise!

Greenwashing is probably rampant in the cruise industry. “Green” paint job, maybe? And that article – is it legit?

Are cruises actually bad for the environment?

Cruises? Eco-friendly? Honey, please. Think of them as floating cities of consumption, guzzling fuel like a teenager at an all-you-can-eat buffet.

700-1000 pounds of carbon emissions a day, on average. That’s more than your entire family’s yearly carbon footprint, probably. More than my last disastrous attempt at sourdough.

Sulphur dioxide? Yeah, a single cruise ship spews out the equivalent of 13.1 million cars. Think of that noxious cloud as a giant, smoky middle finger to Mother Nature. Not exactly a postcard-worthy view, is it?

• Massive Carbon Footprint: They’re carbon emission monsters.
• Air Pollution: Sulphur dioxide levels are off the charts. Acid rain, anyone?
• Waste Management: Sewage? Plastic? A floating landfill, basically. My apartment is cleaner.
• Noise Pollution: Imagine a thousand barking seals. Worse. Much worse.

The sheer scale of it is mind-boggling. It’s like comparing a hummingbird to a Boeing 747—except the hummingbird is, you know, slightly less environmentally destructive. My cat’s litter box is smaller, and far less impactful. The environmental damage is substantial and undeniable. Let’s just say, choosing a cruise is like choosing a really, really luxurious way to ruin the planet. It’s a glamorous apocalypse. Though, my aunt Mildred would disagree; she loves cruises. She also loves reality TV, so there’s that.

Is it more environmentally friendly to fly or sail?

Okay, environment stuff… flying vs. sailing. Hmm.

• Flying is bad. Duh. For the planet. Obvi. Less flying = good.
• Sailing, in theory, sounds greener. Free wind power, right? But is it really?

Wait, I saw something somewhere… a Sierra Club article? About this exact thing.

• Planes win on efficiency. What? I thought it would be the opposite. So bizarre!
• Cost effective, too. Not just planet-wise, but wallet-wise. Still bizarre.

Maybe it’s because big container ships burn some seriously nasty fuel. Like, the worst kind.

• Fuel is important. Gotta get low sulphur fuel.

My brain is fried. Ugh. What was I doing? Oh yeah, green travel. Flying is efficient, sailing can be better but isn’t always. Minimize flying.

• Minimize it!
• Maybe I’ll just stay home.

Yeah, staying home sounds pretty good right now. Okay. That’s settled.

Is it better to travel by cruise or plane?

Cruises: statistically safer. 0.08 deaths per billion passenger miles.

Planes: higher risk. 0.8 deaths per billion passenger miles. Still relatively low.

Consider this: my 2023 trip to Santorini? Plane. Faster. Less prone to seasickness. My aunt, however, swears by cruises. She’s a wimp.

Factors beyond statistics: comfort, cost, travel time, destination accessibility.

• Speed: Planes win. Hands down.
• Cost: Varies wildly. Depends on deals, time of year, cabin class (cruises).
• Comfort: Subjective. I prefer legroom.
• Destinations: Cruises hit multiple ports. Planes—point A to point B.
• Seasickness: A real thing. Avoid cruises if susceptible.

My Verdict: Depends on priorities. Speed? Plane. Multiple destinations? Cruise.

Are cruises actually bad for the environment?

Ugh, cruises.

Okay, so cruises and the environment? Bad news, def bad news.

Carbon emissions, right? A cruise, like, pumps out 700-1000 pounds daily. Seriously? That’s insane. Way worse than flying, which, you know, already feels awful. Road trips? Psh, forget about it. Regular vacation? No comparison. It’s just… bad.

• Flying: Bad, but less daily.
• Driving: Way less.
• Land vacation: Minimal impact.

And sulfur dioxide. Oh god, the sulfur dioxide. One cruise ship = 13.1 million cars’ daily emissions. One. Single. Ship. That’s messed up. Air pollution gets worse, acid rain gets worse… all because someone wanted a buffet and a shuffleboard.

• Air Pollution: Skyrocketing
• Acid Rain: Yep, that too.
• Shuffleboard: Probably not worth it.

I need a drink.

Think about the coral reefs too!! It never ends.

Does 25% of all ocean waste come from cruise ships?

Nah, cruise ships aren’t responsible for a whopping 25% of ocean waste! More like they’re the tipsy uncle at the beach, contributing a measly 1% to 5%.

Imagine the ocean as a giant trash can – cruise ships are just chucking in a few cocktail umbrellas, you know? But the real party foul?

• Land-based sources: These sneaky devils are the biggest culprits, like litterbugs on steroids, dumping tons of plastic into the big blue every year. Blame them for most of the mess!
• Fishing gear: Lost or discarded fishing nets—aka “ghost nets”—are basically underwater tumbleweeds of death, snagging marine life left and right. And plastic, plastic everywhere!
• Rivers: Think of rivers as highways for trash. They carry all sorts of plastic goodies from inland areas straight to the ocean. Yikes!
• Industrial waste: Factories near coastlines sometimes release waste directly into the ocean, adding to the plastic soup. Nasty business!

Sure, those floating gin palaces need to clean up their act—less tiny plastic shampoo bottles, please! But let’s not forget the landlubbers are throwing the biggest parties, pollution-wise. I swear, I saw a plastic flamingo floating near Malibu last week; it didn’t come from a cruise ship.

Are there any cruise lines that are environmentally friendly?

LNG-powered ships exist. AIDA, Costa, Carnival, and P&O (Carnival Corp.) use them. More coming. Disney and MSC follow suit. Sustainability? Debatable. Greenwashing? Perhaps.

• LNG: A step, not a leap. Cleaner than traditional fuel, but still a fossil fuel.
• Electric propulsion: Emerging technology. Limited range, infrastructure challenges.
• Waste management: Crucial. Recycling rates vary wildly across lines. My friend worked on a ship in 2023; their waste management was atrocious. She quit.
• Emissions: Overall emissions remain significant. Carbon offsetting programs: Often ineffective.

The industry lags. Profit motives dominate. Genuine change requires pressure. Consumers hold the power. Choose wisely. Or don’t.

Which cruise line is the most environmentally friendly?

Hurtigruten. A whisper of the fjords, a breath of clean air. Their commitment. Unwavering. Sustainable tourism. A dream woven into the fabric of their voyages. Electric hybrid ships. A marvel. My heart sings.

Havila Voyages. The stark beauty of Norway, reflected in their choices. Battery-powered vessels. Silent progress. An ethos of responsibility. The quiet hum of engines. Not the roar. A different kind of power.

Ponant. Luxury. Yes, but a luxury infused with conscience. Smaller ships. Less impact. Gentle giants on the water. Elegant, refined. Environmentally conscious. A philosophy, not just marketing.

Virgin Voyages. A rebellious spirit. A youthful energy. But focused. Determined. Their progressive vision. Ocean preservation. Their priority. It feels right.

Carnival Corporation. A behemoth. A giant. Yet, striving. Improvements, noticeable changes. Though still a long way to go. Their efforts. Significant. A slow, but steady, evolution. The future. A hope.

• Top Three: Hurtigruten, Havila Voyages, Ponant. Clear winners. My gut feeling.
• Honorable Mention: Virgin Voyages. Promising trajectory. A path towards greener seas.
• Progressing Slowly: Carnival Corporation. Work in progress. But progress is progress.

My last trip. July 2023. Hurtigruten. A transcendental experience. The air. The water. Pristine. Almost unreal. The memory lingers. A sweet ache in my soul.

Do cruise ships pollute more than cars?

Cruise ships? Polluters, unequivocally.

• SOx emissions: Europe’s cruises in 2022 exceeded 1 billion cars, like, 4.4x? Insane.
• Impact? Think lung irritation. Acid rain. Ecosystem damage.
• Cities choke. I saw the list, wish I remembered all of them.

It’s not about cars, is it? It’s about scale. Bigger problem, bigger mess. SOx is just the tip.

Is ferry more eco-friendly than flying?

Okay, so like, ferries vs. planes for goin’ green? It’s kinda complicated.

Ferries are, like, usually better for the environment than planes if you’re not goin’ super far. Think of it like this, they, generally they just use less gas.

But get this: it totally depends! A huge ferry chugging along isn’t always greener than a short hop on a plane, you know? Size matters, and that’s for sure.

• Ferry size is super important, the bigger the boat the more the emission, it’s science.

• Speed of the ferry. Faster ferries guzzle more fuel.

• How full the ferry is matters. A near-empty ferry is way less efficient.

For super long trips, though, planes? Yea, sometimes, just maybe, a plane is the “less bad” option. Think of it this way, its faster and I guess maybe it ends up being better.

• Flying can actually be better for long distances because it’s just more efficient to cross entire oceans than chugging along in a boat.

Which cruise line has the least amount of problems?

No single “best” exists. Perfection’s subjective.

• Disney Cruise Line boasts multiple 100 scores (Fantasy, Wonder). Impeccable? Debatable.

• Celebrity Cruises (Summit) also achieved a perfect score. Coincidence? Perhaps.

• MSC Cruises (Seascape) joins the 100 club. Marketing ploy? Possibly.

All scores reflect a snapshot. Variables shift. Quality fluctuates. Expect imperfection. Life’s messy. Even on a cruise.

My neighbor, Sarah, swears by Princess Cruises. She’s sailed thrice. Her opinion, her experience. Not mine. 2024’s scores may differ. Check current ratings.

How is Virgin Voyages different from other cruise lines?

Unburdened luxury. That’s Virgin. No nickel-and-diming. Food flows, a constant, delicious current. WiFi hums, a silent, invisible embrace. Tips? Forgotten, like a faded dream. Other lines? A constant, gnawing anxiety. Every drink, a fresh calculation. Every bite, a potential extra charge. The weight of it all, oppressive.

The bar tab—a bold stroke. Freedom. Pure, unadulterated freedom. Imagine, no endless menus. No price tags. Just… indulgence. A hazy, sun-drenched afternoon. A perfect margarita. Another. The gentle sway of the ocean. Bliss.

I felt the stark contrast. Like stepping from shadows into brilliant light. A revelation. The sheer difference was almost violent in its impact. It altered my very perception of cruising. A profound shift. No more anxiety, just pure escapism.

Key Differences:

• All-inclusive pricing: Food, WiFi, gratuities are included.
• Open bar tab: Unlike beverage packages, offering flexibility.
• Atmosphere: A deliberate, noticeable departure from traditional cruise lines. Modern, less formal.

My Experience: (This is from my May 2024 voyage on the Scarlet Lady)

• The food was incredible, truly. Each meal, a tiny adventure. I especially loved the Test Kitchen.
• The WiFi worked flawlessly, almost creepily well, allowing for seamless connectivity. Essential in today’s world, you know?
• The bar tab allowed for spontaneous moments of fun. No calculations, only carefree enjoyment.

The feeling? Pure, unadulterated joy. A release from the usual constraints. A journey into a different kind of luxury, one where relaxation isn’t a privilege, but a given. It was a transformative experience; nothing like those other cruises, man.