Greener Ships Release the Inner Cruiser

Cruise ships have long been the environmental behemoths of the travel world — they spew three times the carbon of airplanes and dump toxic waste water into the world’s oceans. Even before factoring in a flight to the departure port, the cruise-going passenger has a Yeti-sized carbon footprint.

So the news that there are now seven green(ish) cruise ships plying the seven seas comes as a relief to those of us who haven’t allowed ourselves the indulgence of eating shrimp cocktail in a rocking dining room with portholes. With the list of socially responsible boats in hand, I’m giving this cruising business a second look.

Which one to choose? Celebrity Solstice has installed solar panels and low-flow shower heads. Disney Cruises, on the other hand, was first out of the gates with an innovation that makes its ships more aerodynamic; a non-toxic coating applied to the hull cuts down on drag and saves energy.

Then there’s Royal Caribbean, which is running in part on bio-diesel — the company has been purchasing millions of tons of the stuff for years now. And don’t forget Lindblad Expeditions, which serves local food on board and limits the menu to sustainably harvested seafood. (They’ve stopped offering shrimp altogether because they aren’t satisfied with any provider — so much for my shrimp cocktail!)

My personal favorite green cruising development, however, is Norwegian Cruise Line’s policy of giving the ship’s used cooking oil to the farmers in port. Come July you may just find me on the poop deck.