New Wave 2024

NewWave

RESPONSIBLY SAILING OUR OCEANS & RIVERS

WELCOME TO COUNTRY

Cruise lines partner with First Nations + SEVEN WAYS TRAVEL HELPS COMMUNITIES + FIRST-EVER NET-ZERO CRUISE

OUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY

RUNS DEEP

Our purpose is to deliver unforgettable happiness to our guests by providing extraordinary cruise vacations, while honouring the integrity of every ocean we sail, place we visit and life we touch.

Carnival Corporation & plc’s 14th annual global sustainability report shows our commitment to leading the way in sustainable cruising, by promoting positive climate action, partnering with the communities we sail to and from, and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.

The big picture involves supporting the development of sustainable enterprises that can share the economic value of cruising, including investing directly in local communities.

When Seabourn Pursuit arrived in WA’s stunning Kimberley region in June, the ship made history in more ways than one. In a cruise industry first, Seabourn named the Wunambal Gaambera Traditional Owners as Godparents of the new ultra-luxury expedition ship. For the first time, traditional owners will be able to showcase their culture and art to cruise guests from around the world. This was a dream years in the making, with Seabourn helping the Traditional Owners develop a sustainable tourism plan.

Carnival Cruise Line is making a meaningful difference to communities in their homeport cities of Sydney and Brisbane, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to help families with sick children needing hospital care.

Princess Cruises guests have supported conservation and culture projects in New Zealand; safeguarding kiwis and other native birds in the Bay of Islands and recently further expanded its efforts to support building habitat for an emerging Blue Penguin colony in Otago and the preservation of the last major yellow-eye penguin colony on the mainland of New Zealand.

P&O Cruises Australia helps ProMedical Vanuatu provide emergency care and save lives through its guest-funded Pacific Partnership program.

From Australia to New Zealand and around the South Pacific, our crew and guests are constantly reminded of our incredible planet, and our shared responsibility to protect it. It’s a responsibility we take very seriously. That’s why we work hard to lead the way in sustainable cruising.

We’re making meaningful progress towards our 2030 goals.

One standout achievement is our 10% reduction in total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2023 compared to our peak in 2011, despite growing guest capacity by 30+% during that time.

Ultimately, sustainability is about partnerships working together to achieve the best for our communities and for the planet.

Protecting the marine environment is central to everything we do. It’s fundamental to our business.

You can read more about our commitment to the planet at www.carnivalsustainability.com

CLIA cruise lines globally have committed to net-zero emissions by 2050 – in line with the Paris Agreement and International Maritime Organization – and have been taking direct action towards this for some time. As a result, the latest ships being launched today are among the cleanest and most efficient to have ever sailed. With each new launch comes greater efficiencies, new technologies and new environmental advances.

Looking further ahead, cruise lines are mounting pilot projects and joint ventures to perfect the next generation of fuels and propulsion systems, which will achieve even greater benefits tomorrow. In cooperation with fuel producers and engine manufacturers, they are pursuing sustainable energy sources. There are ships already sailing today with the capability to use low-emission fuels with little modification – once these fuels become available at scale.

We also need investment on land to ensure sustainable fuels are available worldwide – not just for cruise, but for the entire maritime sector. We need collaboration among cruise lines, ports, destinations, governments and suppliers to achieve this, and so CLIA is working with stakeholders globally to build momentum.

BACKING SUSTAINABILITY WITH action Contents

4/ Helping hands

How the cruise industry is supporting eco efforts.

6/ Sharing Kimberley Country Seabourn has become the first cruise line to appoint Traditional Owners as godparents of a ship.

10/ Meet the game changers

Three experts are working to change the future of cruising – in very different ways.

12/ Crowd control

Cruise lines are collaborating with communities to combat fears of “over-tourism”.

Cruise lines are also placing an increasing importance on destination stewardship and the benefits that cruise tourism can bring to local communities. That means finding solutions to concerns arising around overtourism. To put things in perspective, cruise represents less than two per cent of world tourism.

Importantly, cruise offers many advantages over other areas of travel. It is planned tourism, scheduled years in advance, which means destinations and cruise lines can work together to manage visitation and dispersal, while maximising economic benefits. There are already agreements and initiatives in destinations such as Dubrovnik, the Balearics, France, Greece and Alaska to support the responsible management of cruise tourism.

On the following pages, learn more about what cruise lines are doing in sustainability and destination stewardship – initiatives aimed at our air, our waters, on land, and in the destinations we visit. With the help of our wider cruise community, we’re working to make cruising a sustainable and positive contributor for generations to come.

Joel Katz Managing Director Australasia, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)

16/ Local partnerships Ponant works together with Indigenous in the Kimberley.

18/ Green light for cruising Zero emissions by 2050 is an achievable goal for the cruise industry.

22/ Charting a course for change Green statistics in cruise.

24/ Waste not How cruise lines reduce their environmental impact.

26/ Take action Citizen science and onshore conservation give cruisers a chance to do their bit.

28/ On message, off ship Taking sustainability from ship to shore.

30/ What’s for dinner? Cruise lines are switching to more sustainable foods.

32/ Greening blue rivers River cruise lines act to conserve and protect.

New Wave is published by Big Splash Media Pty Ltd in partnership with Cruise Lines International Association Australasia. All rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. Opinions expressed are those of the individual contributors and are not necessarily shared by the publisher. All reasonable efforts have been made to ensure information is correct at time of going to press. Any advice is of a general nature and information should be checked with a CLIA travel agent before booking cruise holidays. © Big Splash Media Pty Ltd bigsplashmedia.com.au

This magazine is printed on sustainable paper stock using inks created from natural substances.

Helping hands

Cruise lines are joining forces with aid and conservation agencies to support sustainability and humanitarian efforts in destinations they visit. Here are just a few examples.

3.

Youth scholarships

Heritage Expeditions’ True Young Explorer Scholarships give young people the opportunity to experience the Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand and Australia, the Kimberley and the Ross Sea. The line fundraises for and delivers school supplies to remote communities and islands in the South Pacific with Learning Resources for Villages, and hosts an Artist in Residence program to promote the significance of the Southern Ocean.

4.

Career mentorship

1.

A Fijian clean up

As part of a major partnership with global clean-up campaign Take 3 For The Sea, Norwegian Cruise Line recently organised a complimentary beach clean-up series as part of Norwegian Spirit’s local season, kicking off with its first-ever clean-up excursion at Wailoaloa Beach in Fiji. The event saw a huge turnout, with over 84 participants, including 64 Norwegian Spirit guests and crew, as well as members of the Tourism Fiji team and other local volunteers. Together, they successfully collected more than 514 kilograms of rubbish, including 447 plastic bottles and 851 pieces of plastic.

2.

New Mercy ship

MSC Foundation has agreed to an anchor donation for the construction of a new ship for the charity Mercy Ships International that will deliver free surgery and training annually to thousands of people in Africa. Since Mercy Ships was founded in 1978, the organisation has provided more than 117,000 transformational specialised surgical procedures. Mercy Ships, a non-governmental organisation, is also committed to boosting the capacities of local healthcare systems, including training more than 54,300 local professionals. Expanding its fleet with a new purpose-built hospital ship will allow Mercy Ships to increase its capacity to collaborate with host nations in training and advocacy.

Carnival Cruise Line offers a unique mentoring program in partnership with the Miami Heat and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Through this initiative, more than 90 high school graduates from the Miami Heat Academy for at-risk youth are paired with members of Carnival’s management team, giving them a firsthand look at the business world.

5.

Natural wonders

Paul Gauguin Cruises’ Moana Explorer Program, created in partnership with Te Mana O Te Moana, gives young adventurers aged seven to 15 the chance to explore the natural wonders of French Polynesia. Through a blend of fun and educational activities, children dive into rich marine life, create ocean-inspired art and immerse themselves in the local culture. The complimentary program not only makes learning an adventure but also fosters a deep appreciation for the environment.

6.

Juneau rescue

Norwegian Cruise Line has rallied to support the residents of Juneau, the capital of Alaska, after the worst flood in the town’s history. The unprecedented flooding was triggered by the release of water from the Mendenhall Glacier and caused widespread destruction, inundating homes and displacing numerous residents. Norwegian Cruise Line donated US$50,000 to the Juneau Community Foundation to support a newly established fund aimed at providing financial assistance for needs.

7.

Supporting Macquarie Island

The Ponant Foundation has pledged an annual grant to the Macquarie Island Conservation Foundation, becoming a major supporter of its science and research initiatives aimed at understanding the impact of climate change on Macquarie Island and ecosystem recovery after pest eradication.

We’re used to seeing Hollywood stars smash champagne bottles over the bows of new ships at glittering naming ceremonies. But when the luxury adventure vessel Seabourn Pursuit was christened in the Kimberley on her first season, it was also a highly significant first. The Wunambal Gaambera Traditional Owners were named as godparents and the ceremony relied on traditional dance and song.

On the surface, this gracious gesture seems a small step. But it also marks the start of a much bigger attempt to allow the Traditional Owners fuller participation in an industry that brings millions to the Kimberley every year.

Seabourn is the first cruise line to appoint Traditional Owners as godparents of a ship. The region is enjoying its busiest season ever. But as more luxury vessels sail this very special Australian adventure destination, one important element has hitherto been missing.

Owners have struggled to find a way to define their role in the potential that tourism brings to their land. Seabourn has helped facilitate something of a breakthrough. An Aboriginal corporation has joined a new initiative launched to open a multimillion-dollar centre for Indigenous art and culture. It will allow the owners to stay on their land through the seasons, build the centre and develop sustainable ways in which their traditional art and culture can not only be kept alive but also become part of a thriving business for future generations.

A CRUISE LINE HAS GIVEN FIRST NATION OWNERS A REAL STAKE IN THE KIMBERLEY’S TOURISM BOOM, REPORTS PETER LYNCH.

Sharing Kimberley Country

As anyone who has visited the Kimberley knows, contact with the Indigenous owners is a wonderful but all too rare event. This project will go some way to changing that. The first stage is being part-funded by Seabourn and the State Government of WA.

Paspaley, the famous pearl company that has recently launched its own ship, is making an in-kind contribution of mother-of-pearl shells to be used for the art project.

The centre will be open to all cruise lines to take guests to the facility. This will ensure there are enough clients to make it a truly sustainable business.

The initiative was nurtured by Carnival Group Australia senior destination director Michael Mihajlov, who has a history of forming bonds with indigenous groups. He helped forge the tourism partnerships that opened up Papua New Guinea to cruising.

“I’ve been working on this particular project for many years. So, it’s been a bit of a dream come true to have a small ship able to access some of these remote communities in Kimberley,” he says.

Mihajlov visited enclosed communities many times to obtain the necessary permissions. It took a while to convince the local people, and he found showing the community pictures of the work he had done in PNG helped explain what they had to gain. He formed WhatsApp groups and watched as optimism grew.

He is keen to point out that much of the work was already done by the Wunambal Gaambera people, who have a Healthy Country Plan and visitor passes and were keen to develop a way in which tourism could work for future generations and sustain their lands. Their history is fascinating.

“We, the Wunambal Gaambera people are saltwater and freshwater people,” states their website, wunambalgaambera.org.au. “Our ancestors have lived and travelled this Country for thousands and thousands of years. We continue the tradition of our old people, living and looking after our Country … Wunambal Gaambera Country, in the far north Kimberley, is the only place in the world where we can make our life. We need to make sure our Country stays healthy for us to

All the groups up there have a very, very common vision to be back on Country, managing Country, connecting with Country and having a livelihood from their Country.

build businesses and livelihoods for our families and future generations. We need to teach our law and culture to our young people on Country. If our Country is healthy, we are healthy.”

Mihajlov says they wanted to create a tourismfocused business. “It’s absolutely the aspiration. All the groups up there have a very, very common vision to be back on Country, managing Country, connecting with Country and having a livelihood from their Country.”

He adds: “They have their own Healthy Country Plan which maps out very clearly their vision for them getting back to their Country, being able to tell traditional stories on Country, authentic stories, and being able to actually live particularly in the dry season on their Country. So a lot of the work’s been done by them.”

Indeed, the Healthy Country Plan’s vision would resonate anywhere on our planet. Its principles include:

• Our people will secure sustainable livelihoods on and from our Country.

• We will be looking after our Country in the way of our Wanjina Wunggurr Law.

• We will be living on and making business from our Country.

• We will be protecting and sharing our cultural places as our traditional Law says.

• We will be using our traditional knowledge and Western science to care for our Country so that no plants and animals are lost.

Mihajlov explains that a dry-season camp was mapped out by local people in two stages: the first is a visitor centre with a reception area where they can display art and welcome guests; the second is to have accommodation where people can live through the dry country on a rotational basis, where they can then meet guests coming ashore and tell their traditional stories.

“In between seasons, they can be on their Country and actually learn some of the lost traditions, some of the lost technology, particularly developing log rafts, and reignite some of those cultures, some of those customs that have been lost.”

Clockwise, from left: Wunambal Gaambera smoking ceremony to welcome Seabourn Pursuit; the celebrations on Jar Island, WA; the ship’s passengers out on Zodiacs.

Mihajlov says the ideas definitely came from the local people – but Carnival helped kickstart the project.

“Having private sector commit some amount of funding has definitely been a trigger to releasing broader funding from other sources, government sources,” he says. “It’s a model that we’ve tried and it’s true, when the private sector puts skin in the game it works.”

Most importantly, the cruise industry can commit to delivering customers. Scheduling cruise calls from all lines provides certainty that the infrastructure will be used.

“That’s the important part of this story – government can’t control the market, but they can build the stuff. But it risks becoming a white elephant unless private sector commits to using it,” says Mihajlov. He says the project is a Seabourn initiative which ties in with Carnival Australia’s Reconciliation Action Plan, which is all about developing positive relationships with Indigenous communities.

And to start the program, Indigenous storytellers will be on board Seabourn sailings telling traditional stories.

“Long-term, our vision is we would love to have guides actually coming on board, driving Zodiacs, we’d love to do all those things. But it’s going to be one step at a time as you know, this development game takes time. By next year, we anticipate every time we go there, we’ll be greeted by Traditional Owners. There will be a smoking ceremony. And there will be a visitor area where local artists will be able to display their artwork.

“Then guests will be co-guided with our guides and local Traditional Owners to the cave sites where they will have an interpretation of the artwork and then they’ll be able to return to the beach. They will spend time interacting with Traditional Owners, primarily the artists at the site, and then they’ll return to the ship.”

Ironically, when Mihajlov asked local people about how cruising in the Kimberley was portrayed, they were most upset that their land was often referred to as a “wilderness experience”. “Their message to me was that wilderness suggests no one lives here. But they said: ‘We live here!’ They said they want visitors to have a cultural experience.

“That was the catalyst for starting this conversation and really shifting the focus from the Kimberley being about wilderness to the Kimberley being about learning about an ancient culture.” •

CULTURAL EXCHANGE

The cruise companies forging connections with local communities.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN CELEBRATES ALASKAN ART

Royal Caribbean Group has launched two new initiatives to enrich the guest experience through art. Through the Local Onboard Program, presented by Voyij, Alaskan artists are invited to conduct authentic cultural workshops on their ships. These sessions allow guests to connect with the local community and learn about Alaska Native cultures through dance, storytelling, photography and more. Additionally, the Artist Discovery Program commissions emerging artists to bring their native cultures to life on board.

AURORA EXPEDITIONS AND THE INUIT

Shifting

the focus from the Kimberley being about wilderness to the Kimberley being about learning about an ancient culture.

Aurora Expeditions has partnered with Oxen Network’s Community Ambassador Program to bring local Inuit guides on select Arctic itineraries. This partnership not only enhances the guest experience but also provides economic and social benefits to Inuit communities. In 2023, the program is set to expand, with up to 16 Community Ambassadors participating in eight separate expedition voyages, potentially generating more than US$100,000 in economic benefits.

UNIWORLD SUPPORTS ACCESS TO CLEAN, SAFE WATER

Uniworld partners with WE Charity to provide the Kanambu village of Ecuador with clean water to drink and use for cooking, healthy sanitation facilities and infrastructure like irrigation systems to facilitate food production. The charity is building a water treatment centre as well as establishing a committee to maintain the project and ensure community mobilisation and training.

PACIFIC PARALYMPICS PARTNERSHIPS

Earlier this year, P&O Cruises Australia’s Pacific Encounter visited Vanuatu donating 400 kit bags filled with thousands of items for the country’s Paralympics team. The kits were filled with sporting equipment, training gear and shoes donated by Paralympics Australia and included stock from the Australian Paralympic Team’s previous campaigns. Through its guestfunded Pacific Partnerships program, P&O Cruises Australia also supports the Vanuatu Women’s Beach Volleyball team.

The Wunambal Gaambera Traditional Owners named Seabourn Pursuit

Meet the

game changers

LUCY

JONES TALKS TO THREE PIONEERS

WORKING ON THE FRONTLINES OF SUSTAINABILITY TO CHANGE THE FACE OF THE CRUISE INDUSTRY.

MARCOS GOLDIN

Geologist and Citizen Science Coordinator for Aurora Expeditions

Sailing to the most remote and pristine destinations in the world comes with a great responsibility. Aurora Expeditions gets its passengers involved in citizen science programs that provide invaluable data and create new ambassadors for protecting the planet.

What can guests expect on a citizen science project?

Our citizen science program is available for all passengers, and we encourage everyone to participate – after all, citizen science is a collective effort! We seamlessly integrate our measurements and observations with our everyday operations, so out on deck, on the water during Zodiac explorations, and even from land, guests will be able to join us and help gather valuable data. We have citizen science activities planned almost every day and we are sure there will be at least one

(or many) projects that will suit anyone’s interest and curiosity.

Why is expedition cruising suited to citizen science?

We are privileged to spend a lot of time in extremely remote areas, where conducting scientific research has very high costs and is often prohibitive for scientists. We have very knowledgeable teams on board, with engaged and well-educated travellers who are willing to utilise their knowledge and time to contribute to science.

Does it really make a difference?

Every season, there are thousands of contributions from travelling passengers logging in, including seabird surveys, cloud observations, whale and seal pictures, phytoplankton sample collections and more. Scientists involved in these projects receive a great amount of data after each

season and rely on that data to continue their research and understanding of these issues. This science generates information that informs the public and policymakers, and it can definitely make a difference. It also enhances travellers’ understanding of the unique regions and ecosystems visited.

Why is sustainability so important for the cruise industry?

Responsible tourism needs not only to respect the destination’s environment but should also aim to make positive contributions. One of those is a contribution to science that will, in time, advance our understanding and protection of these regions. Aurora’s initiatives are an example [where] travel operators have the opportunity to not only participate but lead the way in meaningful change to attitudes and behaviours when it comes to protecting our shared planet. •

JANE CAPORAL

Founder, Administrator and Instructor at Row Venice

Venice is often at the forefront of the debate around overtourism and cruising. Row Venice is a non-profit organisation bucking the trend and taking a different approach to exploring the city’s canals.

A gondola ride is a classic excursion in Venice. How is Row Venice different?

As opposed to a sit-down gondola tour with a guide, we offer you the rare, authentic opportunity to try Venetian rowing yourself with your expert instructor. During our hands-on, interactive lessons you’ll learn this unique rowing style (standing, facing forwards) in a handcrafted traditional Venetian prawn-tailed batella. It’s fluid, relaxing and not strenuous – unless you want it to be!

What inspired you to start Row Venice?

We had many people expressing interest in learning to row Venetian style, but there was no opportunity for visitors to try it. We also saw the potential for a non-profit to sustain the culture and the sport for women. Row Venice has grown steadily since its inception and we now work with over 25 female instructors. We have always been fortunate to have many cruise-ship clients who are keen to discover and help promote the local culture.

How important is sustainability?

The boats and rowing style are inherently sustainable; we even keep small nets in the boats to collect any plastic bottles we may spot in the water during the lesson. Our main focus, however, is to share and promote the traditional style of rowing and the culture surrounding it, which is unique to the city. Visitor patronage helps us to promote and encourage women’s competitive rowing, while also offering these expert rowers an opportunity to use their skills to supplement their income. •

REBECCA JAMES

Senior Environmental Advisor at Fremantle Ports

Cruise ships have complex processes on board to sort and reduce waste, but it can’t always be recycled on shore. With a pilot program in Fremantle and a Churchill Fellowship research project, Rebecca James is finding a better way.

Where does recycling go?

[Under government requirements] in Australia, all shipping waste is deemed biosecurity waste and ends up going to autoclaves and landfill or deep burial landfill. The recycling trials in Fremantle, and now nationally, are aimed at developing a process where recyclables can be inspected and, if cleared of biosecurity risk, sent off for recycling.

How will your research help improve the system?

For my Churchill Fellowship, I will be meeting with port operators, cruise companies and waste-service providers on the ground to observe waste and recycling practices in different regions. I will also be meeting with regulators and policymakers to better understand how incentives and regulatory measures are driving recycling. The idea is to bring all these learnings home to Australia, so they can be shared in the ports industry.

Why did you focus on the cruise industry rather than commercial shipping?

The volumes of waste and potentially recyclable items are significant when you compare what is being generated

The cruise industry has embraced using leading waste technology on board. It is now up to us to enable recovery of these valuable resources.

from a fairly minimal crew on a commercial ship to thousands of passengers and crew on each cruise ship. Secondly, the cruise industry is utilising advanced waste technology on board their vessels such as plastic shredders, cardboard balers, glass crushers and aluminium-can compactors, and segregating their recycling streams well, meaning that these resources can be recovered in ports around the world.

How would you rate the sustainability of the cruise industry overall?

The scale of the cruise industry is enormous and brings with it many benefits. But it needs to continue to work hard on operating sustainably to minimise adverse impacts to the environment and the local communities. I would like to see more focus on “turning off the single-use tap” and reducing consumption of our resources. A good example is Virgin Voyages, which has banned single-use plastics on all its cruise ships.

Do you think the cruise industry would be willing to make changes?

The cruise industry has embraced using leading waste technology on board. It is now up to us to enable recovery of these valuable resources once they land on Australian berths, whilst at the same time ensuring biosecurity risks are adequately managed. Tonnes of recyclables are generated from every cruise ship that visits Australia and so if we can come up with a consistent process as a blueprint for port waste-reception facilities, then the magnitude of what will be diverted from landfill and recovered as valuable resources will be significant. •

From left to right: Aurora Expeditions’ Marcos Goldin at work on the citizen science program; a Row Venice shore excursion; Rebecca James.

Crowdcontrol

THE CRUISE INDUSTRY HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO WORK WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES CONCERNED ABOUT OVERTOURISM. BERNADETTE CHUA REPORTS.

Feast or famine. It’s a phrase that can easily be applied to tourists. One day there aren’t enough, and the next there are too many. When newsreels emerged of Catalunya’s residents spraying cruise and hotel tourists with water pistols along the famous Las Ramblas, for instance, it sparked global headlines.

But that was just one of many protests from across Europe. And what rarely gets reported is that cruise ships bring only about one per cent of visitors – and that cruise lines have been working with governments for years to bring order to visitation.

As any cruiser knows, ship visits are planned years in advance. And unlike coach, rail or road transport, any city planner can accurately predict how many passengers are coming. But because of their visibility, cruise ships get an unfair amount of attention from those trying to keep tourism in check.

Some destinations like Greece are looking to cap cruise-ship visits in places such as Santorini and Mykonos. To be fair, this makes sense and most cruise lines are in favour of a move that will alleviate the towns’ unique problems. Santorini has only one way up from the wharf where passengers land, and a choice of bus, donkey or walk to get to the famed white town above.

Azamara captains are allowed to make last-minute changes to their schedules to avoid ports when they can see too many other cruise ships will be disembarking, revealed a Cruise Passenger article.

In Venice and Amsterdam, where the cruise industry has been working behind the scenes for years to persuade local governments to control the way

From left to right: Many cruisers flock to Alaska to see bears in the wild; the Alaskan city of Juneau is working with cruise lines to limit visitation.

cruise ships arrive in those cities, action is at last being taken in consultation with the industry. What many locals and travellers don’t realise is how much cruise contributes to the local economy. In 2019, with passenger volumes of 29.7 million cruise passengers, the industry contributed US$155 billion to the global economy, 1.2 million jobs worldwide, and US$50 billion in wages.

In June 2024, the Alaskan city of Juneau and cruise lines signed a Memorandum of Agreement to help manage visitor numbers. Cruise lines have agreed to work with a limit of 16,000 berths per day and 12,000 on Saturday to help ease the congestion in the tiny town.

Alaska Public Media reported that Juneau’s City Tourism Manager, Alix Pierce, said: “We do not have a preliminary agreement on a MoA (Memorandum of Agreement) with specific numbers yet but we have agreed to the concept of a daily limit MoA, which is an important step in the right direction.”

In a way, Juneau has provided a template for many other areas. And it is important to remember that, while cruise is only around one per cent of tourism, more effort goes into these

agreements by cruise lines than any other mode of transport. When did you last hear of an airline negotiating with the leaders of a town or city to ensure that their passengers didn’t disrupt the lives of locals?

The conclusion of HBO’s hit show, Game of Thrones, caused so much bereavement among fans in 2019 that emergency hotlines were set up to deal with the aftermath. But for those who had deep enough pockets, the city of Dubrovnik, where much of the show was filmed, became the destination to pay homage to the Seven Kingdoms.

Soon, “the pearl of the Adriatic”, which is also blessed with good weather and stunning scenery, became a fantastically popular tourist spot and cruise destination. Home to a mere 42,000 people, the city every year played host to about 1.2 million visitors, many of them from cruise ships.

The visibility of cruise ships became a point of tension between the industry and Mayor Mato Frankovic, who at one stage announced a cap on the number of cruise ships to just two, at a maximum capacity of 5000 passengers. When did you last hear of an airline negotiating with the leaders of a town or city to ensure that their passengers didn’t disrupt the lives of locals?

Ponant has several local partnerships that help communities in regions they visit.

But Dubrovnik serves as another example of how the cruise industry has worked hard at gaining trust and working with local authorities to bring about a solution for all parties. Cruise tourism does indeed bring a huge amount of economic benefit.

Tensions thawed after the City of Dubrovnik and the Cruise Lines International Association president and CEO Kelly Craighead signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2019 to create a more sustainable model of tourism for the city. As a result of the MoU, cruise lines and community leaders worked together to create better scheduling arrangements, improved visitor-flows in the old city, greater dispersal of visitors in the region, and an awareness campaign that promotes courtesy towards the city residents.

According to CLIA, the MoU promises to “preserve and protect the cultural heritage of Dubrovnik”, while focussing on “investment, collaboration and best practices for long-term destination management to the benefit [of] residents and visitors alike”.

The Galapagos Islands has some of the strictest conservation rules in the world. Large ships don’t visit, and guests must be accompanied by a certified guide. And the cruise industry has set itself apart from other operators by providing a combination of onboard conservation initiatives and education programs, while at the same time increasing the awareness of the impact travellers have on this fragile ecosystem.

Visiting cruise lines, such as Celebrity Cruises and Silversea, collaborate with conservation authorities to ensure minimal environmental impact. This includes limiting passenger numbers, following designated routes and educating guests about the wildlife they encounter.

Individually, cruise lines are helping local communities through smaller initiatives. Formed from the ancient delta of the Geba and Grande de Buba Rivers, the Bissagos Islands in Guinea-Bissau are home to the Escama Foundation. During a scouting mission, luxury expedition line Ponant met a couple who had been living on the archipelago and working with the community.

From there, the cruise line formed a partnership to support education on the islands, where more than 50 per cent of the population is illiterate. But the establishment of the foundation has now made it possible to set up a health centre to service all inhabitants of the islands of Carache and Caravela. It also helps with financing for equipment and facilities such as motorised dugout canoes, rice-husking machines, boreholes and solar panels. The foundation has also been involved in setting up three schools.

In Alaska, several cruise lines collaborate with the Alaska Rainforest Foundation to support responsible tourism practices. This involves funding research on glaciers and wildlife, promoting responsible waste disposal, and educating passengers on respecting the delicate ecosystem.

Closer to home, in May 2023, residents of Mornington Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, one of Australia’s remote Indigenous communities, welcomed about 100 guests from expedition ship Silver Explorer. They were the first international tourists to visit the community by cruise ship. And the significance of the arrival provided the community the opportunity to showcase their 60,000-year-old history and rich cultural heritage.

Local officials said cruise tourism would provide a boost to the local economy and help foster jobs and engagement among the town’s youth. •

The community staged a welcome steeped in tradition, with Elders telling their stories and offering cultural insight.

PURSUING NET-ZERO CARBON CRUISING BY 2050

Reducing the carbon footprint of ships while at berth and at sea

LEADING THE WAY IN SUSTAINABLE SAILING

Investing in advanced environmental technologies onboard

TOGETHER IN DESTINATION STEWARDSHIP

Partnering with cities and ports on sustainable destination management

Local

partnerships

LEADING EXPEDITION CRUISE LINE PONANT WORKS CLOSELY WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO BUILD STRONG AND LONGLASTING TIES – AND TOURISM BUSINESSES.

In 2018, Ponant met with Arraluli Tradition Owner Isobel Peters and her partner, Peter Collins, to develop a mutually beneficial arrangement and to engage their newly created business, Wijingarra Tours, in collaboration with Tourism WA.

The Traditional Owners lead Ponant cruise passengers on guided tours to Wijingarra Bard Bard (Freshwater Cove) in the Lalang-gaddam Marine Park on the remote Kimberley Coast.

Tourism WA provides ongoing support for Aboriginal businesses to assist them in delivering a high-standard cultural and tourism experience for international expedition passengers.

“[Tourism WA’s] investment would not be possible without Ponant’s commitment to regular calls to Freshwater Cove,” says the tourism body’s acting managing director, Steph Underwood.

“Ponant’s visits to the Kimberley have been a catalyst to new Aboriginal tourism product being developed, creating additional prosperity for local communities

and providing a wonderful opportunity to share this ancient culture,” says Underwood.

It’s an expensive exercise to be on Country and the contributions by operators such as Ponant allow First Nations people to remain in their homeland for most of the season.

“I feel proud in the knowledge that we played a significant part in the development of Wijingarra Tours’ operations,” says Mick Fogg, Director of Expeditions & Destination Development, Asia Pacific.

Peters says, “When we first started in the

tourism industry, we didn’t know what to expect. Mick Fogg from Ponant flew to Perth and met with us at Tourism WA ... And, after that, we thought this could work.

“Tourism from the cruise sector is my family’s only source of income and supports 10 of my family members, allowing us to live on Country sustainably and through our own work. Being our largest client, Ponant contributes to that. In return, we share with their guests our unique land and history and help them get better experiences as well as reconciliation and better understanding … which is important to us.”

For two decades, Ponant has been engaging and supporting local First Nations organisations, including two Aboriginal corporations whose Country in the Kimberley region the expedition company also operates in, Wunambal Gaambera and Dambimangari.

“Engaging with Traditional Owners is often a highlight of our guests’ visits to the Kimberley. Our itineraries in the Kimberley create opportunities for Indigenous tourism operations and provide avenues for them to be on Country, managing their land, sharing their cultural stories and ensuring significant sites are respected and preserved,” explains Sebastian Jones, Senior Expedition Leader for Ponant. •

From top: Welcome to Country with Ponant passengers in the Kimberley on Dambimangari Country; Senior Expedition Leader Sebastian Jones (right) with guide Neil from Wijingarra Tours.

Photos: Tim Faircloth.

Our ships supportlocal communities...

Le Champlain joined local initiatives in Madagascar & the Seychelles to donate survival equipment and school materials to local communities.

Le Commandant Charcot partnered with the Royal Arctic Line to deliver food supplies to Inuit communities of East Greenland.

October 2023

Le Paul Gauguin started making her medical staff and equipment available to the most remote island communities of French Polynesia.

Photo Credit: © Studio PONANTJulien Fabro; Alexandre Herbrecht.

THE CRUISE INDUSTRY IS SAILING FULL STEAM AHEAD TO MEET ITS ZERO-EMISSIONS TARGET BY 2050. PETER LYNCH REPORTS.

When Icon of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, set sail at the turn of the year, she posed the obvious question: can big ships help us protect the environment? With more mega vessels on the horizon and the looming commitment of net zero by 2050, it’s a valid question.

Home to 10,000 guests and crew, 40 restaurants, bars and lounges, a six-slide water park and enough space for 28 different cabin categories, Icon of the Seas

packs a lot of energy use into one ship. But Icon of the Seas can lay claim to green credentials. She is the first in Royal Caribbean’s fleet to use liquified natural gas (LNG). And according to Royal Caribbean International, she is 24 per cent more fuel-efficient than the Oasis class she supersedes.

Innovative hull design contributes to enhanced fuel efficiency. She has a parabolic bow design, which is intended to aid stability and provide smoother motion through waves. An air-lubrication system

reduces hull friction, and weekly robotic hull cleaning helps too.

She has allocated space for fuel cells and is shore-power ready. Indeed, CLIA reports that more than 15 per cent of cruise ships debuting in the next five years will be equipped to incorporate hydrogen fuel cells or electric batteries.

The cruise industry is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Driven by a growing environmental awareness, major cruise lines are investing heavily in sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprint and protect marine ecosystems.

MSC has already claimed the world’s first net-zero cruise. During a four-day voyage, MSC Euribia performed 11 per cent better than its digital twin – a virtual ship

Green light for cruising

The hull of MSC Euribia, the most environmentally advanced ship in the MSC fleet, is a work of art in itself.

Major cruise lines are investing heavily in sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprint and protect marine ecosystems.

reproducing the optimum energy flow and utilisation on board – achieving an overall saving of 43 tonnes of fuel. All the required heat for galleys, heating systems and hot water on board was recovered from MSC Euribia’s engines, thereby reducing the need to utilise the boilers for the entire voyage.

The MSC Group anticipates MSC Euribia to achieve an IMO Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) 55 per cent better than currently required and to be the best-performing cruise ship in the world at the time of its launch.

and even hydrogen-based fuels. These could significantly reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and air pollution.

• Shore-power expansion

To minimise emissions while docked, cruise lines are actively working with port authorities to expand shore-power infrastructure. By connecting to the local power grid, ships can reduce their reliance on onboard generators, leading to cleaner air quality in port cities.

• Hydrodynamic hull design

Optimising hull design is crucial for improving fuel efficiency. Cruise lines are employing advanced computer modelling and hydrodynamic testing to create hull shapes that reduce drag and minimise energy consumption.

various aspects of operations, including energy efficiency, waste management and environmental protection.

ACruise lines’ environmental work is centred around the following areas:

• Fuel innovation

The pursuit of cleaner and more efficient fuels is a top priority. Cruise lines are investing in research and development to explore alternatives to traditional marine diesel, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), biofuels derived from renewable sources,

• Waste management and recycling Comprehensive waste management systems are essential for reducing the environmental impact of cruise operations. Recycling programs, waste-to-energy technologies, and food-waste reduction initiatives are being implemented to minimise waste generation and disposal.

ll three of the major cruise line groups are working hard and have made substantial strides. Royal Caribbean has emerged as a pioneer in green cruising. The line is reducing food waste across the fleet by 50 per cent by 2025, part of its WIN on Waste initiative. Artificial intelligence is being used to adjust food production in real time. The line claims a 24 per cent reduction in food waste by focusing on the front end of the food system. Phase three of its initiative to eliminate single-use plastics on ships launched last year, and focuses on removing plastic water bottles, food containers, cups and lids. The target is to eliminate 100 per cent by 2025.

• Environmental certifications

Obtaining certifications such as ISO 14001 demonstrates a commitment to environmental management and accountability. These certifications involve rigorous assessments of

Norwegian Cruise Line is expanding shore-power capabilities, equipping 50 per cent of the fleet with shore-power technology, and remains on track to equip 70 per cent by 2025. In 2023, NCLH achieved its goal to test 20 per cent of the fleet with a biodiesel blend by expanding tests to four ships throughout the year. The new target is for 40 per cent of the fleet to test biodiesel by 2024. Guests and ship equipment consumed 7.6 million cubic metres of fresh water on board, with 89 per cent produced through evaporators and reverse osmosis plants.

Carnival Cruise Line is producing more than 10 per cent less net-zero greenhouse gas emissions than in 2011, when these were at their peak, and is ahead of its targets, according to its Sustainability Report. It now hopes to have reduced greenhouse gases by at least 20 per cent by 2026. With almost 70 per cent of the fleet shore-power ready, it has already reduced food waste by 38 per cent per passenger.

The industry accepts it faces challenges. However, its commitment to sustainability is plain for all to see.

As technology advances and regulatory frameworks evolve, expect to see even more innovative and sustainable practices emerge. By investing in research and development, collaborating with industry partners, and engaging with passengers, cruise lines are working towards a more environmentally responsible and enjoyable cruising experience. •

Find out more about Carnival’s move to net zero and other measures over the page.

LOCAL ACTION

been sailing in WA’s Kimberley region this winter. She uses the latest technology to reduce fuel consumption, improve the quality of air emissions and treat wastewater.

Carnival, a leader in sustainability, is always ready to help with community conservation projects.

New Wave sat down with Carnival Australia Country Manager and Chairman of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in Australasia Peter Little to talk about food waste, net zero, plastics, kiwis and endangered turtles.

In terms of work on shore, what are some of the clean up or sustainability projects you’re most proud of at Carnival??

One project dear to me is our work helping to save endangered turtles at Conflict Islands in Papua New Guinea. P&O has been supporting the Conflict Islands’ turtle hatchery, where sea turtle hatchlings are reared and released back into the sea. I took my family on a cruise there, and my two sons got to adopt a turtle, then witness it being released back into its natural habitat, which was incredible! Conflict Islands is

one of the most pristine, untouched paradises I’ve ever visited.

I’m also proud of the work Princess Cruises guests have made possible by supporting conservation projects in New Zealand. Their contributions have helped in safeguarding kiwis and other native birds in the Bay of Islands, and recently in supporting habitat building for an emerging Blue Penguin colony in Otago.

What changes has Carnival made to reach net-zero emissions by 2050?

Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is our number-one sustainability priority as we pursue net-zero emissions by 2050. Our momentum is built on decisive climate actions we’ve taken – including delivering more efficient ships, undertaking trials of low-carbon fuel types, investing in air lubrication systems and expanding shore-power capabilities across our fleets.

How has Carnival been able to cut emissions by 10 per cent since 2011 despite carrying more passengers? This has been achieved through our relentless work

over the last decade to improve the energy efficiency of our ships and pioneer lower-emission fuel alternatives.

On top of leading the industry with 10 LNG-capable ships in service and six more on order through 2033, and actively trialling other advanced fuel technologies, we have implemented several fuel- and energysaving innovations across our fleet.

We’re designing more fuel-efficient itineraries, using ocean currents and techniques such as weather routing and speed reduction where possible. We’re optimising diesel generator use at sea and in port, improving the efficiency of our HVAC systems, and upgrading to smart lighting technologies. Take the brand-new ultra-luxury Seabourn Pursuit, which has

Seabourn Pursuit also uses a Micro Auto Gasification System which converts waste into thermal energy, something that’s at the forefront of cruise technology.

Additionally, reinforcing a circular economy model is among our highest-priority goals alongside climate action. We’ve already hit some impressive waste reduction targets originally slated for 2030.

For example, we achieved a 50 per cent reduction in single-use plastics in 2021. That’s more than 500 million single-use items and plastics removed from our fleet as of the end of 2023 vs. 2018!

Carnival Corporation is also leading the industry by installing over 600 biodigesters across our fleet to break down and liquify uneaten food to sustainably return the waste to nature and we’ve installed over 60 food dehydrators to remove excess water from leftover food, reducing waste volume by up to 90 per cent.

Is there one initiative you’ve been involved with which makes you proud?

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is our numberone sustainability priority as we pursue net-zero emissions by 2050.

Our food reduction efforts, which contribute to our circular economy goals. Our corporation has already surpassed our 2025 40-percent-reduction target and as a project, it has been amazing to be involved in the food waste reduction work.

Food scarcity is a key global issue and our processes to minimise food waste are helping to address this issue.•

Carnival supports groups that are helping kiwis survive in New Zealand’s state forests.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN GROUP IS CRUISING “SEASTAINABLY” TOWARDS ITS NET-ZERO TARGET.

In the recently released 2023 Seastainability Report, Royal Caribbean Group made significant progress toward its net-zero vision, including achieving more than half of the company’s carbon-intensity reduction target, completing successful biofuel trials across Europe and introducing the maritime industry’s first waste-to-energy system on board a ship.

Driven by its SEA the Future initiative, the company has advanced its commitment to sustaining the planet, energising communities and accelerating innovation.

First LNG-powered ships

The company’s vision for Destination Net Zero means building the most efficient ships possible to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The company equips its ships with technologies that allow them to operate efficiently today, while giving them the flexibility to adapt to new solutions as they become available.

Royal Caribbean International’s newly launched Icon of the Seas (January 2024) was the brand’s first LNGpowered ship, with Silverseas’ Silver Nova (late 2023) the first LNG-powered ship for Royal Caribbean Group. Celebrity Cruises has started construction on its fifth Edge Class series ship, Celebrity Xcel, due for delivery in 2025, which will be the company’s first tri-fuel, methanol-capable ship.

First waste-to-energy systems

In the last year, the group took a big leap forward with waste reduction. The first waste-to-energy system was introduced on its ships, allowing organic waste to be turned into energy for use on board. The custom platform can predict the quantity of food the ships should prepare. The software, along with dedicated

NetDestinationZero

food-waste crew members, has helped reduce food waste by 25 per cent on Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises ships.

Furthermore, in 2023, Silversea became the first cruise operator to gain certification in environmental management on the Galápagos Islands, by adding a waste-management partner to transport all waste out of the Galápagos to be recycled or processed, helping protect the delicate ecosystem for future generations.

First net-zero cruise terminal

In 2023, Royal Caribbean’s Port of Galveston terminal in Texas became the first cruise terminal in the world to generate 100 per cent of its required energy through onsite solar power. The terminal relies on 2787 square metres of photovoltaic solar panels.

Its sustainability journey began more than 30 years ago, with Royal Caribbean Group introducing an industryleading recycling program, Save the Waves, and the first Environmental Officer on board a cruise ship.

Today, the company continues to connect people to the world’s most beautiful places in a way that protects and respects the oceans and communities. Laser-focused on improving its energy efficiency, treating the water used and diverting waste from landfill, the company is moving closer to the Destination Net Zero ambition, its target to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. • Learn more at royalcaribbean.com.

The company’s vision for Destination Net Zero means building the most efficient ships possible.

at sea. Below: Royal Caribbean’s zero-energy terminal in Galveston, Texas.

Above: Powering ahead in threes, Royal Caribbean ships

CHARTING A COURSE FOR CHANGE

DESPITE GENERATING $138 BILLION IN TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT GLOBALLY, SUPPORTING 1 2 MILLION JOBS WORLDWIDE AND $43 BILLION IN WAGES, THE CRUISE INDUSTRY IS MAKING GREAT STRIDES TOWARDS MEETING ITS TARGETS OF REACHING NET-ZERO CRUISING BY 2050.

3

WAYS TO NET ZERO

All CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) members have pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, focusing on reducing emissions at berth and at sea. Investment will be focused on cutting-edge technologies, sustainable infrastructure and enhanced operational efficiencies, so that as the industry grows, the planet does not bear the impact.

Almost half of the world’s cruise ships, or 120 vessels, have the ability to plug into shore power at ports, removing the need to run their engines to maintain services while berthed. 120

SHORE-POWERED VESSELS

OF WATER RECYCLED

State-of-the-art systems and practices enable cruise ships to produce up to 90 per cent of the fresh water on board rather than draw from areas where resources may be limited. 90%

32

PILOT PROJECTS

There are over 32 pilot projects and collaborative initiatives currently underway, working with sustainable fuel producers and engine companies to test innovative fuels and technologies. The projects include 24 biofuel trials and 10 ships incorporating fuel cells.

Recycling is a top priority for cruise lines as they strive to protect the oceans. On average, cruise ships generate 60 per cent more recyclable waste per person than on land, highlighting their commitment to sustainability by using recyclable products. 60%

MORE RECYCLABLE WASTE

5

NEW PRIVATE ISLANDS

One way of reducing the impact of cruising on local people is to operate private islands or beach clubs, and five new ones are due to open in the next two years.

WHEN YOU’RE SAILING ON A CRUISE SHIP, IT’S EASY TO NOTICE A SHINY NEW ROLLERCOASTER OR A BUSTLING NEW RESTAURANT, WRITES TALLIS BOERNE MARCUS, BUT THERE’S MORE INNOVATION HAPPENING THAN MEETS THE EYE.

Behind the scenes

Ships are constantly working behind the scenes to ensure that they are operating as sustainably as possible. While some of these efforts will be invisible to the cruiser, such as innovations in waste management or fuel efficiency, sometimes sustainable innovations may double as cruise activities, such as sustainably designed restaurant menus and science labs on board.

Cruise lines are innovating their day-to-day operations to improve their onboard sustainability. For instance, Ponant’s goal for its next ship is to have “no impact on the environment when sailing”.

Discovery Princess has not only reduced single-use plastic by 90 per cent but has developed a system for recycling onboard materials. For example, bottles are crushed into sand which is then used in golf courses; cooking oils are repurposed after use as biodiesel fuel; aluminium cans are converted into flat boards for

recycling efficiency; and plastics are pressed into blocks to assist with onshore construction projects.

If you’ve cruised on Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady, you might have noticed the tinted windows. What you might not know is that these windows capture and recycle heat, to be repurposed throughout the ship. Furthermore, the LED lighting on board lasts 25 times longer than traditional lighting and uses 80 per cent less energy.

There’s even a water purity system so strong that wastewater can be converted into perfectly safe drinking water. The details don’t stop there: when guests are jumping off the ship to go snorkelling and exploring local beaches, they are handed reef-safe sunscreen to minimise damage to corals.

Since 2019 Carnival Corporation has reduced food wastage by 30 per cent, and has set new goals of 40 per cent by next year and 50 per cent by 2030.

Carnival has introduced biodigesters, which grind up and discharge organic waste as liquid. The machines can take a wide range of produce, proteins and starch but will not take things like steak bones and walnut shells. Instead, the crew will sort out what can be pulped in the biodigester manually.

“Biodigesters reduce the amount of methane and carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere while also reducing the demand on the ocean for complete food waste decomposition,” Carnival states in its sustainability report.

The biodigesters processed about 80 million pounds of food waste in 2022, which would have taken up about one million cubic feet of space had it been sent to a landfill and released 30,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Other lines are also following closely with other food waste initiatives. Royal Caribbean International uses proprietary

[If] we have 10 per cent more kids, we know we’re going to need significantly more chicken fingers.

technology to track how much food is being wasted − by weighing pans of lasagne before and after they are served, for instance − and amending production accordingly. The cruise line has expanded those efforts, including using point-of-sale data to forecast how much food it will use based on passenger demographics, the itinerary and other information.

“[If] we have 10 per cent more kids, we know we’re going to need significantly more chicken fingers,” Linken D’Souza, the line’s vice president of food and beverage, told USA Today.

For MSC Cruises’ Jacques Van Staden, vice president of worldwide food and beverage operations, QR code menus were a lifesaver.

“They enabled us, because of the sourcing challenges, to adapt and make substitutions to the menus,” he told the Miami Herald, adding that supply chain issues are “levelling out, becoming more stable – not stable in pricing, but stable in supply”.

Cruisers can not only feel satisfied that their dollars are promoting conservationfocused research, but also enjoy seeing the process, from chatting with scientists on board to exploring the fully equipped labs and libraries.

from

A ship that has been setting the standard for a few years is Celebrity Flora. This vessel sails exclusively in the Galapagos Islands and has been meticulously designed to do so. Not only is the ship full of scientists who are studying the unique ecosystem and wildlife, but it has a range of features to integrate itself with the delicate marine environment.

All guests will find metal reusable bottles in their staterooms to prevent plastic pollution, the ship makes essentially no noise as it sails, and it even has a system to convert seawater into freshwater.

Celebrity Flora is also decked out with solar panels, a special dynamic-positioning system so as not to dock above coral or damage delicate marine environments, and an extremely thorough onboard waste-management system. •

Clockwise

above: Virgin Voyages employs LED lighting on its ships; Carnival has introduced biodigesters to deal with waste; Celebrity Flora was designed exclusively for the Galapagos.

LANDFILL BIODIGESTER

IF YOU’RE THE KIND OF CRUISER WHO LIKES TO GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY, THIS NEW WAVE OF SCIENCE-BASED PROGRAMS IS FOR YOU. LUCY JONES REPORTS.

action Take

Clockwise, from main: Beach cleanups with NCL; turtle rescues with Royal Caribbean; coral planting with Captain Cook Cruises; plant a tree for the sloths with Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

Wildlife-conservation shore excursions and citizenscience programs allow cruisers to rescue sea turtle hatchlings, replant coral reefs, identify giant manta rays and clean up killer plastic from the beach. Here, we look at cruise lines’ programs that are making a difference.

Protect marine wildlife

Many marine species are directly impacted by shipping, pollution and climate change; up to 30 per cent of sharks and rays and more than half of all turtle and tortoise species are now classified as endangered. Two species of sea turtle – hawksbill and Kemp’s ridley – are critically endangered, at high risk of extinction in the wild.

In Cozumel, Mexico, Royal Caribbean guests can participate in the Save A Sea Turtle program, rescuing baby turtles who don’t make it out of the nest. Only about 80 per cent of hatchlings reach the ocean from the sand and you’ll check nests along the beach to liberate those left behind. Once they recover and mature, they are released into the wild.

Over the past 15 years, hundreds of sick and injured turtles from all over Far North Queensland have been brought into the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, a volunteer not-for-profit organisation. About 85 per cent of the animals rescued can be returned to the ocean. On a Coral Expeditions Citizen Science voyage through the Great Barrier Reef, guests can lend a hand at the centre.

The manta rays of Raja Ampat are a sight to behold, with their wingspans of up to seven metres. These gentle giants perform their elegant underwater ballet in the pristine waters of the Indonesian archipelago, coming breathtakingly close to small ships and snorkellers. Aqua Expeditions works closely with the Indonesia Manta Project (IMP), a leading conservation group that has identified almost 2000 individual rays in the region. When sailing on the explorer yacht Aqua Blu, you’ll learn about these fascinating creatures and the work of IMP, before entering the water to swim alongside them.

Regrow the reefs

Often called the “rainforests of the sea”, coral reefs are under huge environmental pressures from climate change, poor water

quality, overfishing, pollution and overdevelopment. Studies estimate that coral reefs have declined by up to 50 per cent since the 1950s and, in some places, entire reef systems are vanishing.

Captain Cook Cruises’ coralrejuvenation program, Buy A Coral – Build A Reef, invites guests to purchase a coral fragment and plant it in the reef surrounding the cruise line’s private island, Tivua. The line has been planting coral here for more than a decade and the island is now encircled by more than 200 hectares of living reef.

In Cozumel, Mexico, Holland America Line operates a Cruise with Purpose shore excursion partnered with Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration. You’ll meet a reef expert, learn about their conservation work and join in the coral fragment planting, before snorkelling across the reef.

Conserve on land

“From little things big things grow”, as the song says, and the simple act of planting a tree can have far-reaching effects. In 2014, Celebrity Cruises launched its Greening Galapagos initiative to restore a critical ecological area on Santa Cruz Island. Over the last decade, guests and crew have planted more than 60,000 native trees and rejuvenated the local ecosystem, bringing back birds, butterflies and insects.

In Costa Rica, deforestation is one of the greatest threats to the native sloth population. On Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Eco-Connect shore excursions, guests can plant a tree in a forest reserve to aid conservation efforts. You’ll also visit a sanctuary to see sloths that have been orphaned, injured or lost their habitat.

Watch them hang upside-down from trees or move gently through the canopy as they wait to return to the wild.

Clean up the ocean

Plastic debris in the ocean kills or injures millions of fish, dolphins, turtles, seabirds and other marine creatures every year. While many cruise lines are taking steps towards reducing their plastic pollution, some also encourage their passengers to get their hands dirty.

Quark Expeditions is a member of Clean Up Svalbard, a coastal waste-removal program in the Arctic. Passengers and crew regularly collect rubbish on shore, taking away thousands of kilograms of plastic waste.

Norwegian Cruise Line partners with global clean-up organisation Take 3 For The Sea. On complimentary shore excursions in ports around the world, guests learn about the impact of plastic pollution from an expert and then roll up their sleeves to clean the local beach.

Data proof the future

Wildlife conservation is an ongoing commitment and something that will continue for generations to come. Advances in technology will, hopefully, offer new solutions and greater success. Cruise guests can participate in citizenscience programs, collecting useful data that scientists can harness to create new modelling, develop policies and push for change.

Programs such as HappyWhale and eBird encourage guests to take photos of wildlife during their travels and log their locations on a website. Scientists use this data to track individual whales around the world or map the movement of bird species across thousands of kilometres. Join in when cruising with Aurora Expeditions, Ponant and many other lines. •

Onoffmessage, ship

CRUISE COMPANIES ARE ALWAYS FINDING WAYS TO MAKE CRUISE SHIPS MORE SUSTAINABLE – BUT SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES MUST CONTINUE OFF THE SHIP, TOO. TALLIS BOERNE MARCUS REPORTS.

The cruise industry has made endless advances around fuelling innovation, reduction of waste, shore power capabilities and more, but what about off the ship?

The 2023 Sustainable Travel Report showed that 76 per cent of travellers want to travel sustainably. This means cruisers are constantly looking out for shore excursions that contribute positively to environments and communities, as well as offering thrills, wildlife interactions or culturally enriching experiences.

Many cruise lines offer shore excursions that promote ecologically friendly and pro-sustainability activities, such as tours with an educational focus, environmental clean-ups of beaches or rivers, interactions with local communities and activities with wildlife-conservation organisations.

Oceania Cruises rolled out new sustainable excursions in 2022 and the almost 200 Go Green tours have proved to be a hit ever since. These excursions have a special emphasis on giving cruisers a glimpse into local people and businesses,

and how they maintain and enrich their communities. The tours take place all over the globe with experiences in Asia, Europe, Africa, South America and the Caribbean.

At the “end of the world”, in Ushuaia in Argentina, you can see fresh produce growing at Ruca Kelleñ, a local farm that uses special greenhouses to shield its produce from the harsh conditions. In the Caribbean, you can learn about an extraordinary 4500 years of beekeeping history, and why environmental pollutants are threatening the bees’ environment.

Another highlight is the chance to visit the Winelands of Cape Town, sampling wine across two sustainable wineries that use biodynamic methods to both improve the flavour of their drops and make them more sustainable. Other out-of-the-ordinary activities are available, such as hiking in Malaga in Spain, learning about Nordic clothing design in Tallinn in Estonia, and peering into the world of regenerative farming in Myanmar.

It’s not just luxury lines that are offering these types of trips. As far back as 2019, Royal Caribbean was offering more than 1400 sustainable shore excursions. The cruise line partners with organisations such as the WWF and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council to both source and design shore excursions that offer immersion without disturbance to the environment.

Royal Caribbean is currently constructing a PerfectDay shore-excursion experience on Lelepa in the South Pacific. What stands out about this is that Lelepa is set to become the world’s first private cruise destination to achieve carbon neutrality, with the entire island to be powered from renewable resources.

Celebrity Cruises is another line that offers a range of sustainable shore excursions. A stand-out is the chance to visit an organic farm in Zakynthos, Greece and see inside the operations of a family-fun business and how they produce organic delicacies on the island. Other highlights include fishing for mussels aboard rustic boats in Dubrovnik in Croatia, a boat ride with conservationists to spot whales off the coast of Juneau in Alaska and visiting Rhodes’ Bee Museum in Greece.

MSC Cruises is another leader in the space, running special Protectours. These excursions are designed specifically to zone in on sustainability and conservation, such as beach cleaning or tree planting. At least 70 per cent of these excursions have a low environmental impact, focusing on ways to interact positively with environments, such as walking, hiking and canoeing. There is a special focus on biking, with 150 cycling tours available across 21 countries.

These types of excursions can range from zooming past the Norwegian Fjords on a hybrid-electric catamaran, making jewellery out of recyclables in Helsinki in Finland, cleaning stones in Scotland, collecting rubbish on beaches on the Adriatic Sea, planting trees on Rhodes, and trying organic farming on Copenhagen rooftops in Denmark. •

These excursions have a special emphasis on giving cruisers a glimpse into local people and businesses, and how they maintain and enrich their communities.

Shore excursions with a sustainablility focus include: winemaking in Cape Town (above); mussel fishing in Dubrovnik (right); traditional clothes design in Tallinn (left); biking with MSC Cruises.

PlatesPurpose with

WITH 36 MILLION PEOPLE EXPECTED TO TAKE A CRUISE THIS YEAR, THAT’S A LOT OF MOUTHS TO FEED. AND LINES ARE FINDING UNIQUE WAYS TO INCLUDE SUSTAINABLE CRUISE FARE. TERESA OOI REPORTS.

Cruise-goers are increasingly seeking healthier dining options, which has forced many lines to keep responsible food sourcing top of mind. The shift in food preferences has also nudged cruise companies to rethink their culinary offerings, expand their plantbased menus, look at different ways of sourcing food, and find ways to educate guests about sustainability.

Last year, Princess Cruises and Carnival Cruises introduced plant-based menus on board their fleets. Royal Caribbean Group (RCG) and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) are planning to source their food more sustainably, with both lines saying they now shop locally for their seafood and poultry.

NCL says 37 per cent of food-and-drinks sourcing in 2022 was local. By 2025, it wants to buy all its seafood from suppliers certified by the Marine Stewardship Council and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council. When the line debuts Norwegian Aqua in 2025, it will have the line’s first plant-based restaurant.

Over the past few years, NCL says it has rolled out more than 200 different vegetable-based menu items across its Oceania and Regent fleets.

RCG says that 86 per cent of the food on its European cruises is sourced locally. It plans to source 90 per cent of wild seafood and 75 per cent of farm-raised seafood from certified fisheries by 2025.

Both NCL and RCG buy cage-free eggs, gestationcrate-free pork, and chicken from certified Global Animal Partnership. Together, the two lines played host to 10.3 million cruisers in 2023.

Holland America Line offers a vegetarian menu in its main dining room with several vegan options. Its Dive-In Burger bar, which uses Beyond Meat plantbased burger patties, is particularly popular with vegan cruisers. There is also a wide choice of wild rice and quinoa salad bowls; Vietnamese vegetable spring rolls; vegetable Jambalaya; grilled vegetables and tofu kebabs; and sweet and sour vegetable tempura.

HAL is also the first cruise line to receive Marine Stewardship Council and Aquaculture Stewardship Council Chain of Custody certifications. This means the seafood on all ships in the fleet is sustainably sourced. And in Alaska, the line only uses certifiedsustainable and traceable wild Alaskan seafood. Globally, the fresh fish program works with 60 ports

From top: Aurora Expeditions sources Argentinian grassfed beef; fresh fish ambassador and Holland America Line chef, Masaharu Morimoto.

around the world and serves 80 types of fresh fish on board all restaurants, going from port to plate in less than 48 hours. Aurora Expeditions, as part of its Sustainability in Action program, will be sourcing local product for the menus on board Greg Mortimer and Sylvia Earle during their Antarctic seasons. The line has also sourced organic fruit, vegetables and dairy products, free-range chicken and eggs, Argentinian grass-fed beef and a selection of other local products.

Furthermore, all seafood will be certified by internationally recognised certifying bodies, while fish eggs and tuna will be eliminated from onboard menus across both ships, due to concerns related to overfishing and the need to protect the ocean’s ecological balance. •

CUCUMBER

COOL

Recipe courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line

Ingredients

150ml Wheatley Craft Distilled Vodka

25ml St Elder Liqueur

50ml cucumber-pulp cordial*

70ml Sun Orchard lemon juice

*To make cucumber-pulp cordial:

100g cucumber pulp (surplus from fresh cucumber juice)

450g sugar

300ml water

Add to blender and blend then strain.

Method

Add 90ml of cocktail mix into a shaker with ice all the way to the top, shake and dump into a 300ml glass

Garnish with homemade dry orange.

GOLD GALA PAN-SEARED SEA BASS

Recipe courtesy of Holland America Line

Ingredients

400-600g cleaned and descaled wild sea bass

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning

2 tbsp olive oil

pinch of salt pinch of pepper

1 tsp lemon zest

5g micro basil

Roasted Italian vegetables (optional)

Parsnip purée mashed potatoes (optional)

2 tsp arugula (rocket) oil*

Fresh arugula leaves, crisp-fried

2-3 cherry tomatoes

Thyme and garlic (optional for seasoning side dishes)

*To make your own arugula (rocket) oil:

30ml olive oil

50g fresh arugula leaves

1 tbsp water

Method

1. Marinate both sides of fish fillets with olive oil. Rub in Old Bay seasoning.

2. Add salt and lemon to both sides. Just a little bit of lemon juice will do to enhance the flavour.

3. Prepare roasted seasonal vegetables with a little bit of salt, pepper and thyme. Cook over medium heat.

4. In a medium pot, season parsnips with salt, garlic, bay leaf and thyme. Cover with half-and-half (substitute a mixture of full-cream milk and cream) and simmer over medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Another option is to purée parsnips in a food processor, adding butter and enough half-and-half until it becomes a whipped cream texture. Transfer purée and keep warm until you’re ready to add to your plate.

5. Take your marinated fish fillets and cook skin side down until golden brown before flipping.

6. Once skin is crispy, turn and fry until lightly brown.

Note: While the fillets are cooking, begin heating the cherry tomatoes in a separate pan with olive oil.

7. Add roasted vegetables to centre of plate.

8. Add purée to plate.

9.Top with cooked fish fillet and complement with cherry tomatoes.

10. Garnish with fried or fresh arugula. Drizzle with arugula oil, lemon zest and micro basil.

Riversrenewed

FROM EMISSION-FREE DOCKING TO ONBOARD HERB GARDENS, RIVER CRUISE LINES ARE HELPING THE ENVIRONMENT IN UNEXPECTED WAYS, WRITES JANE ARCHER.

In this uncertain world, there is one thing I am sure of: namely that no one will have heard of the small German village of Aschfeld unless they have sailed the Main River with Uniworld River Cruises.

A tour to the village is one of many excursions the company offers under a Make Travel Matter sustainability initiative that supports local communities and gives passengers more authentic travel experiences by introducing them to sights and stories away from over-touristed cities.

We’re here to visit a small museum the residents (there are only 750) have opened in cellars beneath a fortified churchyard that was built in medieval times to be a place of refuge for villagers when bandits came calling (which happened a lot!).

Make Travel Matter is so important to Uniworld that two-thirds of its river cruise itineraries include experiences like this. On the Seine in France, guests go to a sustainable farm to learn to make Camembert. On the Ganges in India, they meet Calcutta Rescue, which cares for the city’s underprivileged children.

Most people associate sustainability with cutting emissions, fuel consumption, “food miles” and so on, and all are important, but for the river cruise lines it’s also about giving back to the places they visit by supporting communities – as with Make Travel Matter.

Avalon Waterways supports Trees4Travel and Ocean Cleanup, which seeks to remove plastic from rivers and oceans. Scenic and sister company Emerald Cruises have funded filtration units in five schools in Vietnam, which are visited on Mekong River cruises, so students and teachers have safe clean drinking water. APT Travel Group, which includes APT and Travelmarvel, has OneTomorrow, a charitable fund that supports rural and indigenous communities in Vietnam and Australia.

Reuse, refill and recycle

Sustainability schemes on river ships come in all guises, from asking passengers to reuse towels where possible, so that less detergent goes through the

laundry, to saving paper by putting daily programs on apps. Avalon says paper waste is down 80 per cent since going digital; its goal is to hit less than 1 per cent.

Most river cruise lines have outlawed single-use plastic, including straws and toiletry and water bottles. Toiletries are now provided in eco-friendly refillable dispensers, while Uniworld, Avalon and Scenic give passengers metal water bottles to use during the cruise and take home after (a service that APT and Travelmarvel will start in 2025). AmaWaterways instead provides guests on excursions with water in recyclable tetra-pak cartons.

The resulting fall in plastic is massive. Scenic and Emerald Cruises alone reckon that between them they used nearly 1.8 million fewer plastic bottles on their ships in Europe and Asia in 2023 than in 2019. Parent company Scenic Group says the brands’ vessels are 95 per cent free of single-use plastic.

For the river cruise lines it’s also about giving back to the places they visit by supporting communities – as with Make Travel Matter.

The double-width AmaMagna; herb garden on Viking Hild; Uniworld has an alliance with the Calcutta Rescue charity.

Food for thought

On the food front, AmaWaterways says it has cut food waste by 30 per cent by moving away from buffet dining. Breakfast is a hybrid, with served meals alongside a help-yourself selection; lunch is served only. It means the kitchen no longer has to keep dishes full to cater for the last few people to come to lunch, explains vice-president and co-founder Kristin Karst. Uniworld works with waste management company Leanpath to measure how much food is thrown away after every meal and uses the data to prepare exactly the right amount of each dish. It aims to halve food waste by 2025.

Avalon has trimmed the number of miles food travels to its ships through a long-standing partnership with brothers Karl and Leo Wrenkh, who run a vegetarian cookery school and restaurant in Vienna and create “Fresh” dishes for Avalon that use ingredients from local farms and suppliers.

Chefs on Scenic’s Mekong river ship Scenic Spirit buy fresh food from local markets most days to reduce “food miles” and give passengers an authentic taste of

Asia. In Europe, Viking’s Longships have onboard herb gardens so chefs can go up to the sundeck and pick whatever they need for dinner that evening.

Green ambitions

It will take a long time for greener technologies that really make a difference to fuel consumption and emissions to be developed, but river cruise lines nevertheless have ambitious sustainability targets. Uniworld has a goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Avalon wants to offer the first fully electric river cruise vessel but has shied away from saying when. German company A-Rosa is ahead of the game. Its river ship A-Rosa Sena can glide silently and emissionfree in and out of towns and cities using huge batteries kept topped up with shore power and a heat recovery system that captures excess energy from the engines. However, this was made possible only by building Sena taller and wider than other river ships; on the downside, that limits the places it can sail.

Elsewhere eco-friendly LED lighting, waste-water treatment plants and plugging into shore power have become standard practice on the rivers.

Eco-friendly LED lighting, waste-water treatment and plugging into shore power have

standard.

APT says its new ships APT Solara and APT Ostara will be fitted with eco-tech engines that reduce fuel consumption by 20 per cent when they launch in 2025. They will also have catalytic converters to cut emissions and insulated glass which will save energy by keeping rooms cool in summer and warm in winter.

AmaWaterways has fitted solar panels to AmaMagna, its double-width vessel, and uses the energy they provide to heat and cool cabins, thereby cutting fuel consumption. The line is also trialling a navigation system that assesses the riverbed and currents to steer ships along the most fuel-efficient routes.

It is still all baby steps when it comes to shrinking the industry’s environmental footprint, but every little helps. Scenic Group’s sustainability director Phil Jordan says: “We are committed to being better than we were yesterday. If we remain true to that commitment, we will be tracking in the right direction.” •

Clockwise, from above: APT’s new ships will have eco-tech engines; Scenic sources produce from local markets on its Mekong River sailings; Scenic’s refillable water bottle stations.

become