Cruise Ships, Climate, Tourism & Us
The newest and most extravagant cruise ship yet, known as the "Icon of the Seas," is planned for its' premiere send-off from the coast of Miami on January 27th, 2024. Five times larger than the Titanic, this Royal Caribbean cruise ship houses twenty different entertainment decks, eight living spaces or "neighborhoods," the biggest waterpark to set at sea, a green space, casino, bar, theater, coffee shop, overlook pods, and so much more. This maritime city weighs 250,800 gross tons and can carry up to 7,600 passengers with a maximum occupancy (including employees) of 10,000 people. It is no wonder this modernized innovation is receiving vast cheers of excitement and anticipation, but this dramatized endeavor of entertainment is costly to the economy, the environment, and marginalized groups. The sector of tourism culture harms our climate and growing communities more than benefits a small group of privileged people. The Icon of the Seas, like many other cruise and ferry developments, unreasonably exacerbates our global climate crisis while systematically withdrawing resources from communities in need of architectural advancement and maritime poverty alleviation. As we yearn for policies of direct environmental intervention, it seems there is a counter-culture dedicated to short-term dopamine amelioration for selective groups instead of rebuilding a long-term future we can all sustainably enjoy.
A Financial Contradiction
Over $2 billion was put towards the planning and construction of this sea-island utopia. Depending on which suite deck a potential traveler selects, the tickets to partake in the 5-7 day offered voyage is priced anywhere from $1,900 to $10,000. Take a look at what the trip entails.
The monetary investment on both the passenger's and the investors end of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line pose respective inequities. To begin, it is critical to acknowledge the disproportionate demographics of cruise passengers onboard many international voyages. A 2014 North American Cruise Market study found that the median family income of cruisers is $114,000, whereas the national median household income lies around $71,000. This $40,000 disparity in net income accounts for historically reinforced class differences between different racial communities, in which white families have greater access to day-to-day necessities and, simultaneously, leisurely opportunities pertaining to cruise vacationing. With the median Black family income at around $46,000 and white families' at $74,000, privileged groups take up the passenger population at a rate that is fortified by extravagant adventure costs. These experiences of rest and world exploration are widely available to community members resting at a secure monetary middle line unplagued by a legacy of rectifying ramifications of still-institutionalized racist employment systems. Because the white majority makes up the upper half of the socioeconomic hierarchy, cruise lines and similarly expensive ventures indirectly deny marginalized groups access to vacations of modernized glory.
The additional social destitution extended by the 'Iconic' construction comes down to a violation of public works equity. If this amount of money — $2 billion — can be invested towards revamping and one-upping past cruise productions, why can't similar attention be put towards renovating dangerously outdated ships still utilized in Galveston, Texas, expanding critical cargo ship docks in places like California, and likewise, risky maritime navigation across the globe? There are a variety of ongoing barriers in the sea trade and water travel world that disproportionately impact the global economy and, even worse, communities in poverty. Numerous tragedies like, for example, the sinking of El Faro in October 2015, have resulted from unsafe overloading of containers, defective weather forecast systems, and a violation of guidelines for passenger and material comfort. There are a variety of security requirements for ships to be deemed unseaworthy that include faulty machinery or equipment, under-qualifications of crew members and masters, inadequate emergency protocols, haul or person overcrowding, and conditions of the hull and boilers. Some ships and corporations may engage in risky maritime travel as a result of insufficient resource access, a dire need for compensation, or a lack of naval management presence. This places traders and travelers at risk for mismanagement and devastation. As discussed in a previous article detailing the migrant shipwreck off the coast of Greece, it is the unequal allocation of resources that sustains a cycle of economic inefficiency. Whether a large sum of money should be pooled into ongoing renovations of extravagant cruise vessels or put towards the improvement of necessary trading boats seems to be a place of unfathomable contention.
Tourism and Tokenization: Where do we draw the line?
Tourism remains a growing industry and, subsequently, a lucrative pastime. As previously established, leisurely practices were once evoked as a reward for the wealthy and further punishment for the poor and the marginalized. Although national societies have come far from gatekeeping leisure, the entertainment and travel industries still degrade communities of misfortune. Overtourism, or touristification, is a process in which a place of regular inhabitance becomes an object of media and tourist consumption, which poses devastating implications for the targeted environment and residing population. Because our day and age allow humans to travel (by plane, car, or boat) easier than ever, popular and often romanticized destinations have turned into a product of venue glamorization that unequally places those in permanent residence at a lower economic standing. For instance, the housing market in commonly visited locations, particularly in Europe, is consistently rented out through platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo. This effectively reduces access for those seeking permanent housing in their own area, a form of gentrification that serves the modern culture of cultural tokenization and strips local people from their homes. An example of tourist consequences inhibiting regular life includes the vote to ban large cruise ships in Venice, Italy. This came as a result of air and water pollution consequences, overcrowding that their industries simply cannot support, and damage to their city, culture, and heritage. The high presence of cruise boats in Venice has also endangered citizenship status, depleted architectural advancement, and halted their economic advancement. Furthermore, obsessions with glamorized vacations and safaris of exploration are prolonged by marketing campaigns showcasing an oversimplified version of places of common interest. Places like Madagascar, Mexico, and Fiji are vacationed upon for sandy beaches and a national getaway, but the areas not dedicated to affluent and international visitors face high levels of poverty and socioeconomic disparity. The showcased portions of specific countries are just that, a show for outside members to derive interest from, while the domestic population lives struggling to reach the advertised level of "relaxation" and "excursion" the media has commonly linked with their home country. It is no secret that cruise ships and ferries generally cater to white, wealthy, and tourist-centric individuals who buy into the idealization of lands romanticized by major travel companies that work to cover up the class realities of the region. Tourism fabrication has disproportionately misplaced the region's natives and threatened regular practices of exchange and interaction.
Sustainable Promise
The most resounding discrepancy that the cruise ship industry entails is the disastrous environmental impact that sea travel has on the water, the air, and both oceanic and land biodiversity. Cruise ships happen to emit more carbon per passenger than airplane travel, and a 2021 study found that a single cruise ship produces a carbon footprint equal to that of 12,000 cars. These emissions have had calamitous effects on maritime life, as demonstrated by frequent and harmful collisions with whales and sea turtles; manufactured toxins killing flora, reefs, and fauna; and threatening other aquatic life. In fact, according to the Department of Transportation, one cruise ship releases 1 million gallons of graywater, which introduces disease-ridden microorganisms and reducesthe oxygen that is needed by sensitive marine species. The Cruise Lines International Association persists in its promise of "making zero-emission vessels and fuels widespread by 2030 and to achieve a goal of 'net-zero carbon' cruising by 2050." But our climate decline is non-reversible, and previously noted tragedies cannot be taken away but only slowed down. That said, the Icon of the Seas’ driving infrastructure is dependent upon liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) as the primary fuel source. Unlike traditional sea vessels that are powered by diesel gas or heavy fuel oil (HFO), transportation on LNG is more environmentally conscious. These engines reduce unnecessary fuel consumption and carbon emissions that threaten water health, sanitation, and the biodiversity of marine ecosystems. LNG, known as the cleanest of the fossil fuels due to its 40% disparity between the pollutive practices of oil and coal, can even reduce air quality threats and combat pollutants derived from non-renewable uses of energy. But this does not account for the thousands of cruise lines still using unclean carbon dioxide, which erases attempts made towards more sustainable means of pleasure-seeking travel. If cruise lines choose to adopt an LNG-friendly fuel regimen, current environmental disruptions will still not be unable to replenish. LNG is a fossil fuel that emits CO2 into our atmosphere and still poses a threat to air quality, aquatic life, and financial liabilities.
This is not to say the fuel selection of a cruise ship is the only contributing factor to their elaborate carbon footprints. In fact, day-to-day trash, food waste, human waste, and microplastics, are commonly expelled into the mid-ocean areas. More specifically, the United States requires that no waste is dumped within 3.5 miles of land shore, but there exist no restrictions beyond that. This, unfortunately, means that food scraps and sewage waste are regularly omitted, dirtying waters for marine ecosystems. However, there has been an immense climate-inclined introduction of dehydrators and biodigesters that take the water out of wasted food for reuse and to be dumped later on at proper composting sites on land.
Vacation without Degradation
Here is a compiled list of notable non-profit organizations and centers that are actively working towards combating and stopping oceanic pollution. These organizations are driving efforts across the globe to preserve and protect our oceans, marine life, and the overall health of our planet as cruise lines and tourism grow in overpowering our climate.
Ocean Conservancy - A leading nonprofit organization dedicated to environmental advocacy and conservation, Ocean Conservancy tackles various challenges, including marine pollution. They work on implementing innovative solutions and engaging public participation to address oceanic issues.
The Ocean Cleanup - Developed by Boyan Slat, The Ocean Cleanup aims to remove plastic pollution from the oceans through advanced technology and cleanup systems. They deploy effective and scalable cleanup strategies to intercept and collect floating plastic debris.
Surfrider Foundation - Known for its grassroots approach, the Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves, and beaches. They focus on addressing coastal pollution issues, including marine pollution, plastic waste reduction, and advocating for cleaner ocean policies.
5 Gyres Institute - The 5 Gyres Institute focuses on research and education to eliminate plastic pollution in the ocean. They conduct scientific expeditions, engage in policy initiatives, and emphasize educating youth and communities about the impact of plastics on the environment.
Project AWARE - Project AWARE, a global movement for ocean protection, works towards cleaner, healthier oceans through initiatives like Dive Against Debris. Their focus is on reducing marine debris through dive volunteerism and raising awareness about the issue among the diving community.
Plastic Pollution Coalition - Committed to a plastic-free future, the Plastic Pollution Coalition is a global alliance working to reduce plastic pollution and its impact on the environment. They collaborate with individuals, organizations, and businesses to drive change and find sustainable solutions.
Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation -The Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation is dedicated to protecting marine life and habitats through education and research. They emphasize the reduction of marine debris and its impact on marine wildlife in the waters of the Gulf of Maine.
The Sea Cleaners - The Sea Cleaners is an international organization focused on tackling plastic pollution in the oceans. Through the development of innovative boats equipped with collection systems, they collect, sort, and optimize the recycling of floating plastic waste.
