Cruise Line Sustainability Post COVID-19: Where to now?
Holland America Line’s Zaandam in the bay of Puerto Chacabuco, Chile.
Disclaimer: All views reflected herein are my own and not those of cruise line staff or management. This article serves to provide a broad, high level overview of current and potential areas of focus to improve sustainability in the industry. There is no focus on the efforts of individual cruise lines.
Kim du Toit
The cruise industry is growing as more people find value in the “all-inclusive” ease of travelling to destinations that are more challenging to reach on a non-cruise vacation. The cruise industry is, however, also largely reliant on mass tourism, which is in its foundation is unsustainable. Many big players in the tourism industry have gathered during this time to focus on recovery and “Building Back Better”. There is now a strong call to action for cruise lines to follow suit and prioritise sustainability moving forward.
Some destinations and tourism businesses are starting to take a stand against the industry, as the impacts of mass tourism on destinations and the cruise industry as a whole are increasingly scrutinized. On the other hand the income and value added through jobs provided by the cruise industry are far reaching and easily overlooked. From the minute guests leave for a cruise, at every step of their journey, every meal they eat, livelihoods are being supported through job creation. As an industry defined by the ease of travel and guest satisfaction, but poorly represented by crew welfare and environmental and destination impact, the question is, how can sustainability be the driving force moving forward?
Here in Part Two of the ‘Cruise Line Sustainability’ series, we address each of the challenges identified in Part One to provide a broad, high level overview of current and potential areas of focus to improve sustainability.
Why should sustainability serve as the foundation for tourism and the cruise industry?
Worldwide, there is an increased focus on understanding and implementing sustainability. In order to ensure the tourism industry remains viable and continues to add value rather than detract, the long acknowledged economic and environmental focus has been linked with the recognised importance of cultural and social sustainability. With 30 million additional feet on destination soil from cruise passengers alone, sustainability is vital in ensuring the resilience and safeguarding of natural areas, local livelihoods and culture, and economic viability.
The following are some of the most important to consider moving forward.
Espana Glacier in Glacier Alley, Chilean Fjords.
Scenic Cruising, Antarctic Peninsula.
Environmental focus
The cruise industry has a definite environmental impact, and this has been the primary focus of the industry when addressing sustainability. Many lines now have Environmental Officers on-board to monitor and manage procedures and policies, and crew are routinely trained in these areas. While developments have been made in recent years, there are insufficient solutions to the environmental impact of the cruise industry at this time. This year, on February 6, 2020, Antarctica recorded the highest temperature on record, and the temperature of the upper few metres of the ocean has been increasing by approximately 0.13°C per decade. With climate change affecting cruise destinations worldwide, as well as raising the temperatures of the very oceans ships sail, reducing environmental impact is a responsibility. Significant investment into the development of solutions is necessary. Predominant focus areas in the industry, and opportunities for further assessment, include:
Reducing emissions: The primary focus has been the installation of Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS) to reduce Sulphur Dioxide and a small percentage of Nitrogen Dioxide emissions. Newer ships are focusing on Liquid Nitrogen Gas as a new fuel source. No solutions are in place yet to reduce Carbon Dioxide emissions.
Advanced Wastewater Treatment: Systems to improve the treatment of sewage before it is discharged 12 nautical miles from shore.
Improving fuel efficiency: many newer ships plug in to use shore power when docked, and some are fitted with more energy-efficient engines and Air Lubrication Systems in the hull to reduce drag in the water.
Recycling: has been the major focus of many cruise lines, however, it is important to ensure that the waste offloaded for recycling ends up at the appropriate facilities.
Many cruise lines have taken steps to reduce single-use plastic, however, it is important that these are eliminated completely.
Promoting carbon offset measures within the industry and for travellers e.g. through the investment in renewable energy for corporate offices, construction of wind farms, carbon offset partnerships for travellers etc.
Diverting 100% of waste from landfill.
Reducing water consumption through producing fresh water on-board, installation of low-flow shower heads and faucets, as well as education.
Dessert production on-board.
Pineapple plantation in Ponta Delgada, Azores.
Food waste
Waste is a global issue in the food industry, including cruise lines, with the Food and Agricultural Organisation indicating 1/3 of all food produced each year (1.3 billion metric tons) is lost or wasted. The extent of impact from food waste extends through to impacting water, agricultural and natural resource systems, as well as the intertwined supply chains. The constantly changing location of ships and Public Health regulations, makes implementation of food waste measures more challenging, however certainly possible. Due to the nature of cruise operations, planning is necessary further in advance than on-shore restaurant management. Repetitive itineraries do allow for measures to reduce food waste to be more easily implemented fleet wide, and adapted to the local itinerary. In order to mitigate against food waste, patterns need to be identified and measures implemented to target these areas. Potential measures allowing for reductions in food waste include:
Food waste can be directly reduced by assessing food waste streams over time to determine potential areas to reduce waste, reducing overproduction, decreasing serving and container sizes to reduce left-over food waste, smart menu planning and finding ways to use food with shorter-shelf life etc.
Sourcing seafood locally and from certified fisheries.
Sourcing meat products sustainably from third party verified, certified farms e.g. GAP Certified.
Installing digital systems to collect live data on food trends and usage on-board, as well as to effectively and automatically manage stock.
Working together with local producers and chefs to source seasonal products, and create itinerary relevant dishes which enable local sourcing as far as possible.
Education and information for both guests and crew explaining why, and how, measures are being taken to reduce food waste. This can include pre-cruise information, company newsletters, table displays and digital menus on produce and dishes to inform decision making, presentations on food sourcing and restaurant operations and implementation of projects etc. (Taste don't Waste Campaign from Costa Cruises- all the money saved by guests reducing food waste goes to support the network of Food Gardens in Africa, promoted by the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity)
Partnering with local agencies to donate meals from prepared food that was not served (Surplus food donation scheme in Mediterranean ports by Costa Cruises)
Involving crew through incentivising reduction in food waste and involving them in the message. Money saved should be directed into the crew fund (“Food Waste Shuffle” Challenge by Carnival Corporation)
Having someone on-board and in charge of implementing and maintaining food waste standards. High workload and staff-turnover make it difficult for staff to assess and mitigate against waste while still managing workload.
Standards should be developed and training courses provided to staff and crew.
Transparency and Trust
Trust and transparency are cornerstones of social sustainability, and as mentioned in the previous article, this transparency and trust was damaged during COVID19 response. Worldwide, staff and consumers alike are increasingly calling for transparency in business operations, products and information. So what can be done to improve transparency in the cruise industry?
Continued improvement in reporting through annual sustainability reports. These should be easily accessible on company websites, open to feedback, transparent in challenges and improvements, and reflective of industry standards.
Cruise lines should be transparent about their environmental impact, in addition to measures taken to reduce impact.
For post-pandemic cruising, health protocols and procedures should be transparent pre-cruise and on-board, and should be effectively enforced to foster trust in both guests and crew.
Service charges need to be made more transparent to guests by providing information on how these charges influence crew salaries, and who they benefit. If not, service charges should be fixed into cruise fares. Service charge pools and distribution should also be made transparent to crew whose salaries are predominantly dependent on these charges.
For working hours, overtime pay should be clear in value and implementation. Procedures for logging and tracking working hours should be improved.
Tender operations transfer crew to be repatriated home, Bahamas.
Pandemic Response
As ships return to sea, largely with domestic cruisers in the European region, there are varied opinions about safety. While it is true that the environment on board is more enclosed, there are numerous precautions in place to protect health and safety. Medical teams and crew are all well trained to deal with outbreaks, and newer ships are equipped with filtration systems that reduce the occurrence of circulated air. In dealing with Coronavirus as cruises resume, certain considerations should however be made. Some measures cruise lines are taking, in line with global health considerations, include promoting social distancing, wearing masks, temperature checks and health screening, and going ashore only on tours through which destinations and cruise lines can promote a safe environment. Certain considerations are furthermore important to take into account:
Precautions should be maintained over time and equally enforced. As such, the safety of both guests and crew are equally prioritised.
All ports of call should allow for guests and crew to be medically disembarked.
Crew should be allowed to deny service, with managerial support, should guests not comply with health and safety regulations. Vice versa, guests should report any crew members not complying with regulations.
Regulations should be made clear as part of the contract that guests sign when boarding.
Regular sanitation and inspections should ensure frequently touched surfaces are cleaned, and contact should be minimised between guests and crew.
Cabins should be cleaned only when guests are not in the room.
The working hours of crew should not be impacted by new regulations, and where necessary, crewing should be increased so as to prevent this.
Cruise lines and advisory boards should come together to decide on set measures for the industry as a whole. Since many people interchange between cruise lines, there should be consistency in regulations to protect guests and crew.
Crew Welfare
Within the industry as a whole, and especially on board ships, staff and crew welfare are paramount. With the majority of crew spending up to 10+ months at sea, fostering an environment of community, transparency and shared value are important. With crew from over 100 countries, the diversity of employees is part of what makes cruising different. Inclusion however, although promoted, does not always carry through to implementation. So what steps can be taken to improve crew welfare?
Offer more opportunities for both on-the-job and promotional training for career advancement.
Through partnering with external companies, or through internal development, crew should be offered opportunities for personal development to aid in their work on-board. This could include language learning applications, skills training, destination training, health and safety, first aid etc.
Promote value within the crew through listening to suggestions and encouraging opportunities for creation and involvement. This could include, among others, how to improve service, creation of new menu items, new tour options, waste reduction etc.
Involve crew in the destinations visited, through allowing equal opportunity for time off, crew tours, destination presentations from local experts, involvement in community and environmental initiatives etc.
Working hours for crew should be kept to the contracted maximum hours. If this is noted not to be possible over an extended time for a certain role, extra crew should be hired, or changes to service implemented.
Rest hours, according to the ILOMaritime Labor Convention, should be strictly enforced. This is a major challenge in cruise lines, and over-riding hours in violation should be externally audited.
For many cruise lines returning post-pandemic, crew shore leave has been revoked. Since it is more affordable for crew to buy supplies ashore, cruise lines should make provisions allowing for sufficient supplies at no profit. As shore-leave is also a major stress reliever, alternate provisions should be made.
Communication with home should be made as easy as possible, either through developing applications that allow this for free, or providing opportunities for free Wi-Fi.
Handmade products from RePapel in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
The “Conscious Traveller”
Sustainability is not likely the first thought on a cruisers’ mind. It is, however, common for seasoned and younger cruisers to seek itineraries and experiences that are truly ‘local’ and ‘authentic’. But do we understand what those words truly mean? Destinations need travellers to understand, and more initiatives in the tourism network, such as the ‘Good Travel Guide,’ seek to inform travellers about travelling better. Cruise lines need to find innovative ways to educate cruisers pre-cruise, on-board, and post-cruise, without detracting from the cruise product. This is only possible if the lines themselves lead the way through the actions they take, and initiatives they support. Educating crew, and cruisers about the challenges experienced by destinations as well as their own impacts in destinations is key for increased environmental and social harmony.
As part of the material (newsletters, pre-cruise material etc.) sent out, sustainability both on-board, and in destinations, should be highlighted. Guests can be provided with information on how to reduce their impact.
Destination information and port-talks should be compiled together with local agents, Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) and tour operators, with emphasis on the role travellers can play in regenerating and benefiting the destination, while minimising impact.
On-board ship tours should be transparent about challenges and impacts, and include the voices of crew.
Carbon footprint estimates could be made available for each guest based on itinerary and origin.
With some of the entrepreneurial ladies who make products from recycled paper, RePapel in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
Sustainably focused ports-of-call, DMO’s and tour operators
In the words of Robert Collier “Supply always comes on the heels of demand”. As a rapidly growing industry, tourist numbers and satisfaction have been the primary focus in tourism development. This approach is, however, increasingly impacting local culture and the environment, while investment does not always provide benefits for the local community. Bringing over 30 million feet to destinations each year (1), cruise lines have an increasing responsibility to ensure their role in leaving no mark. In many smaller, remote destinations, cruise lines play a large role in influencing how the community and experiences evolve to match demand. As the largest income source for some destinations, cruise lines must ensure beneficial, sustainable impact. Destinations are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of sustainability in ensuring the environmental, cultural and social integrity of a place are preserved. Regenerative travel is a term more recently introduced, indicating a shift in priority to tourism which not only benefits, but restores and regenerates a destination.
Cruise lines can play an active role in incentivising sustainability at policy, DMO, and tour operator levels in the destinations they frequent, through prioritising this in how they choose destinations for itineraries.
Cruise lines and tour operators have a responsibility to limit numbers and to prioritise environmental, community and social integrity. Quality over Quantity.
Avoid words like ‘authentic’ when describing experiences and tours. Work with DMO’s and tour operators to restore this within the destination, rather than using it to differentiate.
Actively invest in environmental, cultural and social initiatives in destinations which are working towards restoring and preserving these assets. Cruise lines can also fund their own initiatives. In both cases it is important that funding is transparent, and that guests can become directly involved.
Cruise lines can become more actively involved in advocacy and action towards sustainable tourism, through involvement in discussions and initiatives such as Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency, and the Future of Tourism Coalition.
Significant investments and initiatives are being introduced by various cruise lines towards sustainability, however the cruise industry is slower to follow than other sectors of the tourism industry. As the most significant contributor to the mass tourism industry, and one of the worst impacted by the pandemic, it is important that as cruises resume with more focus is given to sustainable operations moving forward. There will never be the right time, there is only now.
Further Reading on the cruise industry and cruise line sustainability reports:
https://cruising.org/-/media/research-updates/research/state-of-the-cruise-industry.ashx
https://www.carnivalcorporation.com/transparency-and-reporting/sustainability-reports
https://sustainability.rclcorporate.com/
https://disneycruiselineblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/DCL-Environmental-Fact-Sheet-2015.pdf