I'm worried about my effect on the environment

[Geonerd]

I'm booked on a Star Princess Alaska cruise starting on August 29. Since I signed up I've become aware of the huge impact that these floating cities have on the environment. I guess I didn't realize that all the waste that's generated gets flushed into the ocean. Some is treated, but not always to US standards since the ships are lightly regulated since they are registered to off-shore countries. Same story with the air pollution from the ships that burn cheap dirty oil. Does anyone else have these concerns? I love the outdoors but I don't want to spoil the place that I am visiting.

Edited August 17, 2015 by Geonerd

[Ashland]

I'm booked on a Star Princess Alaska cruise starting on August 29. Since I signed up I've become aware of the huge impact that these floating cities have on the environment. I guess I didn't realize that all the waste that's generated gets flushed into the ocean. Some is treated, but not always to US standards since the ships are lightly regulated since they are registered to off-shore countries. Same story with the air pollution from the ships that burn cheap dirty oil. Does anyone else have these concerns? I love the outdoors but I don't want to spoil the place that I am visiting.

Please go and enjoy yourself.

[Urban trekker]

The first thing you need to do when you get on your ship is ask to see the environmental officer - all the ships have them - they will explain to you how it really works on modern cruise ships. Most ships tours will take you down to the recycling area where you can see just how they handle the various type of waste.

 

"but not always to US standards since the ships are lightly regulated since they are registered to off-shore countries" - do you have a link to show us that the toughest standards are American.

 

By the way just what impact will your trip to your port of departure have on the environment - unless you are walking or biking or swimming - apologies if I forgot any - planes, cars, taxis, train all use fossil fuel.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

[CruiserBruce]

Some more research is in order. I think you will find very strict environmental regulations apply to cruise ships, in Alaska, and all along the west coast of the US. The ships are required to use cleaner, more expensive fuels when close to land. Alaska strictly regulates waste water dumping. Europe has adapted similar regulations.

 

If there were 4000 people (staff and pax) on a cruise ship, or 4000 individuals traveling an equal number of miles, I would not bet against the cruise being the more efficient and environmentally friendly method of travel.

[Keith1010]

I am sure that there is some impact on the environment but that is true just about everywhere in the world. Do you drive a car? If so, impact. Do you fly ? If so, impact. Do you purchase items at the grocery store? Impact.

 

The good news is there are minimum standards that cruise ships have to adhere to. While not perfect, it certainly has helped.

 

Keith

[thinfool]

The ship is going to sail the Alaska itinerary whether you are aboard or not.

 

You cannot impact the amount of environmental disruption on your own.

 

It would take, literally, thousands or millions of cruise line customers to have even a minimal impact.

 

As noted by others, Alaska has environmental standards in place to protect their beautiful coastline and interior regions. These are well adhered to by the cruise lines OR they receive rather severe penalties for violations.

 

Side point, the Exxon Valdez did more environmental damage in one event than all the cruise ships that have ever sailed Alaskan waters, combined. Still, oil tankers regularly call at the port in Prince William Sound and carry their cargo south to the West Coast. Sadly, it seems that "it's all about the money".

[xlxo]

I wondered why the Alaskan glaciers are retreating or shrinking....

 

I agree... do sign up for one of those ship tours to get a better understanding on how they dispose of the ship waste.

• I went on another ship's tour a few years ago and while I applaud their efforts. I was kinda surprised their philosophies what can and cannot be recycled locally. That is, what cannot be recycled in one port, can be recycled in another. I hope this has changed.
  
• while we hear Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm are sensitive areas to be protected... what happens in other locations such as Canadian waters? Are the cruise ships contributing to the Pacific gyre?
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pacific_garbage_patch
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruise_ship_pollution_in_the_United_States
  
• I think it's great the ships are retrofitted for "shore power"
  http://www.vancouversun.com/travel/Most+cruise+ships+tapping+into+Vancouver+shore+power/10129179/story.html
  
• the Star Princess departs from a Canadian port.... do they source the food, flowers, and supplies from Canada? Or do they truck items in from Seattle?
  

Edited August 17, 2015 by xlxo

[mek]

No, I don't worry about cruise ships. I'm much more concerned about pollution in India and China.

[mskaufman]

The ship is going to sail the Alaska itinerary whether you are aboard or not.

 

You cannot impact the amount of environmental disruption on your own.

 

It would take, literally, thousands or millions of cruise line customers to have even a minimal impact.

 

As noted by others, Alaska has environmental standards in place to protect their beautiful coastline and interior regions. These are well adhered to by the cruise lines OR they receive rather severe penalties for violations.

 

Side point, the Exxon Valdez did more environmental damage in one event than all the cruise ships that have ever sailed Alaskan waters, combined. Still, oil tankers regularly call at the port in Prince William Sound and carry their cargo south to the West Coast. Sadly, it seems that "it's all about the money".

 

This is pretty much what I was thinking when I read the original post.

[donaldsc]

I'm booked on a Star Princess Alaska cruise starting on August 29. Since I signed up I've become aware of the huge impact that these floating cities have on the environment. I guess I didn't realize that all the waste that's generated gets flushed into the ocean. Some is treated, but not always to US standards since the ships are lightly regulated since they are registered to off-shore countries. Same story with the air pollution from the ships that burn cheap dirty oil. Does anyone else have these concerns? I love the outdoors but I don't want to spoil the place that I am visiting.

 

Basically "no". Anything that anyone does impacts the environment. I just live and do what I want to do.

 

DON

[quercus alba]

You've got some good, reasonable answers up there--but I just wanted to say: Thanks for caring. Many people wouldn't even consider this with respect to their travel.

 

And just to add one thing: consider the possible positive effects of your travel. Thousands of people get a chance to see these glaciers, and whales, and salmon--and perhaps a few more will consider how precious they are, and how great a loss they could become, because they took the time to experience them firsthand, or heard from you how majestic it is. You're sailing in the wake of John Muir--spreading the word about the beauty of the natural world as an impetus to conservation.

[Geonerd]

Thanks for the responses. I like the suggestion of taking a ship tour with the environmental officer if that's possible. As a former engineer and city planner I know it's no simple task to provide basic services such as power, water, sewage & solid waste disposal to thousands of people.

 

Yes I'm aware of the environmental impact of my flight to Alaska.But at least the airlines are subject to federal air quality standards and pay federal taxes, unlike the cruise industry. The Clean Cruise Ship Act of 2013 would have required ships in US waters to comply with the Clean Water Act, however in face of industry opposition the bill died in Committee. From what I can tell, currently there is an uneven patchwork of cruise ship environmental regulation that's mainly left to states and localities to enforce.

 

Brian Cantwell, the outdoor editor for the Seattle Times, blogged about his 2013 cruise on the Star Princess. He wrote:

 

"And though Alaska’s waterways are vast and huge, a 950-foot cruise ship carrying thousands of people is a big intrusion – and there are many cruise ships plying those waters. This blog isn’t the place to carefully analyze the effects of cruise-ship discharges, but some readers raised legitimate questions. There’s no way a ship has enough storage capacity to not discharge waste on a week’s cruise. A 2002 report from the U.S. Department of Transportation estimated an average cruise ship on a typical one-week voyage discharges 210,000 gallons of sewage from toilets, 1 million gallons of “gray water” from sinks, showers, laundries and galleys, plus hazardous waste such as oil, dry-cleaning fluids, and more. While a ship’s sewage is typically treated by marine sanitation devices, there are questions about the efficacy of such devices in long-term usage. The Alaska Legislature just this February eased voter-approved restrictions on cruise-ship discharges in Alaskan waters in a bill requested by its Republican governor, Sean Parnell, who ran as former Gov. Sarah Palin’s running mate and took office when she resigned. So if you cruise to Alaska, don’t be so naïve as to think you’re not leaving something of you behind."

 

By the way, he has lots of tips for first time cruisers as well as reports from various ports along Alaska's Inside Passge.

[donaldsc]

The first thing you need to do when you get on your ship is ask to see the environmental officer - all the ships have them - they will explain to you how it really works on modern cruise ships. Most ships tours will take you down to the recycling area where you can see just how they handle the various type of waste.

 

 

 

Dennis

 

I really doubt that the environmental officer is going to have the time to discuss how wastes are treated with a whole bunch of passengers. They have more important things to do.

 

DON

[4774Papa]

The obvious things about protecting the environment are to properly dispose of hazardous waste like batteries and recycle.

 

As for curtailing our lifestyle because of the fuel burned on aircraft or ships, that is a slippery slope. Take that to the end degree and I would get rid of my car and only ride by bike. Also, that might entail opening the windows and cutting off the AC. In South Georiga, that is not going to happen.

[Inukshuk Gal]

I'm booked on a Star Princess Alaska cruise starting on August 29. Since I signed up I've become aware of the huge impact that these floating cities have on the environment. I guess I didn't realize that all the waste that's generated gets flushed into the ocean. Some is treated, but not always to US standards since the ships are lightly regulated since they are registered to off-shore countries. Same story with the air pollution from the ships that burn cheap dirty oil. Does anyone else have these concerns? I love the outdoors but I don't want to spoil the place that I am visiting.

 

Your heart is in the right place, but you need to step back one giant step. Of all the polluters in the world, cruise ships are under strict guidelines. I agree with others, go and have fun! Otherwise you might as well park your car, get a bicycle, and avoid all forms of transportation in the world (buses, planes, trains...etc!) And don't purchase anything made in a factory, they tend to be heavy polluters too. And avoid anything disposable or made of synthetic material like plastic. And stop using all of your electronics, those power plants contribute to pollution too. This includes no more light bulbs or using electric stoves and ovens. For cooking you will not want to use gas either as it is iffy too, so best cook using only firewood. But be careful what trees you use to burn so you don't kill of endangered wildlife.

 

Enjoy your cruise

[Mary Ellen]

If you want actual information from a knowledgable source, rather than the opinion of a newspaper editor :rolleyes::

 

I will start off saying that I have been in the maritime industry for 40 years, and have worked on nearly every type of commercial sea-going vessel, including cruise ships, and deal with pollution requirements on a daily basis. Environmental regulations have changed drastically over that 40 years, and despite the problems faced in meeting them, I applaud every one, even ones that make no sense. I also find that the cruise industry is far more pro-active in environmental issues than any segment of the industry. Why? First because it is right, and also good PR. Second, because they invite thousands of people armed with phone cameras onboard every week, a large segment of whom are looking for any way to get something "comped", and know about the 10% reward for reporting pollution, which could be the jackpot of all cruise "comps".

 

My first question to this organization that put out the above story is why are you singling out the cruise industry, which despite the undisputed growth presented, is still only a very small percentage of the world's shipping tonnage? The answer is simple. Money. They know that if they took on the entire maritime industry, then the fuel for their hybrid cars, and their laptops, iphones, clothes, and much of their food would increase in price dramatically. So lets go for a small, easily identifiable segment of the market.

 

Now, to the article itself. It deals primarily with sewage pollution, and its first statement and entire premise is false. It states that when in international waters, ships are legally allowed to dump raw sewage into the sea. Since the implementation of MARPOL in 1973, every ship, every where in the world is required to have a Marine Sanitation Device, or sewage treatment system. And every nation that is a member of the IMO (99% of the world) has the right to inspect this system when a ship calls at one of their ports, and to see documentation of any time the system is not in operation for maintenance. Most ships have what amounts to a shoreside septic tank system, since crew size is so small, and this is only required to handle the "black water" from toilets, not the "gray water" from sinks, showers, galleys or laundries. Virtually every cruise ship built within the last 20 years has an "advanced waste water treatment" system, that processes every drop of water used onboard, black and gray, to quality even better than Alaskan municipalities are required to meet. And they have to be tested by third party testing labs every two weeks. I have worked these systems, and the water quality coming from them is nearly drinking quality.

 

I laugh at the, to the informed, media tactics of using photos with no provenance to show "pollution" like the ships with the brown water around the stern, which is from maneuvering the ship and stirring up the bottom mud.

 

I realize that this type of agenda-driven slanted journalism is out there, it has been for decades, and has been part of the environmental movement for decades. Even if the cruise industry was to spend money for counter-articles and even present data and statistics, it would not sway the hard-core environmentalist, so why should they bother to spend hundreds of millions on exceeding requirements in areas where the environmental lobbies have no ability to enforce anything.

 

I respect your questioning whether the ships are updating to meet new requirements. I also respect the cruise lines for meeting those requirements, but like any business, also being fiscally responsible by not spending money to exceed those requirements that the electorate has decided are sufficient.

 

[laughing husky]

I like the suggestion of taking a ship tour with the environmental officer if that's possible. As a former engineer and city planner I know it's no simple task to provide basic services such as power, water, sewage & solid waste disposal to thousands of people.

 

Yes I'm aware of the environmental impact of my flight to Alaska.But at least the airlines are subject to federal air quality standards and pay federal taxes, unlike the cruise industry. The Clean Cruise Ship Act of 2013 would have required ships in US waters to comply with the Clean Water Act, however in face of industry opposition the bill died in Committee. From what I can tell, currently there is an uneven patchwork of cruise ship environmental regulation that's mainly left to states and localities to enforce.

 

Brian Cantwell, the outdoor editor for the Seattle Times, blogged about his 2013 cruise on the Star Princess. He wrote:

 

"And though Alaska’s waterways are vast and huge, a 950-foot cruise ship carrying thousands of people is a big intrusion – and there are many cruise ships plying those waters. This blog isn’t the place to carefully analyze the effects of cruise-ship discharges, but some readers raised legitimate questions. There’s no way a ship has enough storage capacity to not discharge waste on a week’s cruise. A 2002 report from the U.S. Department of Transportation estimated an average cruise ship on a typical one-week voyage discharges 210,000 gallons of sewage from toilets, 1 million gallons of “gray water” from sinks, showers, laundries and galleys, plus hazardous waste such as oil, dry-cleaning fluids, and more. While a ship’s sewage is typically treated by marine sanitation devices, there are questions about the efficacy of such devices in long-term usage.

definitely take the ultimate ship tour. I suspect it will relieve many of your concerns...As an Alaskan, we like our environment..and like to go into the wilderness...I think much more environment up here is ruined by people walking across the tundra....As a sailer, I see the mess that people leave behind in the wide mile piles of plastic.....I have never seen that on our waters here....

Edited August 18, 2015 by laughing husky

[Urban trekker]

"I really doubt that the environmental officer is going to have the time to discuss how wastes are treated with a whole bunch of passengers. They have more important things to do."

 

When I took a ships tour on the NCL Dawn last year the environmental officer spent more time answering questions from us than all other parts of the tour combined and told us if we saw any concerns to phone the special hot line number.

 

On NCL the environmental officer doesn't report to the Captain but to a designated person at HQ'ers.

 

He relayed to us how on that ship a number of the room stewards have banded together to collect and assorted all the returnable bottles and cans and bring them down to the recycling center to be crushed and processed and then they are collected by a Waste Management Company and the money received goes directly to the stewards etc.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

[Urban trekker]

Here's an article about how one cruise line handles its waste.

 

http://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/Eco-Smart-Cruising-Overview_071014.pdf

 

We all want the cruise lines to protect the environment yet here in Vancouver we have just brought in mandatory organic sorting and you should hear the bitching and complaining.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

[ken4556]

I am not sure you are really thinking this through. Cruise ships do not discharge waste into the seas. They have mini waste treatment plants on-board for all sewage and the treated discharge water that is so clean that you could drink it. All garbage is sorted, some is burned, the rest recycled and offloaded at port.

 

You have no remember that animals, like cows for example, emit tons of methane gas (worse that CO2). Every bear and animal one will see in Alaska does its business in the woods and in the water too. Somehow life does not end, God has taken this all into account.

 

Cows (as noted above), volcanoes, and wild fires might seem in our minds to be causing harm to the plant. The reality is these events have been happening for thousands of centuries and has not caused the destruction of our planet. God has designed the plant to account for this natural occurrences. Wild fires may seem bad to us, but they are regenerative for the forest, revitalizing for the watershed, renew the soil, and reset the clock for the ecosystem.

 

Stop thinking this way and go enjoy the beauty of God's creation, especially in a place we call Alaska. He has been at this a lot longer than we have!

[perditax]

I would expect that if there is a God she'd appreciate it if we do our part too. >.>

[ARRTrain]

Waste is treated before it is discharged. There's laws in place on where they can discharge their tanks too. It was in the news in Alaska, in the last few years about the strict rules about discharge. You can't take a glass of water from any port & pour it off the ship. The towns water supply can't even meet the strict standards for discharge, that's required for ships.

 

While in Alaska waters, ships are required to burn the Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel.