Our sustainable cruising guide is for travellers committed to cruising more eco-consciously and responsibly, whether you’re considering a cruise for the first time or you’re a cruise lover keen to do cruises that are more environmentally friendly and more sustainable, and travel more responsibly and more ethically. Our A-Z guide to more sustainable cruising covers everything from the most eco-friendly cruise boats and operators to don’t-cruise destinations.
If it’s the chance to get on the water, gaze at turquoise seas, travel slowly, sniff the salty air, and feel the ocean breezes in your hair that make cruises so alluring for you, there are countless ways of cruising more sustainably, eco-consciously, responsibly, and ethically than on a colossal ocean liner – ways that offer closer contact with the very things that originally appealed about cruises, but became secondary to entertainment, eating, shopping, and shore excursions.
River, canal and harbour cruises, hiring small boats, and choosing smaller cruise ships that carry hundreds rather than thousands of people are all more responsible, sustainable, and eco-friendly cruising options compared to monumental cruise liners – ‘cities at sea’ that do tremendous environmental damage, kill marine life, are massive polluters of the air, oceans and ports they call into, are an eyesore and a major contributor to overtourism, and aren’t welcome by local residents.
When we launched Grantourismo on New Year’s Eve 2009 with a yearlong global grand tour dedicated to slow travel, local travel and experiential travel, we were on a mission to share ways in which travel could be more immersive, enriching and engaging, and more sustainable, responsible and ethical. That quest was at the core of every decision we made, whether it was where, when and how we travelled, what we did, where we shopped, what we cooked and what we ate, and what we chose to cover here. At the time, no other travel blog, or even travel magazine, shared that commitment.
We’ve got loads of guides to travelling slower, greener, more locally and more experientially, more responsibly and sustainably. But we’ve only briefly covered slow and sustainable cruising. We thought it time to revisit the subject – partly because there’s never been more urgency as far as the climate crisis and planet’s future is concerned, with the rapidly accelerating and unprecedented rise in temperatures, ocean warming, ice melting, and sea levels, and the more frequent, intense and extreme weather events.
The result will be even more destructive weather events, including more intense floods, fires, heatwaves, and longer droughts; the loss of islands, beaches, coastline, and even countries (the disappearing island nation of Tuvalu will be the first); degraded animal habitats, loss of water and food sources, extinction of species, disrupted eco-systems, and destruction of diversity; and an immeasurable loss of human lives as a result of extreme temperatures, displacement due to weather events, spread of disease, food insecurity, and conflict.
We also thought it time to revisit the subject because there’s so much misinformation, denial and hypocrisy in the travel media that it must be confusing for travellers making decisions as to where, when and how to travel. Travel magazines publish ‘green’ editions of their publications with editorial advocating more eco-conscious, sustainable and responsible travel, yet fill their magazines with full page ads promoting the newest monumental ocean liners, Antarctic expeditions, and cruises to Alaska and Greenland. The hypocrisy is breathtaking.
Cruise ship tourism is the fastest-growing tourism sector and the most environmentally-damaging form of tourism, generating air, noise and water pollution at astronomical levels. Ocean liners emit far more carbon emissions than planes and hotels (ten times more CO2 per passenger-kilometre than a plane) and produce a tremendous amount of sewage, solid waste and wastewater, with billions of litres of toxic waste discharged directly into the oceans. Yet there are more sustainable forms of cruising, as well as land-based all-inclusive holidays, which is essentially what a cruise on an ocean liner is for many travellers, a cheap trip away.
Our A-Z guide to more responsible cruising is by no means comprehensive, but we hope it inspires you to seek out more sustainable and more environmentally friendly ways of cruising and experiencing the world’s most beautiful harbours, rivers, canals, waterways, islands, and seas, and when you get on the water that you do the right thing and endeavour to do it in the least harmful way to marine life, the environment, communities, and, essentially, the planet.
Sustainable Cruising – A-Z Guide to More Responsible and Eco-Friendly Cruises
Our A-Z guide to sustainable cruising and how to cruise more responsibly and eco-consciously covers everything from places to avoid to environmentally friendly cruise boats, cruise destinations, and boat operators. Colossal ocean liners are never eco-friendly nor sustainable, no matter their so-called ‘green’ initiatives and greenwashing.
Some general rules for sustainable cruising: the smaller the boat, the lower the carbon emissions, the more sustainable and more eco-friendly that boat will be; smaller modern boats on narrow and shallow waterways leave the lightest footprints (think: canals, rivers, harbours); the next best choice after small boats are ’boutique’ and ‘luxury’ small ships with advanced technologies that carry less than a few hundred rather than a few thousand passengers.
Antarctic Cruises
The environmental impact of an Antarctic cruise is massive, imperilling its fragile eco-system. Antarctic cruises hurt the world’s last pristine region far more than they help it. The carbon footprint of one tourist on an Antarctic cruise is around the same as one European’s carbon footprint for a year, larger than any other kind of cruise tourism due to the massive distance travelled to get there and cruise ships being such heavy polluters.
Just 40 years ago only a few hundred tourists visited Antarctica a year; more than 120,000 tourists visited Antarctica in the 2023-24 summer season, the vast majority by cruise ship. Along with planes, helicopters, trucks, and generators, ships produce black carbon, which melts the snow faster, which researchers estimating that each tourist causes Antarctica to lose some 83 tonnes of snow a year.
This story in The Atlantic makes a case for why Antarctica is the last place on earth anyone should go and why you should take Antarctica cruises off your bucket list: travelling to Antarctica is carbon-intensive, with cruises and flights contributing to the climate change causing ice to melt and threatening wildlife; hikes damage flora that takes a decade to go; humans can introduce disease and invasive species; and studies have shown the presence of tourists stresses out penguins.
Of course, it’s not only Antarctica that should be avoided, it’s also the Arctic Circle, Alaska and Greenland. An ethical and responsible traveller can’t want to do the right thing by the planet, but also want to do cruises to those fragile places.
Boat Hire on Sydney Harbour
Hiring a small boat for cruising harbours, rivers, canals, and lakes is the most responsible and most eco-friendly kind of cruising you can do. Remember: the smaller the boat, the fewer the people, the lower the emissions, the more eco-friendly your cruise will be. Obviously the best choice for the environment with the least impact are the emission-free kayak, canoe and row boat. Okay, so not a cruise, but we once hired a foot-pedal swan boat on a lake in Beijing, which was so much fun.
My hometown of Sydney, Australia, is home to the world’s most breathtakingly beautiful harbour and getting on the water is the best way to experience Sydney Harbour, especially over summer, and especially on New Years Eve. While a ferry to Manly is a must, and to East Balmain, where we used to live, is also special, nothing beats packing a picnic and hiring a boat on Sydney Harbour to discover the spectacular waterway like a local. I’d go as far as to say that it’s a must-do in Sydney.
For cruising Sydney Harbour, you can rent small boats such as power boats, cruisers, catamarans, sailing boats, yachts, and luxury cruisers. You can hire self-drive boats with no license required for some types of boats, and plenty of instructions, safety and navigation tips, and a map provided. Or hire a skipper if you’d prefer to hug an ice-cold beer or sip sparkling wine in the sunshine. And feast on fresh Australian produce at a shaded lunch table. Ask for a ‘picnic boat’ when you book!
There’s no argument that smaller recreational boats with their smaller environmental footprint are the most sustainable way of experiencing Sydney’s stunning waterways. Trust us on this one: we were lucky to not only live on Sydney Harbour for many years with Harbour Bridge views, we took ferries to work every day, and swam at harbour beaches and swimming pools, so we saw firsthand the environmental damage that giant cruise ships do.
Not only are monumental cruise ships an eyesore on Sydney Harbour, but their emissions impact water and air quality. Some 92% of harbour sediments are contaminated, seagrass beds have been destroyed, and micro-plastics exceed international levels. Don’t do a cruise on a ship that enters Sydney Harbour. Fly to Sydney (remember: planes emit far fewer emissions than ships) and hire a small boat instead.
Some eco-friendly boat hire tips: always choose reputable boat hire operators that rent out modern fuel efficient boats that are maintained regularly for the lowest emissions; when hiring small boats, take care when anchoring to avoid damaging seagrass; don’t take single use plastics; use reef-safe sunscreen; and follow ‘leave no trace’ practices: don’t throw anything overboard and take all garbage home.
Carbon Emissions
Cruise ship travel, especially on the largest ocean liners, is the most environmentally-damaging form of travel. No argument. Research has shown that cruising is worse for the climate than flying, releasing twice as much carbon dioxide, with the most efficient cruise ships emitting more carbon dioxide per passenger kilometre (CO2/pax-km) than a passenger jet: the world’s largest ships emitted 250gCO2/pax-km compared to transatlantic aircraft emissions averaging around 10gCO2/pax-km to 130gCO2/pax-km.
One ship can release as much CO2 as a million cars. The world’s largest cruise ship company, Carnival, was the most climate-polluting cruise liner in Europe in 2023, emitting more carbon emissions in a year than the city of Glasgow, which had a population of over 600,000 people at the time. The largest cruise ship of the second largest cruise liner company, Royal Caribbean, carries 6,500 passengers, so that’s not hard to imagine.
Danube River Cruises and Rhine River Cruises
River cruising is far more sustainable than ocean cruising and cruises along the Danube River and Rhine River are not only some of the most popular river cruises in the world, they’re also some of the most environmentally friendly river cruises. The two rivers are connected by the Rhine-Maine-Danube Canal.
The Danube River is Europe’s second longest river (Russia’s Volga River is the longest), flowing from the Black Forest to the Black Sea, through ten countries (Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine) and four beautiful European capitals: Vienna, Bratislava, Belgrade, and Budapest.
The Rhine River flows from its source in Switzerland, the Schaffhouse waterfalls, to its mouth, the Rhine Delta and North Sea, through Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France, and the Netherlands, and the cities of Basel, Strasbourg, Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Rotterdam.
You can cruise both rivers on near-silent, emission-free, electric-powered sightseeing boats and low carbon footprint, solar-assisted hybrid boats and do dinner cruises offering farm-to-table cuisine and organic wines to support local farmers and wine producers.
For longer multi-day river cruises, you can settle into cabins on some of the world’s most eco-friendly river-cruising boats that run on electric-diesel hybrid systems, use less fuel, have solar heating and cooling, and are far quieter than most river cruise ships.
If you’re a food lover, look for Danube River and Rhine River cruises committed to reducing food waste and offering sustainable culinary experiences, where chefs shop local markets en route, buying fresh seasonal local produce, while giving back to local farming communities and economies.
Eco-Friendly Cruise Lines
The world’s most eco-friendly cruise ship line according to Friends of the Earth’s Ship Report Card (see ‘F’ below) is Norwegian-owned Hurtigruten. Based in Oslo, Hurtigruten has a fleet of just nine small cruise ships, carrying from 600 to 800 passengers and crew.
All of Hurtigruten’s ships have installed advanced sewage treatment systems, are plug-in capable and travel to ports where they can use shore power, don’t use scrubbers, and use cleaner fuel, and are transparent about their environmental practices. Hurtigruten hopes to launch ‘SeaZero’, the world’s first electric emissions-free cruise ship in 2030.
Expedition Cruising
Expedition cruises use smaller cruise ships with landing craft to take adventurous travellers to often remote, off-the-grid, hard-to-reach places that large ocean liners can’t access. Travellers do expedition cruises not for the experience of the cruise but for the destinations they’re cruising to – for the natural beauty of extraordinary landscapes, natural phenomenons such as the Northern Lights, and wildlife-watching opportunities such as seeing penguins in Antarctica.
Knowledgeable seasoned adventure guides and highly educated experts with specialist knowledge, such as marine scientists and biologists who give lectures on board to provide a deeper experience of the place is a big part of expedition cruising – as are the excursions on landing craft, which offer activities that would otherwise be challenging if not near impossible to do.
While expedition cruises use smaller vessels that carry fewer passengers (generally a maximum of 500 people) and use zodiacs (see ‘Z’) to transport passengers to shore, and are therefore more eco-friendly than larger cruise ships, expedition cruises by their nature aren’t necessarily more environmentally friendly if they’re travelling to remote wilderness destinations with fragile eco-systems, such as Antarctica, the Arctic, and Greenland.
Do your research before choosing an expedition cruise: whether you’re doing a Galapagos Islands Cruise or Kimberley Cruise in Australia, research the green credentials of the cruise operator, scrutinise their websites for eco-tourism certification, a statement on their environmental commitment and ways they’re giving back to the places, wildlife and communities the visit, and boat specifications to check the size, number of passengers, and ensure they’re using the latest and most advanced technology.
Friends of the Earth Cruise Ship Report Card
Friends of the Earth’s annual Cruise Ship Report Card compares the environmental footprint of 21 major cruise lines and 243 cruise ships. It rates their treatment of sewage (has the cruise line has introduced the most advanced wastewater treatment systems), efforts to reduce air pollution (has the cruise line installed shore power and adopted cleaner fuels), use of scrubbers to reduce air pollution (scrubbers convert air pollution into toxic wastewater), and transparency (whether the cruise line responded to requests for information about their environmental practices).
Gulet Cruises
A sailing holiday in Türkiye on a gulet is one of the most sustainable and eco-friendly cruise holidays you can do. As long as you sail on a traditional handcrafted wooden gulet with two- or three-masts that are properly rigged for sailing rather than depending on diesel power, which most gulets do these days. Ask questions about the boat and the company’s commitment to sustainable tourism and environmentally friendly practices when you book your holiday or charter a boat.
The beautiful port towns of Bodrum and Fethiye on the Turkish Mediterranean are the places to charter a gulet cruise, book a spot on learn-to-sail holiday, or do a day-trip on a gulet. We once spent a summer in Turkey and became addicted to gulet cruises. After we got off our first gulet we went and booked spots on another the next day. Diving directly from the deck into the clear turquoise sea was divine.
Halong Bay Cruises
Northeast Vietnam’s Halong Bay is a breathtakingly beautiful waterway distinguished by lush islands, rocky islets, and limestone karsts that rise dramatically out of its jade waters. Like getting on the water in Sydney Harbour, cruising Halong Bay is an absolute must when you’re in Vietnam. But Halong Bay cruises haven’t been without their controversy in recent years, with overcrowding and pollution in the busiest parts of the bay over the years.
It’s essential to do your research to choose Halong Bay operators with the most eco-friendly boats that cruise to lesser-visited parts of Halong Bay. I’ve tested out loads of Halong Bay cruises over the years, both as a writer researching stories with my photographer husband, and as a tour host escorting small groups on Vietnam culinary tours, so I know from experience that some Halong Bay Cruises are more sustainable and more environmentally friendly than others. Don’t book before reading our guide to choosing a Halong Bay cruise boat.
Itineraries
After you select a sustainable cruise operator, choose your cruise itinerary very carefully and consider not only where to go but when to go. Look at the ports the cruise ship is calling into and when the boat is going to be there. Avoid wildlife cruises that assure you’ll get up close to animals and bird life; if anything you want to keep your distance.
Skip the cruises that promise encounters with isolated indigenous tribes that have had little contact with outsiders and instead choose cruise operators who can demonstrate established relationships and ethical interaction with indigenous communities. Follow guidelines, be respectful, and give back responsibly.
Do your research and don’t travel on cruise ships to destinations that are experiencing overtourism during the high tourist season or simply don’t want cruise passengers over-crowding their city streets, such as Barcelona. See ‘V’ for ‘Venice and Other No-Cruise Destinations’ and ‘J’ for the ‘Journey Over Destination’ below.
Journey Over Destination
Travel is as much about the journey as the destination, the ‘getting there’ as much as the arrival. When researching a cruise, consider not only what you’ll be cruising on, what kind of boat or ship you’ll be taking, but also where and when you’ll be travelling and how long your journey will take: avoid over-touristed destinations that are already suffering enough and travel off-season when there are fewer visitors (see ‘I’ for ‘Itineraries’ above).
But also consider the length of the journey. ‘Slow travel’ is a more sustainable form of travel, so a shorter journey is not necessarily a better journey. “Hit and run tourism”, which is when those monumental cruise ships disgorge thousands of passengers that stay in cities only long enough to hit the main sights before being ferried back to the ship, not having spent a cent in the place, is far from sustainable.
A slower journey on a smaller boat is more sustainable if it’s a vessel that has minimal impact on the environment, and enables you to ‘give back’ to destinations and their residents en route. That could be by calling into a town or village where you can interact with locals and purchase handicrafts or lunch on local produce at a farm-to-table restaurant. Once again, do your research and consider the journey as much as the destination.
Kayaks and Canoes
Kayaks and canoes are the smallest, most sustainable and most environmentally-friendly boats, seating just one and two people respectively. Operating entirely on human energy, they ‘leave no trace’, emit no noise and no pollution, have minimal environmental impact, and minimal disruption to marine life.
If you haven’t been kayaking or canoeing before, the small, lightweight watercraft provide opportunities to access places that you can’t reach by larger boats like row boats or speed boats, such as caves and lagoons. They also offer a wonderful way to experience a tranquil lake, creek or river.
Luxury Cruise Lines
Luxury cruise lines such as Seabourn (whose fleet of smaller ships carry between 430 and 970 passengers and crew) and Silversea (whose smaller ships carry between 190 and 1,280 passengers and crew) have strong reputations as being more sustainable and environmentally-friendly simply because they’re ‘small’ compared to the colossal ‘cities at sea’ that carry between 3,000 and almost 10,000 passengers.
But both cruise lines still have poor report cards (see ‘F’, above), as not all ships use advanced wastewater treatment, only some have shore power capability, and both companies, which are owned by Carnival and Royal Caribbean groups, and incorporated in Panama and Liberia respectively, were not transparent when it came to providing information about their environmental practices. Still, the ships are smaller, which means comparatively fewer emissions and less pollution.
Mekong River Cruises
Stretching 4,900 kms from the Tibetan Plateau and running through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam through the Mekong Delta to the South China Sea, the Mekong River is Southeast Asia’s longest river, one of the world’s most mythical waterways, and is second only to South America’s Amazon River in biodiversity.
A Mekong River cruise is one of the most sustainable cruises you can do, although some boats are more environmentally friendly than other. One of our most memorable cruises was on a slow boat on the Mekong River between Thailand and Laos. Another popular Mekong River cruise route is between Vietnam and Cambodia.
Nile Cruises
Depending on the cruise boat you choose, some of the most environmentally-friendly cruises travel along the Nile River, Africa’s longest river, and arguably the world’s longest river. Experts can’t agree; some claim South America’s Amazon River is the longest river due to its basin size, although the Amazon is some 6,500 kms long while the Nile is 6,650 kms. Regardless of its length, this epic river is lined with many of the world’s greatest archaeological sites.
And a wonderful way to see them is on board a vintage dahabiya, also spelt ‘dahabeya’. A traditional, wooden Egyptian sailing boat with two masts, the dahabiya has its origins in ancient Egypt but was popularised in the 19th century. The newest modern dahabiyas, some claiming to offer zero-emissions Nile cruises, prioritise wind power, are equipped with solar panels, low-emission engines, and advanced waste management systems.
Many Nile cruises have adopted responsible tourism practices, support local communities en route, and immerse travellers in local culture and traditions. Unlike most Nile cruises which, depending on the vessels, carry up to 150 people, some of the newest dahabiyas offer an intimate experience, accommodating just 14 passengers. Look out for two new luxurious dahabeyas operated by five-star brand Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, which promise
Noise Pollution
Gargantuan cruise ships generate underwater noise pollution that is a major threat to marine life. Noise pollution degrades the acoustic habitat of sea life in the same way that smoke/smog impacts life on land, disrupting the orientation, navigation, communication, feeding, and breeding habits of sea creatures, displacing marine life, and killing noise-sensitive sea life. This alone should be a major deterrence for nature lovers.
Overtourism
Overtourism occurs when the number of tourists outweigh a place’s capacity to handle those tourists and the sheer volume of visitors overcrowd public spaces, create congestion in arteries such as promenades, squares, pedestrian streets, and laneways, put a strain on infrastructure, cause environmental damage (water, air and noise pollution, along with erosion and litter), and reduce the quality of life of local residents.
That’s exactly what happens when colossal cruise ships the size of small cities disgorge tens of thousands of passengers a day into cities such as Barcelona, Amsterdam, Dubrovnik, and, until recently, Venice. If you’ve been to Venice in summer, you’ll know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, you’ve at least seen photographs of the enchanting city of islands: imagine half of Venice’s population crowding the narrow alleys, bridges and piazzas.
As a tourist, one of the best ways to avoid contributing to overtourism is to avoid cruise ship travel. Smaller is better, whether it’s luxury super-yachts or more humble house boats, a cruise on a Turkish gulet on the Mediterranean or an Egyptian dahabiya on the Nile, a canal cruise or a river cruise. We have lots more ideas for how you can avoid contributing to overtourism and help fix this global problem created by tourism.
Plastic Pollution
Cruise ships generate an obscene amount of solid waste, including plastic, paper, cardboard, cans, bottles, and food waste. But plastic is the most environmentally-damaging, as it’s not biodegradable, and whether it remains at sea or washes up on shore, can tragically kill marine life. For example, sea turtles see plastic as food, and plastic consumption can lead to death by suffocation, starvation and poisoning.
The most eco-conscious cruises and charter boats have eliminated single-use plastics, including water bottles, toiletries, straws, plastic cutlery, and packaging, replacing them with re-useable containers or compostable materials such as bamboo or plant-based plastic substitutes, recycling when possible, and returning plastic waste to shore.
Quiet Sailing
After smell and air pollution, one of the biggest complaints of locals about cruise ships is the noise pollution, especially the ships that leave their engines running while docking at ports. Thanks to eco-friendly technology such as solar panels and electric catamarans, sailing has never been so quiet, a blessing for the locals (whether they’re under water or on shore!) as much as for passengers and sailors.
Once again, whether you’re booking a cruise or hiring a boat, do your research and ask questions about the boat, the kind of motors used, how much battery storage there is, and if there are solar panels. Look for electric catamarans that operate on an electric compulsion system with a lot of battery storage and solar panels that offer self-sufficiency, low environment impact, and silence. Don’t be surprised to find yourself asking: how’s the serenity? ;)
Responsible Tourism
Sustainable tourism and travelling sustainably requires more than being eco-conscious and travelling in ways that are environmentally-friendly, it calls for travellers to be responsible and all that entails: from travelling off season, going to lesser visited places, and getting off the beaten track, instead of contributing to overtourism to being respectful, culturally sensitive, and conscious of local customs, traditions and etiquette.
Travelling responsibly also means making considered decisions about every aspect of your trips, from where you stay and what you do, to the tour companies you use and where and what you spend your money on. Some rules we follow: shop ethically and sustainably, buy local, check tags, help keep local traditions alive, support fair trade, and buy vintage, secondhand and up-cycled.
Responsible travel is also about how you can give back to places in an ethical way. While volunteering is great, working with children and orphanage tourism should be avoided. Environmental volunteering opportunities, from counting turtles to planting trees, are much more responsible. We have a lot more responsible travel tips in this guide to how to be a better traveller, our guide to being a greener travel and more eco-friendly travel , and tips to more enriching travel in our meaningful travel guide.
Sailing Holidays
Sailing boats offer some of the most sustainable ways of getting on the water and you can get as active or be as lazy as you like. You can get hands-on on a learn-to-sail adventure or have a flop-and-drop holiday on a luxury clipper — which has many of the features of an ocean liner that cruise-lovers appreciate, from a swimming pool and water-sports to buffets and entertainment, but on a smaller scale.
Learn-to-sail holidays on low-emission wind-propelled sailing boats are the most sustainable sea-going holidays and can be as relaxed or as serious as you like, with some of the more laidback sailing vacations to be found on the Mediterranean, in countries such as Turkey, Greece and Croatia, which combine sailing lessons with down-time and sightseeing, and offer cosy on-board accommodation, and on-deck dining under the stars.
Some of the more structured sail training courses, which offer intensive instruction and certification, include a sustainable sailing component covering responsible anchoring and mooring, sustainable provisioning, fuel and energy efficiency, and marine pollution. Look for Blue Flag membership, which ensures rigorous requirements have been met as far as environmental sustainability and responsible practices go, and also covers beaches, marinas and tourism boats.
A luxury clipper might not be as sustainable as a catamaran or small yacht, but a 220-passenger clipper is still far more environmentally-friendly than a 2,200-passenger cruise ship. Before booking a clipper holiday, check their website or email questions about their commitment to minimising their environmental impact and eco-friendly practices: do they prioritise wind propulsion, have energy-efficient engines, use high quality fuel, treat wastewater, recycle, and so on.
Train Journeys
If an all-inclusive holiday and the perceived glamour of a ship cruise is a bigger appeal for you than being at sea, then save up and splash out on a luxury train journey, which is much more environmentally-friendly, actually glamorous, and inclusions such as meals are often made with farm-to-table produce, while wines served tend to be local.
In Australia, there’s The Ghan and Indian-Pacific, the Orient Express train in Europe, and Belmond’s Eastern & Oriental Express train which trundles between Singapore and Bangkok. These all-inclusive journeys offer fantastic local food, more interesting activities, and plenty of proper glamour. They won’t get you on the water, but they’ll get you close on disembarking.
In Australia, from Sydney to Perth you can tag on a beach holiday at the end of your train journey on Rottnest Island, where there are plenty of opportunities for getting on the water. Or do a road trip in Western Australia, home to many of the world’s most beautiful beaches and Australia’s best sunsets. If you do The Ghan, there’s Kangaroo Island south of Adelaide, and from Darwin in the Top End you can do sunset cruises on sailing boats or do cruises at Kakadu.
In Europe, you’ve got the Mediterranean and islands like Mallorca, where it’s easy to escape the hoards on off the beaten track beaches. In Southeast Asia, an island or seaside resort is never far away, whether it’s Phuket in Thailand or Vietnam’s Phú Quốc off the coast of Cambodia, while Cambodia islands include Koh Rong Samloem and luxury private Song Saa Island, which offers an all-inclusive stay.
Venice and Other No-Cruise Destinations
We’re calling these places ‘no-cruise’ destinations, but no-go destinations also works. These are the cities that don’t want cruise ships and their passengers, largely due to overtourism (see ‘O’), but also because of pollution and the fact that most cruise ship passengers don’t contribute much to the economy. And why would you want to go to a place that doesn’t want you there?
A number of port cities have banned cruise ships or are regulating cruise ship tourism. After decades of campaigning by Venetians, Venice finally banned large cruise ships in 2021, prohibiting ships weighing more than 25,000 tonnes from entering the Giudecca Canal. Europe’s busiest cruise ship port city, Barcelona, has closed one terminal to cruise ships and will close two more terminals to mitigate the impact of overtourism on the city. In Montenegro, Kotor’s Old Town gets crammed with cruise passengers doing shore excursions in high season.
Palma de Mallorca has placed restrictions on cruise ships, capping the number of ships. Amsterdam introduced a tax on cruise ship passengers in 2019 and is gradually reducing the number of ships that dock at its port with a plan to ban all cruise ships from 2035. The Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos introduced a charge to cruise passengers and is introducing restrictions on cruise ships and passenger numbers, while Dubrovnik has also capped passenger numbers.
Wastewater Treatment
In this excellent overview on how cruise ship tourism contributes to pollution and how the cruise industry can become more sustainable, Earth.org reports that a colossal 3,000-passenger cruise ship can generate more than 176,000 gallons of sewage a week, which is over a billion gallons a year for the industry, and the equivalent of 1,515 Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to the USA’s Environmental Protection Agency.
When choosing a cruise ship, select those with the most advanced wastewater treatment systems, but be aware that while most cruise ships have treatment plants that can remove pollutants from sewage before it’s discharged into the ocean, heavy metals and non-biodegradable organic chemicals can still remain after secondary treatment. Friends of the Earth scores all major cruise lines low on sewage treatment.
Yachts
At risk of sounding like a broken record: the smaller the boat, the more sustainable. While a sailing holiday on a small- to medium-sized yacht is always going to be more eco-friendly than a larger yacht, a cruise on a super-yacht or mega-yacht is going to do far less damage to the environment than a colossal ship.
Unfortunately a cruise on a luxurious super-yacht or mega-yacht is far more expensive than a cruise on one of those monumental floating cities, but it will also be more memorable and worth saving up for if you like the idea of being invited to sit at the captain’s table. But once again, a holiday on a smaller yacht leaves less of a footprint and is also more affordable.
Zodiac Boats
If you join an expedition cruise (see ‘E’), you’ll become well acquainted with the Zodiacs. When we did a Malaysian Borneo cruise with Orion Expeditions some years ago we were in and out of the Zodiacs so often it felt like we spent more time on the black inflatable boats than on the ship!
The hardy Zodiacs are integral to expedition cruising as they transport passengers to shore, particularly to places that would otherwise be inaccessible, as they don’t have large docks. Zodiacs can land almost anywhere, even on the And allow the cruise ship to anchor off-shore, thereby minimising their impact to the environment, wildlife and local communities.
If you have tips to more sustainable cruising, to cruising more responsibly and eco-consciously, feel free to leave them in the comments below.
