World Oceans Day: the delights of green cruising

That’s why this #WorldOceansDay, we’re taking a moment to celebrate ‘green cruising’ – the eco-friendly technologies that our partner cruise lines are investing in to help preserve the world’s waters, so the rest of us can enjoy them worry-free.

Fish fuel, Hurtigruten

Expedition liner Hurtigruten takes passengers to some of the world’s most breathtaking and remote destinations. From the ice-filled bays of Antarctica to the sublime beauty of Norway’s fjords, you know you’re in for a treat if you’re sailing on one of its iconic white, red and black fleet.

With a number of green initiatives under its belt already, including the launch of two battery-powered ships in recent years and an electric catamaran in Svalbard, Hurtigruten is considered one of the world’s greenest cruise companies.

But where the Norwegian line is really making waves is with its ground-breaking switch from fuel to…dead fish.

Hurtigruten aims to power its ships with liquefied biogas – fossil free, renewable gas produced from dead fish and other organic waste. The aim is for the more conventional fuel engines to be replaced by a combination of biogas engines and large battery packs on at least six of its ships by 2021 by using waste that would otherwise be disposed of.

It's official, we've arrived in the future.

No more plastic, Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Picture this: eating and drinking to your heart’s content. Enjoying complimentary shore excursions at every port of call. Ending each day in your sumptuous suite, complete with a private balcony. That’s right, Regent Seven Seas Cruises is luxury all-inclusive at its very best.

But now, when you step on board, you can do so with a clean conscience. The ocean liner is the very first luxury cruise company to completely eliminate all single-use plastics from its fleet. Regent anticipates the initiative will save around 2 million plastic bottles being thrown away each year. That’s a lot of plastic.

Furthermore, Regent Seven Seas is committed to educating its staff and passengers on the importance of sustainable tourism with a number of on board lectures, which include green topics such as marine life and the environment. So you might even learn a thing or two mid-cruise. Bonus!

Sustainable shore excursions, Azamara

Azamara recently introduced a line of designated sustainable shore excursions in partnership with Sustainable Travel international. These excursions are designed with local communities in mind, to help give back to the areas their passengers enjoy every year.

Plus, in 2016, the company announced a five-year-long partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to support ocean conservation and research through a series of sustainability targets, funding agreements and programs geared towards eco-awareness.

Award-winning initiatives, Holland America Line

Holland America Line has been recognised by a number of awarding bodies for its efforts towards environmental practises. From small acts such as donating beds and furniture to shelters, to installing state-of-the-art computer systems that specialise in preventing collisions with whales, the cruise line has a number of eco-friendly initiatives on the go.

Passengers and crew alike can also benefit from onboard lectures, which include topics on marine life and the environment. Plus, there’s an environmental officer on board each ship to train crew members in green best-practises.

Do you know of any green cruising initiatives we've missed? Let us know on our Facebook page...