RESPONSIBLY SAILING OUR OCEANS & RIVERS
The amazing breakthroughs that will make net zero cruising a reality in 2050
4 / Welcome
CLIA’s Joel Katz on the goal to cruise sustainably.
6/ Helping hands
Six aid and conservation efforts cruise lines are getting behind.
8 / Shipshape for 2050
The next-gen of ships are all about sustainability but it’s their innovation that awes.
10/ Power play
CLIA’s Vice President for Sustainability on the target to sail net zero by 2050.
14/ Life support
Carnival Australia gives back to the communities it visits – and their unique wildlife.
16/ A sea of opportunity
In fostering locals to learn about maritime industries, cruise is creating jobs.
18/ Cat in the Hat saves the day
Fundraising to support sick children and their families on Carnival Cruise Line.
22/ Ice magic
Ponant’s journey deep into the heart of Greenland.
24/ In the name of science
Learn how cruise lines’ citizen science projects are helping protect our planet.
25/ Tundra to table
On Quark Expeditions’ Arctic journeys, a new culinary experience delves into Inuit culture.
26/ Making an impact
Australian adventure line
Aurora Expeditions finds travel is the best educator.
28/ Food revolution
From reducing food waste to eco-farm shore excursions, cruise is embracing the sustainable food movement.
32/ Greening the rivers
How the cruise industry is innovating for eco-conscious sailing on our rivers.
New Wave is published by Big Splash Media Pty Ltd in partnership with Cruise Lines International Association Australasia. All rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. Opinions expressed are those of the individual contributors and are not necessarily shared by the publisher. All reasonable efforts have been made to ensure information is correct at time of going to press. Any advice is of a general nature and information should be checked with a CLIA travel agent before booking cruise holidays.
© Big Splash Media Pty Ltd bigsplashmedia.com.au
This magazine is printed on sustainable paper stock using inks created from natural substances.
Cruise travel is enjoying a renaissance worldwide as cruise fans take to the seas amid new levels of energy and innovation in our industry.
Nowhere is this innovation more tightly focused than on sustainability, and on our industry-wide determination to be leaders when it comes to responsible tourism.
CLIA cruise lines globally are pursuing net-zero carbon cruising by 2050 and are investing heavily in new ships, new technologies and new fuels to make this a reality.
It’s a commitment for the long term, but it’s already delivering results and building momentum.
The latest ships being deployed on our oceans are the most sustainable to ever have sailed. Dozens are set for launch over coming years, each bringing greater efficiencies, lower emissions, new advances in technology and greater environmental protections.
At the same time, cruise lines are striving for even greater advances for tomorrow, mounting trials and pilot projects aimed at perfecting new fuels and new propulsion systems such as biofuel, methanol, hydrogen, fuel cells and hybrid systems.
Cruise ships represent less than one per cent of the world’s maritime fleet, but we are an industry at the forefront of delivering advances in sustainability at sea. Maritime nations across Australasia and Asia have a strong interest in supporting these advances.
This means that as the world’s cruise lines continue advancing new fuels and emissionreduction initiatives internationally, we need to ensure they can be put into service in our own part of the world.
The next generation of low-emission fuels will need to be available locally, reliably and at scale. Other initiatives such as shoreside electricity will require infrastructure investment in our ports, allowing ships to plug in to renewable energy while they’re berthed.
Emission reductions are just one part of an industry vision that puts cruising at the forefront when it comes to responsible tourism and achieving a sustainable future.
On the following pages, you can find out more about what cruise lines are doing in the area of sustainability – initiatives aimed at our air, our waters, our land and the destinations we visit.
There’s an enormous amount happening in the world of cruising right now, and the enthusiasm cruise fans are showing towards their next cruise holiday is stronger than ever. With the help of our wider cruise community in locations all over the world, we’re working to make these holidays not only more memorable but more sustainable for generations to follow.
Joel Katz Managing Director Australasia, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)
• In locations around the world, cruise lines are supporting projects that bring direct benefits to the communities they visit, often in areas of health, education, economic development and environmental protection.
One initiative that especially stands out is Mercy Ships, chosen by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) as its international charity partner.
Mercy Ships takes medical care to sea, improving the quality of life for people by providing surgery and medical services aboard
floating hospitals, staffed by qualified volunteers from around the world.
More than half of the world’s population lives within 160km of a coastline, allowing Mercy Ships to sail modern hospital ships wherever they are needed, reaching people who might not otherwise have access to safe, affordable medical care.
More than 1300 people have volunteered as part of the Mercy Ships initiative, providing more than 100,000 surgeries and bringing medical services to more than 2 million beneficiaries. To find out more visit mercyships.org.
Cruise lines are joining forces with aid and conservation agencies to support sustainability and humanitarian efforts in destinations they visit. Here are just a few examples.
This year, Silversea’s Silver Explorer’s visit to Mornington Island in Queensland marks the first-ever by an international ship. Home to an Indigenous culture dating back 60,000 years, the island’s people put on a ceremony for the 120 tourists. Mayor Kyle Yanner told New Wave: “The benefits for our town are that people are getting paid to do what we love and that is to showcase our culture and tell our stories. It means we might be able to engage some young tour guides and get some full-time jobs. There is a really bright future for the community in this.”
Norwegian Cruise Line has had a running partnership with Take 3 for the Sea for a few years. The global movement works to clean up the oceans by preventing and reducing plastic pollution in the world’s waterways. NCL Australia’s partnership with Take 3 for the Sea involves events such as the 2022 clean-up in Eden, NSW, where NCL cruisers rolled up their sleeves and helped collect plastic from the beloved port’s beaches. Conservation-minded cruisers have embraced the idea and it is now a regular excursion, overseen by Take 3 for the Sea.
MSC’s private island, Ocean Cay, in the Bahamas is home to an innovative coral nursery. The MSC Foundation began the program in 2018 and the nurseries are now flourishing with coral. The program aims to expand to 13 coral trees by 2023. Dr Owen O’Shea, research manager for Ocean Cay, says: “The problem we see in reefs is that the corals are struggling to keep up with their adaptive evolution. Some do it very well; they are incredibly resilient, others not so much.”
Royal Caribbean has long been a supporter of OceanScope, an initiative to share data on ocean and marine life research and monitor change. The line has committed to four more years’ support after already sharing data from more than 100,000 nautical miles of sailing. Jason Liberty, CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, said: “We’re dedicated to sustaining our planet and delivering the best vacations, responsibly ... We can’t wait to see how OceanScope and our scientific collaborators progress our understanding of ocean health and conservation.”
Cruise lines continued to support the people of Ukraine during 2022/23. MSC Foundation supported Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War 2, providing more than €7 million in relief and assistance, donating food items, blankets, sleeping bags and camp beds and providing free containers, logistics and transportation to organisations working on the ground. Holland America Line guests held fundraising efforts on six different continents culminating in a US$450,000 donation to the global humanitarian aid organisation, Direct Relief.
•The sparkling waters of Sydney Harbour, along with its icons, are the lure for Australia’s burgeoning cruise industry. But beneath the surface a tiny inhabitant is facing a crisis. White seahorses were listed as endangered in 2020 – only the second seahorse to be declared endangered in the world.
A band of volunteers, now supported by donations including one from New Wave magazine, has set up seahorse “hotels” where the tiny but beautiful animals can be prepared for life back in the harbour. In July, dozens were released back into the wild.
Mitchell Brennan, Scientific Driver of the project, says seahorses have “had significant population decline as a result of habitat loss and degradation, up to 95 per cent population loss in some areas. We knew there was some need for conservation efforts for the species to have a chance. We’re directly trying to restock wild seahorses through a conservation stocking program and trying to address the issue of habitat loss through providing seahorse hotels. These are artificial habitats we place into areas where habitats have been lost or degraded.”
If you want to help out, you can donate, or even throw on a wetsuit and get in the water yourself. For information see the Sydney Institute of Marine Science webpage or follow @sydney_seahorse_project on Instagram. A citizen science component of the project encourages people to take photos of the tagged seahorses and submit them to the project.
THE SHIPS OF THE FUTURE ARE DETERMINED TO HAVE A LOW CARBON FOOTPRINT, REGARDLESS OF SIZE, WRITES TALLIS BOERNE MARCUS.
New cruise ships such as Silver Nova and MSC Euribia are marking a distinct change in the cruise industry, where sustainability is no longer just about meeting standards but also about innovating towards a greener future. Perhaps even more dramatic, Ponant has revealed its Swap2Zero cruise ship project – a vessel due to sail carbon neutrally in 2030.
Whether it’s the 228-guest Scenic Eclipse II or the 7600-capacity Icon of the Seas, major cruise lines are creating new ships with sustainability at the core – and science, innovation and community relationships as vital partners.
Shipbuilders and operators realised a quarter of a century ago the need to find new ways to meet sustainability targets. Today, passengers also want to ensure their holidays don’t damage the destinations they visit.
In a survey by CLIA, 76 per cent of British cruise passengers described themselves as “much more” or “more” aware of environmental and sustainable tourism. The cruise industry represents less than one per cent of the global shipping sector, but has committed to pursue net
zero emissions by 2050. Key to reaching this goal is new vessels having less impact on the environment and being able to adapt for new sustainable fuels and technologies.
MSC Euribia is carrying the torch for larger ships, with the huge 6327-passenger ship set to sail more sustainably than big ships before it. The ship’s dramatic launch from Saint-Nazaire in France showed off the ship’s green capabilities.
The ship has four dual-fuel engines that can take both liquefied natural gas (LNG) and marine gas oil, advanced onboard water and waste treatment facilities, an underwater radiated noise management system and, symbolically, has a mural with “#savethesea” written across it.
Cruise lines with ships even larger than MSC Euribia are working towards reducing their impact. Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas will be the cruise line’s first ship to use LNG. Set to be the biggest cruise ship in the world, the vessel is shore-power capable, has air lubrication systems, produces 93 per cent of its fresh water on board, has a waste heat capture system and uses AI learning to optimise route efficiency.
Oceania Vista, the new 1200-passenger ship from Oceania Cruises, has been meticulously planned to reduce emissions and its environmental impact. The vessel has onboard food digesters that use air, water and microbiology to reduce food waste, inbuilt onboard evaporation and reverse osmosis plants for water production, anti-fouling coating over the hull, LED lighting, and a selective catalytic reduction system that reduces nitrogen
oxide emissions by 90 per cent. Even the X-shaped bow of the ship curves backwards to reduce the impact on the sea and improve stability and fuel efficiency. The ship is also equipped with shorepower capabilities.
The owner of Oceania Vista, the NCL group, is also involved in an initiative to partner with key ports to help them install the infrastructure needed to support ships with shore-power capabilities. Particularly notable is its work with PortMiami to bring shore-power capabilities by winter 2023, as well as working with the Port of Southampton’s Horizon Cruise Terminal.
Silver Nova, Silversea’s new 728-passenger ship, is leading the way in sustainability, and aiming for an industry first by being locally emission-free when operating in ports. The ship will rely on using fuel cells and batteries, creating a 40 per cent overall reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions per double suite when compared to Silversea’s previous class of ships.
As well as this, Silver Nova will limit emissions by running on LNG via dual-fuel engines. Diving deeper into the technical details, the ship also has a micro autogasification system to reduce onboard waste and incineration emissions and shore power capabilities. It is set to achieve an Energy Efficiency Design Index rating that is 25 per cent above the International Maritime Organization’s requirements.
While new ships and those soon to come are undoubtedly innovating, an eyecatching example of cruise sustainability is emerging in Ponant’s plans a little further down the line. Its Swap2Zero vessel is being designed to sail completely free from greenhouse emissions.
The new ship demonstrates the need to use many different forms of propulsion in the future. The vessel’s sail power system and hull will work towards providing 50 per cent of the propulsion energy, while 1000 square metres of photovoltaic panels produce solar energy. A low-temperature hydrogen fuel cell will provide extra power for propulsion, while a high-temp fuel cell will deal with the hotel load.
A custom energy-management system will distribute power without the use of generators. A low-temperature fuel cell will run on liquid hydrogen and then recycle all water and heat produced. The ship is an example of just how far science and design will lead the cruise industry into the future.
Ponant’s Global CEO, Hervé Gastinel, says, “By 2030, our future ship aims to have zero greenhouse gas emissions when sailing, manoeuvring, in port or at anchor. Her carbon footprint will be reduced throughout her life cycle. Renewable energy supplied by the wind and sun will be combined with low-carbon non-fossil energy associated with fuel cells.
“Our in-house R&D team has brought together the best specialists ... to imagine and develop an energy model that aims at zero emissions.”
The ship’s creation remains a work in progress, with the design set to evolve as new technologies become available.
The ship is probably the leading example of just how far science and design will lead the cruise industry into the future.’
SASCHA GILL, CRUISE LINES
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION
EUROPE’S VICE PRESIDENT OF SUSTAINABILITY, TALKS TO NEW WAVE PUBLISHER PETER LYNCH ABOUT WHY HE BELIEVES THE INDUSTRY WILL MEET ITS TARGET TO SAIL NET ZERO BY 2050
Sascha Gill is excited. He has just been appointed to lead the world’s largest cruise association into a carbon-free future, and he is convinced the industry can do it. He says it is a critical time for cruising. And he is right.
As peoples of the world – especially travellers – become more concerned about climate change and demand real action, planning for a carbon-free future has become essential for the industry’s survival.
The good news is that he believes cruise lines are in great shape to meet the challenge. There have been enormous strides: new fuels, sustainable practices in the disposal of waste and a massive amount of crew training.
Indeed, it appears the industry is ahead of the pack – and is waiting for the rest of the maritime world to catch up.
The fleet has never been more modern. Three-quarters of the world’s more than 300 vessels can sail on sustainable fuels. But like electric cars and charging stations, sustainable fuels are not yet available at scale. And while 98 per cent of new ships on order up to 2028 can use shore power to keep their services running without engines, only 29 ports – less than two per cent – have electricity available.
That said, the world’s shipping lines are charging ahead. A spate of recent announcements shows ship designers are working overtime to use every conceivable type of propulsion to help move their passengers more sustainably: everything from new wind-powered designs to solar and revolutionary biofuels.
Gill believes what will work is a combination of all of these innovations: hybrids such as Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot, which runs silently through the ice on battery power but also uses LNG, will be the new order.
There are 11 ships that can run on liquified natural gas (LNG), and 23 more under construction. But Gill says LNG is a transitional technology. Ships are now being built with multi-fuel engines. This is how he sees the future.
“You can basically put in bio-LNG or other gases that are being developed right now – [cruise lines are] trialling this already. Fossil energy as such is not the final answer, but there are other synthetic and bio-LNG fuels which are net zero, and which are already being produced. Just not in the quantity needed for the world yet.
“A lot of the members are investing in dual-fuel or multifuel engines – and multi-fuel means they can take more than two, they can take three or four different fuels and these could be blended.
“A lot of research now centres on what are called RFNBOs – renewable liquid or gaseous fuels that don’t rely on biological sources.”
The Renewable and Low-Carbon Fuels Value Chain Industrial Alliance is a new initiative that focuses on boosting production and supply of renewable and low-carbon fuels in both the shipping and aviation industries. The new alliance was set up to ensure that, when new fuels are discovered, they can be manufactured in abundance and made available around the world.
Shore power is a case in point: what Gill describes as a “no-brainer” and certainly a long-term benefit is still rare.
When it comes online in late 2024, Sydney’s White Bay Cruise Terminal will be the first in the Southern Hemisphere to have shore power.
Gill says, “Electricity will always be one of the most efficient sources of power for the future.”
So 40 per cent of the fleet is ready to connect. But frustratingly, the infrastructure is just not there. In Europe, the EU has committed to having all ports ready by 2030. It’s a directive, so expect it to happen.
Is a return to sailing ships a real option? It’s a wonderfully romantic idea – but modern “sails” aren’t what they seem. Gill says the traditional idea of a piece of canvas isn’t a viable alternative, but wind-powered rotors that can create energy and move propellers are possible.
“If you look at the future ship, it will not have only one source of energy. It might have sails, for example, and it might have a hydrogen fuel cell on board.
“So what you see is once we start replacing fossil fuel, we need to have different types of technologies on board. What happens if the wind is not blowing? Then we can switch between these different modes.”
There is a lot at stake in building that future ship. Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s latest giant, at 250,800 gross tonnage, cost a staggering US$2 billion to build. She could still be
sailing in 2054. She has six LNG-powered engines, she is shore-power ready, her hull will be covered in microscopic bubbles so she glides through the water with less friction, heat from the engines is reused, and 93 per cent of her own fresh water is generated on board. A waste management system sees all renewables sorted by hand and put back into the recycling chain.
While it sounds like a big ask to convert the world’s entire cruise-ship fleet, it’s actually a lot simpler than the billions of cars and 27,000 planes currently in existence that will need to move to net zero.
A lot of the pressure to change comes from passengers. And the tight deadline will mean retrofitting ships.
“If we can cut a ship in half and extend it and build extra cabins, then of course we can retrofit an engine as well.”
Europe has set up a funding program to help cruise operators with the costs. But Gill insists retrofitting isn’t the problem. “The challenge today is the fuel infrastructure and making sure that these alternative energy sources are available.”
Gill maintains the industry has been working on sustainability for a quarter of a century. “I know that a huge amount has gone into dealing with waste, for instance, which is really crucial in terms of cleaning up our oceans.”
In the 1990s, Royal Caribbean launched Save the Waves. In 2001, the industry was looking at electric installations in Alaska. In 2007, work began on cleaning exhausts. The first LNG ships came in 2013.
“So you can see that the cruise industry was far advanced in sustainability compared even with the United Nations.”
Gill believes that the organised nature of cruise tourism makes it a much more sustainable option.
“We know at any time of the day where our guest is, and that’s very important to understand. If we know where our guest is, we can actually redirect the guest to have an experience at a certain moment that actually fits with the local society.
“It doesn’t matter if the ship has 200 guests on board or 5000. As long as you make sure you engage with the local destination as well.”
Gill maintains managing 200 guests versus 5000 guests is about organisation. And the cruise industry is very good at efficiently organising its guests.
Cooperation is becoming a watchword. MSC Cruises is working with scientists on whale-tagging projects, and in France there is a sustainability charter in partnership with the French government. Some river cruise lines are working with the World Wildlife Fund on nature-based projects: one involves moving water into dykes and bringing it back to the river systems when there is a lack of rain.
“It is actually making river cruising sustainable throughout the year, whatever the weather throws at it,” says Gill.
So Gill is optimistic and welcomes 2050 as a realistic timeline.
“We have to be realistic; 2050 is the goal. The technology has to catch up, but also the infrastructure has to catch up.”
Is a return to sailing ships a real option?
It’s a wonderfully romantic idea – but modern “sails” aren’t what they seem.’
Plugging into shoreside electricity enables ship engines to be switched off and reduces emissions while the ship is in port.
40% of the global cruise fleet by capacity has been equipped to connect to shoreside electricity.
More cruise ships are using liquified natural gas (LNG). LNG is a transi onal fuel and is the most readily available low carbon fuel with a clear pathway via bio-LNG and synthe c LNG to net zero
LNG is important as it reduces CO2 emissions by
20%
Air lubrica on systems create microscopic bubbles to reduce drag as ships move through water and help to reduce fuel consump on. Special hull coa ngs also reduce fric on and therefore fuel consump on.
of microscopic bubbles coat some ships’ hulls and reduce drag.
Cruise lines use sophis cated processes to remove, reuse, recycle and convert waste to energy.
Every cruise ship receives mul ple inspec ons each year – announced and unannounced - to ensure implementa on of strict environmental and safety regula ons.
100% of waste generated onboard is repurposed on some ships.
Fuel cells can help to power ship propulsion or auxiliary power systems without genera ng greenhouse gases when hydrogen is used as fuel source
Fuel cells can be powered by various fuels such as methanol, ethanol, natural gas, biogas, or hydrogen derived fuels, all of which reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Advanced wastewater treatment systems o en exceed those of shoreside treatment plants
Cruise lines are required to implement THOUSANDS
100% of new ships on order are scheduled to have advanced wastewater treatment systems
of standards set by the IMO, ILO, na onal mari me and other relevant authori es.
Cruise lines are inves ng in the development of sustainable marine fuels. These include advanced biofuels, biomethanol and synthe c e-fuels.
Advanced biofuels are fuels that are made using non-food biomass (plant material and animal waste)
E-fuels, like e-methane and e-methanol, are all fuels in gas or liquid form that are produced from renewable (solar or wind power, for example) or decarbonised electricity. This raw material differen ates them from biofuels, which are primarily produced from biomass. The carbon content can be taken from different sources (biomass, industry, or direct air capture) but such that they remain net zero on a lifecycle approach
Ba ery technology can help in ensuring engines and fuel cells operate at their most efficient, and supply short periods of zero emissions use.
More than
15%
of cruise ships to be delivered in the next five years will be equipped to incorporate fuel cells or ba eries.
From tracking the energy use of appliances in a ship’s galley to rou ng ships op mally, digital technologies offer a new energy-saving tool.
Each new class of ship that is launched is around 20% more efficient than the last.
Cruise tourism brings economic and social benefits to communi es, helping to support local businesses and create employment.
On average a cruise guest spends the equivalent of US$750 in ports and des na ons over the course of a typical seven-day cruise.
The cruise industry works with ci es and ports to develop ac on plans for sustainable tourism.
As cruise tourism is planned and scheduled well in advance, it provides opportuni es for communi es to work with cruise lines to ensure local benefits are maximised.
FROM SAVING TURTLES IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA TO RETURNING KIWIS TO THE FORESTS OF NEW ZEALAND, CARNIVAL AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS A RANGE OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION EFFORTS. HERE ARE THEIR SUCCESS STORIES.
There’s a good reason the Conflict Islands are considered a paradise in the Coral Sea. The 21 islands off Papua New Guinea are simply stunning. A visit to this part of the world is a highlight for many cruise passengers.
But the islands are more than just a beautiful playground – they are an important nesting site for endangered turtles and P&O Cruises Australia has helped conservation efforts ensure their survival. More than 13,000 juvenile hatchlings have been released into the wild this year alone. P&O’s support for training rangers from local communities to help is key to that success.
Carnival Australia’s commitment is to give back to the destinations it visits. This is done by supporting the communities, culture and environment.
In New Zealand, Princess Cruises is helping restore forests by supporting Bay Bush Action in the Bay of Islands. The work has seen a 120 per cent increase in kiwi numbers, by removing predators to provide a much healthier and safer place for native wildlife to thrive.
“We hope through this partnership we can encourage larger populations of kiwi
More than 13,000 juvenile hatchlings have been released into the wild this year alone.’
and other native birds back into the forest for future generations to enjoy,” said Stuart Allison, Senior Vice President Asia Pacific, Princess Cruises.
One of the most popular shore tours in New Zealand is with Natures Wonders in Dunedin, where guests can see native wildlife up close, including an emerging blue penguin colony, and help fund new habitats for them.
“The sustainability projects we invest in are all about using tourism as a vehicle for regeneration,” said Michael Mihajlov, Carnival Australia’s Senior Director, Destination Management.
Another significant achievement in Carnival Australia’s measures to protect the environment is the elimination of single-use plastics such as straws, food packaging and individual shampoo bottles. In fact, 500 million single-use items have been removed across Carnival Corporation’s global fleet since 2018.
Carnival is continually looking for areas for action across its ships – from onboard energy usage, food waste minimisation and more.
“At Carnival Australia, we know that our actions can have positive impacts on the planet, and we are tireless in our pursuit of sailing lightly.
“Our success – and quite literally, our livelihood – depends on doing our part to protect the vibrant marine ecosystems, beautiful communities and scenic spaces we operate in,” said Marguerite Fitzgerald, Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises Australia President.
It has to – because we visit pristine places in our region that are among the most perfect on the planet.
Protecting the marine environment is central to everything we do. It’s fundamental to our business.
Our guests expect it and we demand it of ourselves.
But sustainability is also all about the communities with whom we come in contact. And for us, that means sustaining relationships built on trust and shared values. These relationships have been built over 90 years of cruising from Australia and they mean as much to us now as at any time in our past.
The big picture of sustainability also involves the way we have helped communities to achieve their full potential. It has involved supporting the development of sustainable enterprises that can share the economic value of cruising, including investing directly in local communities. It has also involved helping communities in Vanuatu and New Caledonia to develop destination management plans so that cruise tourism leaves a small environmental footprint.
Our sustainability practices extend to the guest-funded Partnerships run by P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises® and Carnival Cruise Line. Via these programs, P&O guests have helped save the lives of thousands of newborn babies in Papua New Guinea and provided medical training and ambulances to our partners in Vanuatu. Princess Cruises® guests have supported conservation and culture projects in New Zealand safeguarding kiwis and other native birds in the Bay of Islands. And the generosity of Carnival guests directs donations every year to children’s hospitals in Sydney and Brisbane offering significant support to families of children in need of care.
We know what
to work at many levels to achieve a sustainable future – a dream we share with our guests. And that means acting on a wide front including eliminating the use of plastic on our ships wherever we can. Around the world, our company adopts new ways to reduce waste and create a better tomorrow by using the latest breakthroughs in green technologies including trialling advances in bio-fuels and supporting innovative approaches such as supporting ports in Seattle, Vancouver and Juneau to establish the world’s first ‘green shipping corridor’.
All of this and more is confirmation that our global company remains deeply committed to the markets it serves throughout the world. Ultimately, sustainability is about partnerships working together to achieve the best for our communities and for the planet.
Tayla Green-Aldridge had just graduated from the Prince’s Trust Australia’s Get Into Maritime program when she received an unexpected invitation.
The Wiradjuri and Yuin woman from New South Wales was selected to attend the Coronation of King Charles at Westminster Abbey, as a representative of the Prince’s Trust Australia, a program which is supported by luxury line Cunard. The trust helps defence veterans and their families to set up businesses that work to encourage young Indigenous people to enter the maritime industry.
Cunard supports the trust globally, by hosting auctions to sell nautical charts and other maritime merchandise. It also hosts fundraising events on board its luxurious ships. And the program is just one of many the cruise industry is fostering to create deeper and more meaningful connections between the community and the sea.
“I was really shy when I started the Maritime course, but I liked how welcoming everyone was and how they told me I didn’t have to stress – that we were all in this together,” said Green-Aldridge.
“I really like how practical it all was – like tying knots: that’s one of the essentials in working on a boat, you have to tie off when you moor. I really liked that because it was
IN REACHING OUT TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES, THE CRUISE INDUSTRY HAS BECOME DEEPLY INVOLVED IN EDUCATION AND PROVIDING JOBS, WRITES BERNADETTE CHUA
kind of like a puzzle. The Prince’s Trust made me feel like I could do anything I wanted to.’’
Green-Aldridge, who had never been overseas or on a plane, earlier this year travelled to London, accompanied by her mother Julieanne and the Prince’s Trust of Australia’s chairman, Julie Bishop.
“I can’t compare going to the Coronation to anything I’ve experienced before,” she said. She described it as an honour to be in the presence of something that’s centuries old. “It still feels unreal, like it’s not happening to me.”
For the big occasion, Ms Green Aldridge wore an amazing silk dress by Indigenous designer Ngali featuring artwork by Lindsay Malay from the Warmum Art Centre in the Kimberley, Western Australia. She was spotted standing next to crooner Lionel Richie who was also invited to the Coronation.
Sponsoring Prince’s Trust Australia is just the start. The cruise industry has fostered relationships with local communities, to provide employment and procure their expertise which they then impart to guests on expedition voyages.
At the top end of the world, deep in the heart of the northern-most Canadian territory of Nunavut, local people are invited to take part in a special cruise training-initiative – a program which the likes of Quark Expeditions takes part in, where the local community can get involved.
Nalunaiqsijiit, the Inuit Cruise Training Initiative, is where the Inuit community can acquire qualifications to work on board expedition cruise ships. They act as guides, educating cruise guests about Inuit culture and history. Quark Expeditions has hosted two Nalunaiqsijiit interns on board Ocean
Adventurer. Quark also donates about US$200,000 per year to organisations dedicated to community engagement, sustainable development projects and polar environmental research.
Celebrity Cruises was one of the first lines to sail in the pristine waters of the Galapagos Islands. Over the years, the line has raised more than US$1.3 million to conserve the natural environment and help out a school for children with special needs. Graduates of the Santa Cruz Special Education Center often find it challenging to secure employment, so Celebrity helped build an onsite art gallery to enable former students to continue occupational therapy and enhance their social skills with teachers, students and visitors. Income generated from the gallery will be used for study materials and school improvements, with a view towards providing a potential income for graduates. The same funds built a kitchen and dining-room facility that provides a safe place to develop skills for employment and independent living.
Closer to home in the tropical waters of the South Pacific, Royal Caribbean has outlined plans to create a private island, much like its popular CocoCay in the Caribbean, and Lelepa in Vanuatu has been earmarked as the location. The line has partnered with the island’s only school, Amaro Primary, and provides education resources to local students. The partnership also provides renovation and repair support, new desks and chairs, computers, printers, books and stationery.
I can’t compare going to the Coronation to anything I’ve experienced before.’
CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE DRAWS ON A LITTLE HELP FROM DR SUESS AND GENEROUS CRUISERS TO HELP SUPPORT CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS IN THEIR LIFESAVING WORK, WRITES SUE WALLACE.
The fundraising programs involving Dr Seuss’ fun-loving characters Cat in the Hat and the green-hued Grinch have become an integral part of Carnival Cruise Line’s operations and are making a big impact on sick kids and their families, says the line’s vice president, Kara Glamore.
A combined total of more than $350,000 has been raised to support the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation (SCHF), which provides world-class healthcare to 170,000 children each year across its hospital network, and the Queensland Children’s Hospital Foundation.
“Kids and families are at the heart of our business and we’re so happy to be supporting a cause that gives back to children and families who are experiencing challenging times. I can’t think of anything more deserving than the work of organisations like the SCHF and Children’s Hospital Foundation,” says Glamore.
The primary fundraising initiative has been Carnival’s Conga for Kids events, previously Wiggle for Westmead, where, on sailings departing Sydney on Carnival Splendor and Brisbane on Carnival Luminosa, a conga dance party is held on the top deck to sell T-shirts, raise funds and have fun.
For its latest campaign, Grow The Grinch’s Heart, Carnival launched a series of Grinchmas in July cruises
and as part of the sailings raised funds for the SCHF. The special cruises departed on selected dates from June to August this year.
“We are thrilled to extend the support for the SCHF beyond the existing Conga for Kids program and through this new initiative as we spread love, cheer and, of course, fun,” Glamore says. She adds the response to the programs has been heartwarming. “Our guests have gotten behind the initiative, and each other in a Conga line – pardon the pun,” she says.
The cruise line also hosted a Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast for families of the CHF on board Carnival Luminosa, where the children met all their favourite Dr Seuss characters. Glamore says Dr Seuss characters are such a great fit for the programs.
“We’re so pleased to have partnered with Dr Seuss Enterprises for our Grow the Grinch’s Heart campaign in Sydney and our Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast in Brisbane,” she says.
“Carnival has had a fantastic partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises (DSE) since 2013 and we have a range of Seuss activities on board our ships, such as Seuss-a-palooza Story Time.
• $25 could help fund SCHF Art Program art packs for 1 child in hospital.
• $117 could help fund the bedside entertainment and patient information system for 3 children who have to stay in hospital for their treatment.
• $571 could help fund a wheelchair to help move sick or injured kids between wards or departments.
• $2125 could help fund chefs in Bear Cottage for 5 days to create 85 meals for children with a life-limiting illness and their families.
• $2500 could help researchers enrol one child with cancer in a clinical trial.
“The Dr Seuss stories always have a heartfelt message and their characters are so beloved and familiar to kids, so seeing kids’ faces light up when the Grinch or Cat in the Hat comes to visit brings a lot of joy. For both Carnival and DSE to raise funds that support children during the most challenging time in their young lives is so meaningful and incredibly rewarding.”
In 2019, Carnival opened Splashy Cove waterpark on board Carnival Splendor, with a colourful mural inspired by drawings from patients of The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and officially crowned Westmead patient Matilda Jenkins, aged six, the goddaughter of the ship.
“During the pause in operations in 2021, we partnered with the Nine Telethon and Today Show for the Queensland Children’s Hospital Foundation, where we matched every dollar donated live on air, so we’ve been able to extend the partnership beyond Conga for Kids in a variety of different ways,” says Glamore.
“It is so important for businesses to give back to the communities that support them,” she says. “The work these foundations do is so incredibly important, they change the lives of children and their families every day.”
Glamore says in the past, funds raised have gone toward lifesaving monitoring equipment for the Grace Centre for Newborn Intensive Care, an Anesthetics Virtual Reality Project, music therapy for the Grace Centre and the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, as well as other essential services and equipment.
The cruise line has been a proud partner of SCHF since 2016 and the Children’s Hospital Foundation in Queensland since 2019.
Children’s Hospital Foundation CEO Lyndsey Rice says they are so thankful for the generosity of Carnival Cruise Line and their passengers and the donations continue to fund ground-breaking research, vital new equipment and support and entertainment for sick kids and their families.
At Royal Caribbean Group, we deliver the best holiday experiences, responsibly. We go beyond what is needed or expected. We imagine. We pioneer. We reach beyond the horizon to SEA the Future that will sustain our planet, energise communities and accelerate innovation.
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SILVER NOVA
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We’re on track to deliver a net zero ship by 2035.
Utilising state-of-the-art technology, we not only produce more than 90% of our water onboard but we also recycle or repurpose 90% of our trash.
We are energising communities through responsible tourism programs that promote education, create opportunities for local entrepreneurs and celebrate cultures in meaningful ways.
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: Royal Caribbean’s Artist Discovery Program on Icon of the Seas
The Silversea Fund for the Galápagos
Celebrity Cruises’ Scalesia Restoration Effort
This year we are introducing a first-at-sea system that turns our trash to energy onboard, further advancing our journey to zero waste.
Silversea’s Silver Nova, Royal Caribbean International’s Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas will be our first lower emissions LNG-powered ships.
Our more than 100,000 employees represent over 140 countries
Partnering with Starlink provides enhanced connectivity at sea.
Utilising Starlink is Royal Caribbean’s and Celebrity Cruises’ mobile apps which facilitate check-in, safety briefings, onboard reservations and more.
Celebrity Edge was the first ship to be designed entirely in 3D, allowing designers to improve efficiency at the earliest development stages.
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Two years ago, Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot made a historic voyage deep into the heart of Greenland to reach a remote and untouched part of the world. No other passenger ship had ever visited, due to the compact ice that envelopes the Inuit communities’ homelands. But the planning and process behind the visit was engineered by José Sarica, one of Ponant’s expedition leaders.
Sarica has worked in a range of different destinations in various parts of the world – including the warm waters of Honduras and the Antarctic Peninsula. But on this voyage, he developed a special relationship with the Inuits months before the inaugural sailing.
“I planned a scouting in February 2021 to visit Inuit communities from Sermersooq municipality. In Greenland, the fast ice is used as a social link between communities, a transport route from one village to another, or from one village to hunting grounds,” he says.
“My mission when I visited them was to explain to them that we will not break the fast ice and see how we could co-develop experiences like dogsledding, hire local guides, polar treks, fishing on the ice, etc. When Le Commandant Charcot came to Tasiilaq during springtime for the first time, it was an immense success. This community really appreciated the way we operated and felt extremely respected.”
But the process was not simple. Sarica had to engage with regional authorities and at a community level to ensure passengers and the
ship would not encroach on the community’s hunting grounds or roads.
“If anyone is against it, the project cannot go ahead,” says Sarica. “Two years after, we are proud to spend two full days in Tasiilaq per [May] voyage and offer an overnight to our guests in the heart of this grandiose and welcoming environment. We are developing a partnership with Royal Arctic to become a supply ship for Tasiilaq from the end of April.”
Local guides are recruited from Tasiilaq and brought on board to share their daily lives with guests. And before stepping off the ship, the Ponant team hold a mandatory briefing for guests and outline a code of conduct for visiting the communities.
“Ashore, the magic happens. You don’t need to speak the same language to communicate and to create a strong link,” he says. “They are so warm welcoming and the guests so happy to see their smiles, that they interact immediately one way or another. Local guides can help our guests with translating Greenlandic to English. These local communities leave no one indifferent.”
PONANT HAS LED GUESTS INTO UNKNOWN TERRITORIES. EXPEDITION LEADER JOSÉ SARICA SPEAKS ABOUT THE SPECIAL BOND HE’S CREATED WITH THE INUIT COMMUNITY.From top: Le Commandant Charcot off Kulusuk, Greenland; Ponant expedition leader José Sarica; musher Emile.
As a seafarer and naval engineer, I prioritise sustainability in my work for the design of the PONANT fleet. Sailing propulsion, liquefied natural gas, research on liquid hydrogen… For 35 years, we have chosen constant innovation. By 2030, our new ship is aiming for zero CO 2 in navigating, manoeuvring, docking, and anchoring. Her carbon footprint will be reduced throughout her life cycle. Renewable energy provided by the wind and the sun will be combined with fuel cells using decarbonised energy and non-fossil fuels. Our destination? A more responsible tourism. It won’t be easy... But this journey is fascinating for me.
Mathieu Petiteau
EXPEDITION CRUISE LINES ARE INCREASINGLY COMMITTED TO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON THE SEAS TO HELP PROTECT OUR PLANET – AND CRUISERS ARE KEEN TO TAKE PART. BY SUE WALLACE.
The mysteries of science are being unravelled above and below the waves as cruise companies incorporate mini-laboratories, teams of experts ranging from astronomers to biologists, and groundbreaking scientific programs.
Both the sea and the sky are sources of wonder and many unanswered questions, especially in the Galapagos, the Antarctic, Artic and far-flung islands, and there’s a growing demand by travellers who are keen to quench a thirst for knowledge.
Aurora Expeditions has an emphasis on education reflected in its Citizen Science Program which shares new discoveries and deepens the connection to the natural world on its ships, Greg Mortimer and Sylvia Earle, which have Citizen Science Centres.
Hayley Peacock-Gower, the company’s head of marketing, says the program’s popularity is due to its ability to practically guide, teach and demonstrate to expeditioners how they actively play a role in the health of the planet. She says, “Passengers can make a difference as they can provide invaluable data to the scientific community by participating.”
Expedition teams include remote-area specialists, historians and ornithologists, plus a range of scientists such as glaciologists and geologists, as well as marine biologists.
Coral Expeditions is another science supporter and partners with Australian Geographic for four voyages annually that specialise in scientific content.
Commercial director Jeff Gillies says, “Our ships facilitate an excursion into remote coastal areas with a small group of like-minded and curious guests accompanied by expert guides to lead the expedition content both on the vessel and in the field.”
Research has been done on the Great Barrier Reef looking at coral species, whale-migratory trails across The Bight, the World Heritage-listed islands of the sub-Antarctic and an astronomy Kimberley voyage –another is planned for the 2028 eclipse.
Thought-provoking experiments and research are carried out on Ponant’s newest ship, groundbreaking Le Commandant Charcot, which has two wet and dry research laboratories and a team of experts.
Hervé Gastinel, CEO of Ponant, says the commitment to science is an integral part of Ponant’s identity. “For us, putting our technical and human resources at the service of science to create opportunities for research is a logical extension to raising our guests’ awareness of issues related to protecting the planet,” he says.
Academic science projects and workshops collate data for projects such as marine-species census, cloud-cover observations and phytoplankton sampling, which is fed into the wider programs of Happywhale, Globe Clouds, FjordPhyto and Seabird Surveys.
While in the Galapagos, Celebrity Flora, the first vessel with the cutting-edge technology OceanScope, allows scientists to research climatechange impact. It has an onboard lab for working scientists and passengers are encouraged to participate.
All ships’ scientific programs have a common goal – to help protect the planet for the future and find answers.
Passengers can make a difference [and] provide invaluable data to the scientific community.’
“The gentle art of gastronomy is a friendly one. It hurdles the language barrier, makes friends among civilised people, and warms the heart.” The fact that author-painter Samuel Chamberlain penned those words in the mid-1800s is a cogent reminder that culinary tourism was appreciated long before the term became a popular hashtag.
Food, for many, is indeed an essential part of travel. The late American chef and travel documentarian Anthony Bourdain said it best: “Do we really want to travel in hermetically sealed popemobiles through the rural provinces of France, Mexico and
the Far East, eating only in Hard Rock Cafes and McDonald’s? Or do we want to eat without fear, tearing into the local stew… the sincerely offered gift of a lightly grilled fish head?”
Succulent grilled fish could be on the menu for guests who book Quark Expeditions’ newest on-ship option, Tundra to Table: Inuit Culinary Experience. This foodie innovation is the expedition industry’s first exclusive Inuit culinary offering, available to guests on select Greenland and Canadian Arctic voyages, where they can enjoy four courses of modern Inuit fusion-style cuisine with dishes reflecting regional culinary traditions, whether it’s musk ox in Greenland or Arctic char in Nunavut.
“Tundra to Table was developed in full partnership with local chefs in the Arctic,” says Solan Jensen, Quark Expeditions’ Director of Expedition Delivery and Communication. “Quark Expeditions has had the honour of travelling to the Inuit homelands of Greenland and Nunavut for 30 years, and has developed meaningful
relationships in local communities. These relationships were key to launching Tundra to Table, which enables Inuit chefs in the Arctic to showcase the cuisine and culture of Greenland and Nunavut. Best of all, local chefs get to share the stories of their people through food – to intimate groups of passionate travellers gathered around a table.”
Tundra to Table is offered on select Arctic voyages on Quark Expeditions’ newest ship, Ultramarine. Equipped with two twin-engine helicopters, 20 quickdeploy Zodiacs and advanced sustainability systems, Ultramarine also offers guests the chance to relax in Tundra Spa or the sauna with floor-to-ceiling windows. Ultramarine also maintains the industry’s largest portfolio of off-ship adventures, from kayaking to helicoptersupported hiking.
Yet more ways to savour the Arctic!
Quark Expeditions’
Tundra to Table experience with an Inuit chef; a community visit; the game-changing new Ultramarine
• Proceeds of Quark Expeditions’ Tundra to Table: Inuit Culinary Experience support food-focused initiatives in the Arctic, as well as the development of new, grassroots foodfocused projects in Inuit Nunangat (Inuit homeland in Canada) and Greenland. To read more, visit the quarkexpeditions. com website.
AS A CONNECTOR TO CULTURE AND COMMUNITY IS AT THE HEART OF QUARK EXPEDITIONS’ NEW INUIT CULINARY EXPERIENCE.
The Australian adventure line visits some of the most fragile and remote ecosystems in the world, including Antarctica and the Arctic. Recognising its responsibility to protect these important ecosystems, Aurora Expeditions has released its first Impact Report, titled ‘Protecting the world’s wild places’.
The report provides a comprehensive review of the company’s efforts to integrate sustainable practices across all areas of the business and outlines its future goals.
Some of the initiatives include achieving 100 per cent climate-neutral status, supporting seven of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, emissionreduction strategies, renewable energy and biodiversity conservation projects, a reduction of plastics, as well as water conservation and waste management practices.
“We are incredibly proud to release our first Impact Report, which outlines our commitment to sustainability and our vision to be the global leader in sustainable expedition travel,” says Aurora Expeditions CEO Michael Heath.
“This is about transparency and accountability for us as a business and acknowledging where we are on our sustainability journey. We are acutely aware of the planet’s rapidly evolving climate crisis and the urgency with which we must all work together to help protect and regenerate our shared planet.
“Expedition travel holds a unique opportunity to
educate and inspire people, which we believe is pivotal to safeguarding the wild and awe-inspiring places we visit,” says Heath.
Education for passengers is also a key focus for Aurora Expeditions, with expert lectures and guides on each voyage, as well as the opportunity to participate in important Citizen Science projects. Aurora Expeditions runs seven Citizen Science projects onboard, including an initiative to identify different whales, notably humpbacks in Antarctica. Passengers are encouraged to take photos of the whales which helps scientists learn about migratory and home-range movements, population growth and decline, and even individual survival rates.
Similarly, seabird surveys provide data for their long-term monitoring in the Southern Ocean and Antarctic Peninsula through a program called eBird.
The expedition operator will also continue to collaborate with individuals and organisations who share the company’s vision, including Dr Sylvia Earle – the namesake of its second purpose-built expedition ship – and the Ocean Geographic Society, on leading projects related to raising awareness of the importance of protecting our oceans.
FOR AURORA EXPEDITIONS, TRAVEL IS THE BEST EDUCATOR: THE MORE YOU LEARN ABOUT THE PLACES YOU VISIT, THE MORE YOU CARE FOR THEM.From top: A kayak trip in Antarctica; humpback whale sighting; a Citizen Science project at work in Antarctica.
We care. We have a deep commitment to respectful travel. Aurora Expeditions is 100% Climate Neutral. We have been pioneering discovery, adventure, and exploration for over 32 years.
We have the ultimate itineraries, small groups with a maximum of 132 passengers and exceptional Expedition Teams on our new purpose-built ships, travelling to Antarctica, the Arctic and beyond. Our teams have always been about sharing their extensive knowledge, skills and insights. With education and enrichment at the heart of the way we explore, we have programs that feature special
guests in the fields of conservation, science, photography and culture to further enrich your experience.
We travel to make a positive impact and we offer the chance for you to give back and become a Citizen Scientist through participative programs on our expeditions.
We want you to be inspired and connect more deeply to the places, wildlife and people on your expedition because when you disembark, we want you to be richer in your knowledge and understanding of our planet than when you stepped onboard.
WHETHER IT’S CONVERTING FOOD SCRAPS TO ENERGY OR VISITING ECO-FARMS ON THEIR SHORE EXCURSIONS, CRUISE LINES ARE TAKING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF FOOD SERIOUSLY. BY BERNADETTE
CHUA.
One man’s trash is another man’s cocktail. It’s not quite how the saying goes, but that’s the ethos Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has taken when it comes to making cocktails. Almond croissant one day, cocktail the next. While lines Royal Caribbean and Silversea are converting food scraps into energy, NCL is turning them into after-dinner drinks. The novel program was first introduced at the Metropolitan Bar on the line’s new Norwegian Prima. The 11 cocktails use surplus ingredients to make flavourful syrups and then complement them with specialty spirits. A surprise discovery was how almond pastries that are perfectly fine for eating but perhaps not attractive enough to be served can be used to create a base for a syrup used in a mai tai. Even the bars’ straws are made from vegetables. It’s all part of NCL’s Sail and Sustain program which is also responsible for sourcing the ships’ food and plant-based menus.
Passengers too have a pivotal role in minimising food waste. It could be as simple as being judicious about what food items are picked at mealtimes.’
Other lines are making similar efforts to reduce food waste. Carnival Corporation has installed biodigesters that can break down organic material. It’s part of the effort to shrink its food-waste footprint and there are 600 of these machines across the company’s ships. Along with dehydrators, which squeeze the water from food waste and lighten the load being taken to landfills, compost sites or waste-to-energy facilities, this is all part of Carnival’s three-pronged approach to food waste.
Like NCL, Carnival analysed its ships’ food waste and worked to determine what was leftover, what could be used in other recipes and where the company could cut back.
Similarly, Royal Caribbean International uses technology to track how much food is being wasted on its ships. As an example, the line weighs out pans of lasagne before and after they are served and amends production accordingly. The line has expanded these efforts using point-of-sale data to forecast how much food it will use based on the demographics of the passengers, the itinerary and other information.
Passengers too have a pivotal role in minimising food waste. It could be as simple as being judicious about what food items are picked at mealtimes. Beef, for example, is more carbon-intensive to produce than other sources of protein such as chicken or fish or plant-based alternatives.
Off the ship, guests are being invited into the homes of locals to get a deeper understanding of different cultures through cuisine.
Oceania Cruises, for instance, launched Go Green Tours last year which are sustainability-focused shore excursions. The aim is to inform and educate cruise guests about the importance of sustainable practices in farming, wine-making and even using plants for medicine. In South America, they visit an eco-farm in Ushuaia, Argentina. At Chacra Ruca Kelleñ, which means “strawberry home” in the indigenous Mapuche language, the owner will show guests how produce is grown in eco-friendly greenhouses to shelter it from Tierra del Fuego’s harsh weather. Fresh-produce tastings follow, perhaps of just-picked berries or garden-fresh rhubarb. The tour also includes a visit to the fishing village of Puerto Almanza.
In the rolling hills of Bordeaux, luxury line Regent Seven Seas takes its passengers for an organic wine-making experience at Chateau La Dauphine. The vignerons lead guests on a tour of the property to better understand their sustainable practices with the aim for cruisers to gain an appreciation of holistic farming.
Make your own sustainable cocktail like on board NCL.
• Banana peel syrup
1.5 cups sugar
1.5 cups water
1 banana peel
1 cinnamon stick
Combine sugar and water in pot and let sugar dissolve, add banana peel and cinnamon stick and let simwmer until boiling for 30 seconds, turn off heat and let steep. Strain.
• Primadonna
The signature Metropolitan Bar cocktail:
2 oz (60ml) Flor de Caña Eco Rum
0.5 oz (15ml) banana peel syrup
Dash of walnut bitters
Stir and strain into 8 oz (240ml) Nachtmann rocks glass over an ice ball. Garnish with orange peel.
• BananaRum-Ble
The signature Prima Bar cocktail:
2 oz (60ml) Flor de Caña Eco Rum
1 oz (30ml) pineapple juice
0.75 oz (25ml) banana peel syrup
0.5 oz (15ml) lime/cherry/pineapple juice
Peychaud’s bitters
Shake and pour into 12 oz (350ml) glass. Add 0.25 oz (5ml) leftover juice, float with a dash of Peychaud’s. Garnish with pineapple skin.
A Q&A with Gabe Orta, Co-Founder of Bar Lab and an NCL partner.
How did you come up with the concepts for the cocktails?
The concept behind each cocktail was part of a mutual collaboration with Norwegian Cruise Line to reduce the waste produced by the bars on board and devise innovative and creative ways to collect byproduct waste to use within NCL’s beverage program.
How did you determine what food waste you could use?
Initially, we took a detailed look at all the ingredients we were already using on board and identified products that could be given a second life. We then started experimenting with flavours and cooking techniques to identify which ingredients would work best in our cocktail recipes.
How long did it take you and your team to create the menu for Norwegian Cruise Lines’ bars?
The partnership began in 2019 with a pop-up bar on Norwegian Encore where we brought the first sustainable cocktails to fruition. The entire process took several months with the team creating a menu of 11 sustainable cocktails for the Metropolitan Bar which debuted on Norwegian Prima in 2022, becoming the first sustainable bar in the cruise industry, which will also be featured on Norwegian Viva when she launches next month.
The first step was to explore the entire ship to look at all the ingredients being used and decide which would make more sense for use in our cocktails. After that, we went to the Bar Lab kitchen and started creating infusions, syrups and tinctures. Following a series of tastings, we finalised the flavour profiles, then we mapped out the logistics of collecting the ingredients from around the ship on a daily basis. The final step was training the staff before showcasing the menu.
Are there particular foods that you steer away from when creating cocktails (aside from the obvious meat and fish!)? We steer clear of any kind of dairy products, as well as certain vegetables, such as lettuce and eggplant.
What were some of the surprising ingredients that you’ve managed to incorporate into the cocktails?
One of our favourite ingredients to work with has been the leftover coffee grinds from all the breakfast coffees on board – we’ve been using them in all kinds of fun martini recipes. We were also surprised that one of the most reused items is almond croissants which are used to create a base for an exquisite syrup in a mai tai concoction.
What’s your favourite?
The Almond Croissant Mai Tai is my personal favourite and also one of the most popular cocktails on the ship. What do you think about NCL’s work in creating a more sustainable cruising experience?
We love it! It’s really inspiring to see a big brand such as Norwegian Cruise Line invest time and resources in new ways to give back to the planet.
One of our favourite ingredients to work with has been the leftover coffee grinds ... using them in all kinds of fun martinis.’Cocktail-making legend Gabe Orta; Metropolitan Bar aboard Norwegian Prima
Innovative, transformative, original. Avalon Waterways has redefined river cruising by going against the current and away from the ordinary.
Onboard our suite fleet of ships, you’ll enjoy the perfect blend of elegance and ease – where little touches are bold, gestures are grand and the views even grander. Our boutique-hotel-inspired Panorama SuitesSM feature the industry’s only Open-Air BalconiesSM with the widest-opening windows in cruising and decadent Comfort Collection bedsSM that face the ever-changing scenery. Award-winning accommodations, exceptional shore excursions, flexible dining options and a unique relaxed luxury atmosphere. It’s the Avalon difference and doesn’t get much better than that!
10 RIVERS 70 CRUISES 24 COUNTRIES
Visit AvalonWaterways.com.au, call 1300 230 234 or see your travel agent
The river cruise industry is making waves with innovations both on and offshore. With organic herb gardens on the roofs of ships, fully electric vessels planned by 2027 and communityfocused shore excursions, lines such as Amadeus River Cruises, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, AmaWaterways and Avalon Waterways are progressing in leaps and bounds to help preserve the environment.
Amadeus River Cruises’ new ship, Amadeus Nova, is set to sail in spring 2024. The new ship has been designed with sustainability at its core. The vessel will have a hybrid diesel-electric drive to reduce emissions, solar panels that feed energy into the ship’s circuit, a heat-recycling system and autonomous control and positioning systems to ensure the ship does not have negative environmental impacts on the European destinations it visits.
“Amadeus Nova is our response to the question of whether you can combine ship comfort with environmental awareness,” says Wolfgang Luftner, founder and managing director of Amadeus River Cruises.
“With the new generation, we want to offer the most progressive and environmentally friendly technology currently available. Thus, Amadeus Nova truly reflects our commitment to sustainable travel. The ship maintains all the characteristics for which the Amadeus fleet is famous and offers customers a new style of luxury cruising.”
Amadeus is not alone in its efforts to steer river cruising in a more sustainable direction. Uniworld Boutique River Cruises’ sustainability campaign, How We Tread Right, involves 11 measurable sustainability goals across its business operations, such as eliminating single-use plastics (SUPs), achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and reducing food waste by 50 per cent by 2025. The cruise line’s focus in improving sustainability in the kitchen has resulted in new vegan and vegetarian menu options, such as tempura vegetables, sweet potato and tofu stew, French-braised artichoke and butternut-pumpkin risotto. But it’s not just new menu options. Uniworld’s Leanpath system tracks food waste and since it was put in place on six Uniworld ships in 2021, the system has prevented 13,156 kilograms of food waste from occurring. The system has been rolled out across all Uniworld’s ships.
Julie Higgins, Sustainability Officer at Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, says, “Earth Month and every month, sustainable practices are always top of mind for us at Uniworld. We’re proud to expand our sustainable
RIVER CRUISE LINES HAVE BEEN MAKING MOVES TOWARDS MORE SUSTAINABLE SAILING ACROSS THE INDUSTRY, WRITES TALLIS BOERNE MARCUS.Solar panels will be added to AmaMagna (right); planting trees on the Isle of Skye with Uniworld (left); the Leanpath technology at work (below).
Weight: 1.93kg
Environmental Impact
Resources consumed if wasted daily for a year.
179 litres of petrol
17,305 bathtubs of water
food choices and best practices across the fleet, starting with inventive new vegan and vegetarian menus.
“We’re crossing the finish line with our food waste elimination system installations fleet-wide and have followed through with our promise to remove SUPs from our ships with the removal of all plastics from our guest rooms. Great strides are being made as we work to have a positive impact on our beautiful planet.”
AmaWaterways recently shared a range of its innovations in the environmental space. This year, the line will add solar panels to the awnings of select staterooms on its AmaMagna river ship, reducing fuel consumption relating to heating and cooling. Fuel use will also be reduced through a River Track Pilot navigation system which optimises fuel efficiency by responding to riverbed configurations and current conditions.
AmaWaterway’s Zambezi Queen, which cruises the Chobe River in Africa, uses a five-stage water purification plant so river water can be piped to the showers and tap aboard. The ship’s water jet propulsion system prevents damage to the riverbed.
The cruise line has also abandoned its breakfast and lunch buffets in favour of a la carte dining. The move is estimated to reduce food waste by up to 30 per cent, as well as improving service on board.
AmaWaterways extends its sustainability initiatives beyond just the ship, partnering with communities and foundations such as an ODA Free Village English School in Cambodia and the Kliptown Youth Program in South Africa, creating sustainability in communities as well as the environment.
Another river cruise line that actively supports environmental organisations is Avalon Waterways. Its parent company The Globus Family’s Lighthouse Project involves partnering with various organisations around the world to come together to tread lightly and give generously for the greater good.
One partner is Trees4Travel, an organisation that works to reduce the carbon footprint of travellers by planting trees when they go on holiday. Simply adding the price of a cup of coffee onto your travel costs is enough for the organisation to plant a tree and help work towards reversing the effects of climate change. Trees4Travel says that the first 10 years of each tree’s life will supplement the environmental effects of travelling, then the next 140 years of the tree’s life will be giving the globe a net benefit.
Other partners include The Ocean Cleanup, Vital Ground Foundation – Grizzly Bear Recovery and South African Parks Honorary Rangers. The Lighthouse Project also support people-focused organisations such as UNICEF and Rural Aid.
With the new generation, we want to offer the most progressive and environmentally friendly technology currently available.’Next-generation river ship Amadeus Nova (right); Avalon Waterways’ parent company is a proud supporter of UNICEF.
PURSUING NET-ZERO CARBON CRUISING BY 2050
Reducing the carbon footprint of ships while at berth and at sea
LEADING THE WAY IN SUSTAINABLE SAILING
Investing in advanced environmental technologies onboard
TOGETHER IN DESTINATION STEWARDSHIP
Partnering with cities and ports on sustainable destination management
