Comments on: Overboard?: The Environmental & Cultural Impact of Cruises http://matadorchange.com/overboard-the-environmental-cultural-impact-of-cruises Sun, 05 Sep 2010 04:34:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Leigh http://matadorchange.com/overboard-the-environmental-cultural-impact-of-cruises/comment-page-1#comment-4959 Leigh Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:06:33 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=1882#comment-4959 I wonder how cruise goers would enjoy a more authentic experience on their cruises. Your point about textiles vs Chinese trinkets is well taken. I lived on a small Caribbean island for about 6 months and that is in many ways what happened. It was very difficult to find fish to eat there unless you fished yourself because all those with boats prefer to ferry tourists around instead of driving out for an hour to sit all day in the sun. On the other hand, the people there made their living with tourists and much as tourism has eaten into the island culture, it supports it as well. I'm also curious about the waste management aspect of things. Waste management on this same island consisted of collecting garbage then dumping it in a pit on another part of the island. Some areas have septic systems, others have little outhouses over the water. Certainly not equipped to handle 6K people. It would be of best to provide more efficient waste management processes in these islands. I wonder how cruise goers would enjoy a more authentic experience on their cruises.

Your point about textiles vs Chinese trinkets is well taken. I lived on a small Caribbean island for about 6 months and that is in many ways what happened. It was very difficult to find fish to eat there unless you fished yourself because all those with boats prefer to ferry tourists around instead of driving out for an hour to sit all day in the sun.

On the other hand, the people there made their living with tourists and much as tourism has eaten into the island culture, it supports it as well.

I’m also curious about the waste management aspect of things. Waste management on this same island consisted of collecting garbage then dumping it in a pit on another part of the island. Some areas have septic systems, others have little outhouses over the water. Certainly not equipped to handle 6K people.
It would be of best to provide more efficient waste management processes in these islands.

(Report comment)

]]> By: lauren http://matadorchange.com/overboard-the-environmental-cultural-impact-of-cruises/comment-page-1#comment-4950 lauren Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:47:46 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=1882#comment-4950 The whole idea of a cruise bums me out. And this piece touched on a lot of the reasons why. As a co-worker of my dad's said about his recent cruise experience: "It was great. We got to go to all these different places during the day, and every night we got to go back to America." Exactly. The whole idea of a cruise bums me out. And this piece touched on a lot of the reasons why. As a co-worker of my dad’s said about his recent cruise experience: “It was great. We got to go to all these different places during the day, and every night we got to go back to America.”

Exactly.

(Report comment)

]]> By: Michelle http://matadorchange.com/overboard-the-environmental-cultural-impact-of-cruises/comment-page-1#comment-4946 Michelle Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:23:40 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=1882#comment-4946 Really good points, Jonny. Thank you! Really good points, Jonny. Thank you!

(Report comment)

]]> By: Candice http://matadorchange.com/overboard-the-environmental-cultural-impact-of-cruises/comment-page-1#comment-4936 Candice Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:01:20 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=1882#comment-4936 Ouch, yeah, this is a scary piece. I'd kinda like to do the whole cruise experience at least once, but the waste is definitely discouraging. Thanks for the info. Ouch, yeah, this is a scary piece. I’d kinda like to do the whole cruise experience at least once, but the waste is definitely discouraging. Thanks for the info.

(Report comment)

]]> By: Jonny http://matadorchange.com/overboard-the-environmental-cultural-impact-of-cruises/comment-page-1#comment-4935 Jonny Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:13:34 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=1882#comment-4935 @Michelle - if your concerns are environmental, a group called Friends of the Earth have produced a "Cruise Ship Report Card", grading the largest carriers on sewage treatment, air pollution, water quality, and accessibility of information. If your concerns are cultural, I think it's generally safe to say that smaller is better. But even then, cruises tend to be short (10 days or less) and to hop from one destination to the next, which tends to sensationalize certain aspects of a local culture and ignore others. That said, I don't think working on a big cruise line is automatically akin to selling your traveler's soul. Being there gives you the opportunity to spread a different message, to encourage ship-goers to learn more, to be more culturally and environmentally sensitive, to think about the impact they are having. @Michelle – if your concerns are environmental, a group called Friends of the Earth have produced a “Cruise Ship Report Card”, grading the largest carriers on sewage treatment, air pollution, water quality, and accessibility of information.

If your concerns are cultural, I think it’s generally safe to say that smaller is better. But even then, cruises tend to be short (10 days or less) and to hop from one destination to the next, which tends to sensationalize certain aspects of a local culture and ignore others.

That said, I don’t think working on a big cruise line is automatically akin to selling your traveler’s soul. Being there gives you the opportunity to spread a different message, to encourage ship-goers to learn more, to be more culturally and environmentally sensitive, to think about the impact they are having.

(Report comment)

]]> By: Abbie http://matadorchange.com/overboard-the-environmental-cultural-impact-of-cruises/comment-page-1#comment-4932 Abbie Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:26:44 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=1882#comment-4932 I've been on a weekend cruise, and my family went on a longer cruise in the spring, and besides the environmental part, I was just plain bored. Many of the activities aren't really that interesting for people in their 20s (unless you're on the Carnival "party cruises"), and I got a little stir crazy not being able to get off the boat on "at sea" days! I’ve been on a weekend cruise, and my family went on a longer cruise in the spring, and besides the environmental part, I was just plain bored. Many of the activities aren’t really that interesting for people in their 20s (unless you’re on the Carnival “party cruises”), and I got a little stir crazy not being able to get off the boat on “at sea” days!

(Report comment)

]]> By: lysscm http://matadorchange.com/overboard-the-environmental-cultural-impact-of-cruises/comment-page-1#comment-4931 lysscm Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:46:32 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=1882#comment-4931 If you have't already, you must must must read "Shipping Out" by David Foster Wallace. Here's a link: http://www.harpers.org/media/pdf/dfw/HarpersMagazine-1996-01-0007859.pdf Really great literary journalism piece published in Harper's by Wallace-- such a tragically great writer and dissecter of life. If you have’t already, you must must must read “Shipping Out” by David Foster Wallace.

Here’s a link: http://www.harpers.org/media/pdf/dfw/HarpersMagazine-1996-01-0007859.pdf

Really great literary journalism piece published in Harper’s by Wallace– such a tragically great writer and dissecter of life.

(Report comment)

]]> By: Michelle http://matadorchange.com/overboard-the-environmental-cultural-impact-of-cruises/comment-page-1#comment-4930 Michelle Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:43:44 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=1882#comment-4930 I'll be completely honest - this is hard for me to read, because I'm seeking employment on a cruise line. As a musician who wants to make a living playing, I can tell you a cruise ship gig is one of the best ways to get a ton of experience and save a lot of money in the process. However. I've never been on a cruise. Years ago I was mildly interested. Lately, not so much. I realized awhile ago it wasn't the kind of travel I'm interested in. I do think it's nice for people who work tough jobs and save up to have a luxurious week/weekend sailing around. But this type of excess is troublesome, for sure. Are there any small, more environmentally-conscious cruise lines out there? I'm all about people partying and having a good time, but not at such a high cost to local cultures and the environment. It'd be nice to see some other options. I’ll be completely honest – this is hard for me to read, because I’m seeking employment on a cruise line. As a musician who wants to make a living playing, I can tell you a cruise ship gig is one of the best ways to get a ton of experience and save a lot of money in the process.

However. I’ve never been on a cruise. Years ago I was mildly interested. Lately, not so much. I realized awhile ago it wasn’t the kind of travel I’m interested in. I do think it’s nice for people who work tough jobs and save up to have a luxurious week/weekend sailing around. But this type of excess is troublesome, for sure.

Are there any small, more environmentally-conscious cruise lines out there? I’m all about people partying and having a good time, but not at such a high cost to local cultures and the environment. It’d be nice to see some other options.

(Report comment)

]]> By: Megan Hill http://matadorchange.com/overboard-the-environmental-cultural-impact-of-cruises/comment-page-1#comment-4929 Megan Hill Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:23:20 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=1882#comment-4929 Plus the whole idea of a cruise--to cruise by and step off for just a brief foray on land--really goes against my tendency towards immersion traveling. Plus the whole idea of a cruise–to cruise by and step off for just a brief foray on land–really goes against my tendency towards immersion traveling.

(Report comment)

]]> By: Megan Hill http://matadorchange.com/overboard-the-environmental-cultural-impact-of-cruises/comment-page-1#comment-4928 Megan Hill Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:21:16 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=1882#comment-4928 You bring up some great points I hadn't considered. I've taken a cruise, and I'll never do it again. I was thoroughly disgusted at the laziness and tendency towards over-eating that seemed rampant. I respect the need to relax on one's vacation, but most of the people seen pigging out on dessert at every meal (and in between) or ordering 2 entrees at dinner seemed like they had plenty relaxing in their everyday lives...it was horrifying. I like the other issues you brought up, and now have even more reasons to hate cruises! You bring up some great points I hadn’t considered. I’ve taken a cruise, and I’ll never do it again. I was thoroughly disgusted at the laziness and tendency towards over-eating that seemed rampant. I respect the need to relax on one’s vacation, but most of the people seen pigging out on dessert at every meal (and in between) or ordering 2 entrees at dinner seemed like they had plenty relaxing in their everyday lives…it was horrifying.

I like the other issues you brought up, and now have even more reasons to hate cruises!

(Report comment)

]]>