Criticized by environmentalists, but once again in demand by tourists in search of new experiences, cruises are on the upswing. As the world’s largest cruise liner, the Icon of the Seas, sets sail from Miami (Florida) for its inaugural voyage, there are a number of signs that “cruising for fun” is making a comeback. And this in a variety of forms, including more confidential and ecological ones.
It’s no coincidence that Paramount Channel has just put the legendary 70s series “The Love Boat” back on its daily menu.
It’s true that cruise ships still sometimes generate a bad buzz. Last July, Amsterdam decided to close a major cruise ship terminal in its city center. Long before this northern Venice, Italy’s original Serenissima had banned cruise ships weighing over 25,000 tonnes (95% of all cruise ships) from entering its heartland, in St. Mark’s Basin or the Giudecca Canal, from 2021.
These initiatives are making waves elsewhere. In the U.S., cities such as Monterey, California, are trying to put the brakes on the free movement of these boats, which disturb the peace and quiet of their residents. And in France, in ports such as Marseille, Nice and Ajaccio (Corsica), petitions have been launched to denounce cruise ships.
1% of global marine pollution
In the face of these attacks, which also focus on the polluting nature of cruise ships, some, like Clément Mousset, co-founder of the young Compagnie française de croisière (CFC), point out that they only represent “300 units out of 98,000 merchant ships, which pollute much more” and “that cruising represents just 1% of global maritime pollution.”
But while this type of vacation may be controversial, it’s still the stuff of dreams for many people, both users and professionals alike.
A case in point is the maiden voyage of the world’s largest cruise liner, the Icon of The Seas, launched on January 27 in Miami, Florida, by Royal Caribbean, an American company based in that city. It will avoid complicated European destinations and, on its way to the Caribbean, will call at Basseterre (capital of the state of Saint Kitts and Nevis), in the Bahamas, via the U.S. Virgin Islands, before returning to Miami…
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Featured Photos: Icon of The Sea © Royal Caribbean
