Wanderlust and the sea: Saxony is charting a new course for the cruise industry

Wanderlust and the sea: Saxony is charting a new course for the cruise industry

The cruise trend is booming - especially in recent years, ship trips have attracted more and more people. But what looks tempting at first glance also has its downsides. Kati Naumann, a writer from Leipzig, sums up exactly this feeling in her newly published novel “Fernwehland”. She talks about unfulfilled longings and the associated wanderlust, which provides many reasons for traveling. The topic is so widespread that it intersects with environmental issues, especially when it comes to cruises.

After all, Jens Janauscheck, the captain of the AIDAnova cruise ship, is passionate about the sea. But his love of seafaring stands in stark contrast to the environmental impact of cruising. After all, there are over 400 cruise ships worldwide, which together offer space for tens of thousands of passengers, as the Planet Wissen report states. The newest ship, “Icon of the Seas”, can even accommodate up to 7,600 passengers.

Climate-friendly cruise tourism – utopia or reality?

The problems are immense: Cruise ships often use heavy fuel oils, which are more harmful to the environment than the fuels used in cars. A trip from the UK to New York alone can produce up to 9 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents for a passenger, while a return flight from Düsseldorf to New York only emits around 2.8 tonnes. These figures demonstrate the significant emissions associated with the cruise industry. More than 23 megatons of CO₂ and significant amounts of nitrogen and sulfur oxides were emitted annually before the pandemic, damaging not only the environment but also people's health, as an analysis by the Transport & Environment Association shows.

Despite the pressing signs of an environmental crisis exacerbated by cruising, there are bright spots. Renowned shipping companies such as MSC Cruises and TUI Cruises are aiming for climate-neutral cruises, which are to be realized by 2030. Carnival Corporation is also setting climate goals by 2050, including net zero emissions, and will offer more shore power on board in the future. But is that enough?

The challenges of the traditional fleet

It's not just the new luxury liners that are shaping cruise tourism. Christoph Springer from Saxon Steamshipping talks about the challenges that the almost 200-year tradition of paddle steamers on the Elbe has to contend with. “Diesbar”, for example, is the only coal-powered paddle steamer in the world, which is not exactly environmentally friendly. NABU representative Sönke Diesner recognizes progress in the industry, but also knows that the switch to environmentally friendly alternatives is progressing too slowly.

Another problem is waste management: cruise ships alone generate over 300 liters of wastewater per passenger every day and are responsible for a quarter of the solid waste in global maritime transport. In environmentally sensitive areas, such as the coral reefs of the Caribbean, they cause great damage, capable of destroying up to 200 square meters of reef per ship.

Personal experiences and travels

Nevertheless, the wanderlust remains unbroken. Daniela Pörtl, a specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy, has linked personal travel experiences and evolutionary aspects in her book about “Wanderlust”. She explains that the “wandering gene” plays an important role in this context. The doctor Reinhard Friedl, who works on cruise ships and will soon publish the book “A Doctor for Every Wave”, also discusses everyday life on board and the challenges that come with it.

So the future of the cruise industry depends on how quickly and effectively sustainable practices are implemented. It remains exciting to see whether this can provide a solution to the pressing environmental problem or whether the desire for adventure and distance will ultimately prevail. True to the motto: “If you don’t dare, you don’t win!”