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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

In hoping this is the end of cruises?

277 replies

nakedavengerreturns · 01/04/2020 11:15

Carnival Cruises are in the shit following the Pandemic. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/mar/31/carnival-cruises-seeks-6bn-funding-amid-coronavirus-fallout?CMP=ShareAndroidAppp_Facebook

AIBU in hoping this is the end of these disgusting floating effluent and
emission producing shit heaps that sully our global waters?

OP posts:
anotherlittlechicken · 01/04/2020 12:26

@nakedavengerreturns YABVVU.

Shame you didn't make this a poll! Bet YABU would be waaay in front of YANBU.

countrygirl99 · 01/04/2020 12:27

Not only are they a blight on many hotspots and petri dishes for infection, the bit behind the funnels (where the pool is) usually has higher air pollution levels than Central London

pussycatinboots · 01/04/2020 12:27

OP I agree with you entirely.
I wonder if there are moves afoot to re-register all of those P&O ships back to Britain, so they can be bailed out??

Vaginandtonic · 01/04/2020 12:28

Meh, I have been on a cruise and it was one of my best holidays ever, loved it!

MarieIVanArkleStinks · 01/04/2020 12:29

Surely the answer is not to dispense with a form of travel many people enjoy, but to find ways of working with rather than against it, in a productive rather than destructive manner? There is something very OTT in the XR-type response that simply (and unrealistically) wants to see whole industries or ways of life disappear rather than trying to find viable solutions. The latter is what we have a responsibility to be doing.

The aviation industry are currently thinking they are equal to this challenge (at least, Heathrow aiport is), and only time will tell. But they are making good noises in the right direction. One is to use recycled, greener aviation fuel using technology the Germans developed during WW2 in case fossil fuels became unavailable (why we've been sitting on that ecological goldmine for over half a century beats me, but as they say, better late than never). There are other firm plans for reducing CO2 and developing more environmentally friendly systems and standards on the ground. Hopefully it will work and if so, other airports around the globe will follow suit.

I'd rather see the cruise lines developing along these lines, or being forced to comply with measures such as these, rather than disappear completely. We used to cruise pre-family, but stopped once the port-stays became many hours shorter to save on costs. For us the objective was to see many places in relative comfort and across a short space of time. When it became less about the places and more about the onboard experience (which we never cared about anyway) it lost its appeal.

But given the right circumstances, I'd still like to do a rocky mountain railroad trip and a cruise of Alaska!

ErrolTheDragon · 01/04/2020 12:29

Shame you didn't make this a poll! Bet YABU would be waaay in front of YANBU.

Not sure that's the way the majority people who CBA to post on the thread think.

nakedavengerreturns · 01/04/2020 12:29

@isossummeryet. First world problems? No I've never been on one as they are not my kind of holiday. But to say it's a first world problem to be worried about the environmental impact and social or infrastructure impact on small islands, towns and marine reserves is fucking ridiculous!

I live in place that gets massively and negatively impacted by these floating monstrosities that arrive everyday, sometimes two at a time, during summer.

OP posts:
GreenTomatoes2014 · 01/04/2020 12:29

Although I can see your point, I agree slightly with blue25 - you need to chill out a bit! You're lucky enough to be able to live in a beautiful place. Most people never get the chance to do this. Perhaps those people on the cruise ships have never seen the things you see on a daily basis. Cut them some slack. You are very lucky. Not everyone has access to the beautiful scenery you do. Plus, no-body owns the land. It's there for everybody to enjoy, equally.

Pickles89 · 01/04/2020 12:30

I'm with you OP! One of the positives to come out of all this is the positive impact on pollution levels generally. I hope after this is all over there will be significant changes to lifestyle that will benefit the environment.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 01/04/2020 12:31

they treat their staff (especially from the developing world) like shit

And yet the competition for jobs on them continues to be fierce

I happen to love crusing and plan to go on many more if they're still available, but I do agree they should no more be bailed out than the airlines - especially as they've chosen ports of registration to suit only themselves

Devlesko · 01/04/2020 12:32

I'm hoping it's the end of flying for fun and business too.
The skies are lovely and the seas are bluer.
Italy waterways are lovely, now.

Iwalkinmyclothing · 01/04/2020 12:32

It would be nice if one outcome of this horrible time was a huge change to the way we regard and interact with our world. I suspect though that many people will still think their desire to have foreign holidays and cruises and so on far outweighs the damage these things do.

Stuckforthefourthtime · 01/04/2020 12:32

Totally agree. Terrible for pollution, terrible for the destinations, where far too many people get dropped off at once then leave having not had enough time to spend meaningful amounts of money for local businesses, terrible tax dodgers.

They're having so much trouble finding places to port with their ill passengers, it would be extremely ironic if they ended up having to go back to their official country of origin and Panama and the like finally have to take some responsibility in return for the money they've funnelled over the years.

Sirzy · 01/04/2020 12:33

Cruise lines are working to change. Liquified Natural gas is being used to power the newest P and O ship (whenever it does launch now!) and they are working with the ports to try to get that available in more places.

The industry is changing.

Kazzyhoward · 01/04/2020 12:34

So much crap being talked on here. Modern cruise ships are a lot more environmental friendly. Comparing like for like, they're not that much different than a hotel - the thing is people are lumping in the power plant, desalination plant, waste disposal plant etc in the cruise ship emmissions figures but ignoring them for hotels simply because hotels use local infrastructure, but the power stations, desalination plants and waste disposal plants for areas where hotels are situated are just as bad. So, when you properly compare like for like, cruise ships just don't look so bad. Far too many people with prejudices not looking at the true facts. That's not to say cruise ships used to be a massive problem, but the industry has been cleaning up it's act, just like most other industries.

lljkk · 01/04/2020 12:34

My folks love cruises. By ship is how they usually X the Atlantic (to visit me). They can't handle a lot of jetlag. I'm struggling to believe that flying is better. Or that cruise ships don't bring a lot of very wanted income to a lot of small ports that otherwise would have little local employment.

bettybattenburg · 01/04/2020 12:35

Ask anyone who lives in a place plagued by cruise ships and they'll tell you how much of a nuisance they are. How many wish they could ban them etc.

Yes and no. For some places (Venice) it's a blight, for others it is a life saver in terms of income. Cruise ships don't only go to places where the local community don't need the income, they also go to small isolated communities where they are the only source of income.
That's not to say they are always welcome by all of course.

Kazzyhoward · 01/04/2020 12:36

terrible for the destinations

I think there'll be lots of destinations praying for cruise ships to start again at the moment. Many rely on cruise ships for their tourist industry, shops, restaurants, etc.

otterturk · 01/04/2020 12:36

So many people really don't give a shit about the world so long as they get to go on a shitty P&O cruise and stuff themselves full of crap while seeing a small, highly commericalised fragment of countries where the locals probably don't want them... wow.

Kazzyhoward · 01/04/2020 12:38

they treat their staff (especially from the developing world) like shit

Many staff from the developing world are very grateful for the opportunities to earn money to support their families back home in poverty stricken places.

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 01/04/2020 12:43

Oh come on, cruises do have a useful purpose
They keep the nerds that enjoy them away from normal society, all incarcerated together.
It's just a shame that they release them; whether to go home or saturate an interesting port town for a day..

nakedavengerreturns · 01/04/2020 12:43

The reason why so many of them fly under 'flags of convenience' especially Panamanian, Maltese or Bahamas flags is to get away from employment, environmental and safety laws.

OP posts:
SeriouslyRetro · 01/04/2020 12:44

I do think there needs to be changes to the travel industry as a whole, but I also think making the world more exclusive, more for the haves and the have nots etc isn’t necessarily a positive.

What were you doing in Milford op? You wanted to appreciate the beauty of the world, much like lots of other people do. Who decides who’s worthy and who isn’t? Does it come down to money?
You say you grew up in London but now live in NZ, how did you get over there? Do you ever return to the uk? I’m not having a dig personally, I’m saying we all make choices, and life is about joy and experiences! We should all do more, but while there are experiences to be had, life is for living.

4amWitchingHour · 01/04/2020 12:44

@MarieIVanArkleStinks Why shouldn't whole industries disappear if they're terrible for society? We don't have slavery anymore, would you argue that there should have been adaptation just so the rich people could keep hold of a luxury they wanted for a bit longer? There are so many things we do which are destructive, and we should just get rid of them. There is no need to fly or travel as much as we do, or buy out of season food all year round - humans are selfish and greedy and want to maintain the status quo, but at some point in the future we'll actually value the planet and that it sustains us without exploitation, and be amazed gigantic cruise ships and low cost airlines ever existed.

Kazzyhoward · 01/04/2020 12:45

So many people really don't give a shit about the world so long as they get to go on a shitty P&O cruise and stuff themselves full of crap while seeing a small, highly commericalised fragment of countries where the locals probably don't want them... wow.

How is that different from all those who don't give a shit about flying to lie on a beach in Benidorm, or fly for a weekend stag/hen party to Magaluf? Or is it just your prejudices showing through?

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