While cruise lines have gotten a pretty bad reputation in the past for negative environmental impacts, the cruise lines of today are definitely going green. All the major cruise lines have green and environmental programs in place to help minimize the ships' environmental impact, including water and electricity usage and waste generated. Some examples are:
* Chooses to recycle, incinerate or offload all waste materials from its ships for disposal on land, rather than dumping in the open ocean.
* Monitors water quality through an alliance with the International Seakeepers Society, to assist scientists in assessing ocean pollution and researching global climate changes and weather patterns.
* Supports community programs and local initiatives such as the Coral Reef Task Force and beach cleanups ashore.
Special Carnival Cruise Offers:
* 9-Day Mexican Riviera aboard the Carnival Spirit 1/23/09 sailing to Acapulco, Ixtapa and Manzanillo - $606.31 Inside/$736.31 Oceanview/$806.31 Balcony/$1,406.31 Suite; including $100 cabin credit, His and Hers bathrobes and Open Bar Cocktail Party just for our group!
* Carnival Sensation 3-Night from Pt. Canaveral to Nassau, Bahamas - $382.59 Inside/$422.59 Oceanview/$722.59 Suite; inclusive of taxes and port charges
* 7-Day Eastern Caribbean aboard the Carnival Triumph 3/1/09 to San Juan, St. Thomas and St. Maarten - $557.11 Inside/$657.11 Oceanview/$807.11 Balcony
* Carnival Triumph 7-Day Eastern Caribbean including the private island of Half Moon Cay, St. Thomas, San Juan and Grand Turk - $720.22 Oceanview/$1038.22 Balcony, including all port charges and fees.
* Virginia Resident offers - 3-Day Caribbean sailing from Miami from $279; 4-Day Caribbean sailing from Miami from $329; 7-Day Alaska from $479
* Air-Inclusive - 12-Day Mediterranean from $1899 (BWI) and $1949 (IAD/DC)
* Was the first cruise line to be awarded a Green Star notation by Italy's Shipping Classification and Certification Agency, whose environmental standards are even stricter than the international marine pollution convention.
* Supports the World Wildlife Fund in three of the most endangered marine regions in the world: the Mediterranean Sea, the Greater Antilles and Northeastern Brazil.
* 7-Night Mediterranean aboard Costa's newest ship from only $699 - relax and enjoy the new Samsara Spa
* 9-Night Spain/Portugal/France/UK from $899
* Experience Costa's Caribbean - Verandahs from $799, Mini-Suites from $1099 (7 Nights), Holiday itineraries from only $899
* Has replaced all light bulbs and light fixtures onboard with energy-efficient versions.
* Conduct both internal and external energy and efficiency audits to ensure maximum energy savings and efficiency.
* Cruises feature enriching Experiences of Discovery, themed cruise events and experiences onboard based around Mind, Body and Spirit; Fashion & Style; Golf and more.
* Free air when you book a 26-day World Cruise South Pacific Segment - This unique itinerary features Cabo San Lucas, Bora Bora, Papeete and Auckland, as well as celebrity guest speakers Bill Boggs and Jack Hanna. Pricing from $13,590. Sailing from Los Angeles 1/21/09.
* Mediterranean Summer Sale! - For a limited time, you can book select Mediterranean itineraries from just $2,995.
* Has special compactors for processing garbage.
* Only purchases seafood from sustainable sources.
* Has a unique onboard system to reroute excess heat generated in the ships' engine boilers to power evaporators used in the process of converting sea water into potable water.
* Up to 33% of the water used onboard is reclaimed from condensation in the shipboard air conditioning units and then re-used to wash the decks.
* Utilizes a new, non-toxic coating on the hull of the ship to reduce surface resistance in the water and increase fuel efficiency.
* Encourages guests and crew to support the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund.
* Special Price on Disney Magic sailing 4/18/2009 from Pt. Canaveral, FL, 7-Night to Western Caribbean - Book into our group and receive a $50 discount per cabin and Disney Collector Bon Voyage Gift Box; $1169 Inside ($999 3rd/$899 4th guest); $1369 Deluxe Ocean ($1099 3rd/$999 4th guest); Deluxe Verandah $2025 ($1199 3rd/$1099 4th guest)
* FREE Disney watch - Book any 7-Day Land and Sea vacation or a Disney's Southern California Dream package by Dec. 4, 2008 and receive two Disney-themed watches free.
* Special 3-Night Sailing aboard the Disney Magic - The ship is returning from dry-dock earlier than anticipated, and you're the one to benefit! Disney Cruise Line is offering a special 3-night cruise to the Bahamas departing 9/24/08. Pricing is from $439 Inside.
* Prints all onboard materials with soy-based inks.
* Uses non-hazardous detergents formulated with soy, banana and orange extracts in the ship's dry cleaning facilities.
* Buys and uses onshore electricity when docked in Seattle, rather than using the ship's fuel.
* Testing cutting-edge emission reduction technology on the Zaandam.
* Book a Holland America cruise between August 1 and September 29, 2008 and receive a FREE Onboard Coupon booklet valued at $340! Offers include free fitness classes, cigars onboard, casino credits, free photo prints onboard and free champagne.
* Does not discharge any wastewater into oceans or seas.
* Companion travels free - Book select 12, 7 and 6-day Norwegian Coastal Voyages departing in Oct., Nov. and Dec., and your companion travels free.
* Free airfare - Book select 12-day Norwegian Coastal Voyages and receive FREE airfare from New York or Newark. Book select 7 or 6-day Norwegian Coastal Voyages and receive 2 for 1 airfare from New York or Newark.
* Donates gently-used and surplus materials to organizations such as the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army.
* Through its "Seafood For Thought" program, only purchases seafood from sustainable sources.
* Started the Galapagos Conservation Fund in 1997 to allow guests to contribute directly to local conservation projects. To date, the fund has raised over $3.5 million.
* Hosts sailings geared towards environmental education and offering environmental experts as onboard lecturers.
* Only discharges biodegradable food waste. All other waste is either treated on board or disposed of on shore.
* In Hawaii and Miami, ships offer used cooking oil to be used as biodiesel fuel.
* Plans to utilize Alternative Maritime Power (shore power) when it is available to cruise ships at the Port of Los Angeles in 2008.
* Onboard Credit Promo: Book select Europe, Alaska, Canada and New England voyages by August 31, 2008 and receive up to $100 per stateroom onboard credit.
* Ships docking in Seattle and Juneau currently "plug in" to clean, local, hydroelectric power when in port.
* Visit www.princess.com/matchmaker to choose your dream cruise and enter to win it! Hurry, sweepstakes ends July 31, 2008.
* European Explorer 12-Day cruise aboard the Grand Princess, departing Aug. 30 - $1497 Inside/$1597 Outside/$2197 Balcony/$2797 Mini-Suite
* Star Princess Alaska Inside Passage 7-Day cruise departing Aug. 24, 2008 - $712 Inside/$1312 Balcony/$1612 Mini-Suite
* Sapphire Princess Mexican Riviera 7-Day cruise, departures Nov. 29 thru Dec. 13, 2008 - $562 Inside/$612 Outside/$762 Balcony/$962 Mini-Suite
* Island Princess Panama Canal 10-day cruise departing Ft. Lauderdale 3/14/09 - Oceanview Double w/Balcony $1989/Mini-Suite w/Balcony $2299; includes $25 per person onboard credit, one 6 x 8 candid photo per cabin and a complimentary bottle of wine with dinner
* Caribbean Princess Southern Caribbean 7-Day cruise, departures Nov. 30 thru Dec. 14, 2008 - $662 Outside/$862 Balcony/$1112 Mini-Suite
* Through a unique partnership, Regent offers special onboard classes and onshore excursions with famed environmentalist, oceanographer and educator Jean-Michel Cousteau and his colleagues from the Ocean Futures Society. Learn about the unique ecosystems of the places you'll visit on your Regent Seven Seas cruise.
* Autumn Sojourns through Europe - 28 nights with 2-for-1 pricing and free business class air from $$14,495/44 nights with 2-for-1 pricing and free business class air from $20,295
* "Asia Last Call" offers - receive up to $700 shipboard credit, free airfare, complimentary shipboard events and commemorative gifts with select segments of the Fall Grand Asia Pacific cruise. Segments include 9/10/08 Vancouver to Seward 7 nights; 9/18/08 Seward to Osaka 14 nights; 10/3/08 Osaka to Hong Kong 15 nights; 10/18/08 Hong Kong to Singapore 15 nights; 11/2/08 Singapore to Sydney 17 nights; 11/19/08 Sydney to Auckland 13 nights and 12/2/08 Auckland to Los Angeles 19 nights.
* Tweaks arrival and departure times so that ships can save fuel while sailing to the next port.
* Alters the speed of ships at sea to gain the greatest level of fuel efficiency.
* Uses special window tinting to keep ships cooler and reduce the load placed on the ships' air conditioning systems.
* Installing Advanced Wastewater Purification (AWP) systems on all its ships.
* Special Celebrity Sale! - Book any Oceanview or higher stateroom category on select sailings from Aug. 1-31, 2008 and receive up to $200 onboard credit!
* 14-Night Westbound Transatlantic aboard Celebrity Constellation sailing from Barcelona 9/9/08 - $799 Inside/$1049 Oceanview/$1599 Verandah
* 7-Night Alaska Hubbard Glacier aboard Celebrity Infinity sailing from Seattle 8/29/08 - $599 Inside/$849 Oceanview/$1299 Verandah (Celebrity chef Paula Deen will be aboard this cruise, offering fun parties and cooking classes)
* 7-Night Southbound Alaska aboard Celebrity Millenium sailing from Seward 8/29/08 - $529 Inside/$609 Oceanview/$1399 Concierge/$2199 Suite
* Make a deposit on select holiday season cruises before 7/11/2008 and receive up to a $200 onboard credit and a 2-category stateroom upgrade.
* 7-Night Western Caribbean aboard Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas departing Miami 4/18/09 - $849 Inside/$1099 Oceanview/$1319 Superior Oceanview/$1749 Junior Suite