Back in 2016, Cruise Watch predicted that “specialization” would be the future of cruise travel. In order to convince never-cruisers to take a shot on a boat for a week, the old method of just throwing amenities at people — bars, water slides, planetariums — has been joined by ships geared for a specific purpose. Take the the upcoming all-fitness cruise from Blue World. Or Virgin’s kids-free Scarlet Lady, which features Michelin-starred restaurants.
It looks like sustainability is next. Royal Caribbean just announced the first carbon neutral private island cruise destination in the world. The Vanuatan island of Lelepa (a little west of Fiji in the South Pacific) will soon host cruisers for day-excursions, as part of Royal Caribbean’s “Perfect Day” series. An Australian architecture firm that specializes in sustainable construction will spearhead the project, while a third-party group will audit the site to confirm its carbon neutrality.
There isn’t too much information about what structures travelers can expect, but we’d guess ocean-tot-table restaurants, spas fueled by renewable energy, and lots of non-motor water-sports. Whatever they choose to include, the island day will be a far cry from Royal Caribbean’s first iteration in the “Perfect Day” series — Perfect Day at Coco Cay — which is definitively not carbon neutral.
Cynics might point out that Royal Caribbean’s commitment to sustainability on small Vanuatan island is a bit rich; cruises, after all, are prodigious polluters. But then, so are flights. The uncomfortable paradox in reaching sustainably-minded places isn’t going anywhere for now, but the nature of this sort of trip is a step in the right direction. Stay tuned for updates on the project.
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