Blue Planet Journey

Caroline displaying a vegetarian dish on the Solstice . For this episode of my discussion of " greenwashing " on the Celebrity Solstice , I want to mention 3 issues: straws, refillable bottles, and vegetarian meals. As far as I can tell, there is not a single water bottle-filling station on this ship.  The water dispensers in the dining areas all have signs that state, no reusing of containers.  There's not even a bottle-filling fountain in the gym!  I guess when your business model involves selling beverages in bottles and cans, there's no room for reusable containers.  All day long, guests are carrying around drinks, the vast majority of which appear to be beer, sodas, and bottled water, in one-time-use containers. Two staff members mentioned that the reason for no refillable containers is to prevent "contamination."  This is patently absurd, given that 3000+ counties with local health departments in the US allow bottle-refilling station...

The Celebrity Solstice sells sunscreens containing products considered to be harmful to coral reefs. In my last post , I defined " greenwashing ." Wikipedia defines it as "...a form of spin in which green PR or green marketing is deceptively used to promote the perception that an organization's products, aims or policies are environmentally friendly." Celebrity Cruises (actually, their parent compan y) has developed a relationship with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) that has the characteristics of greenwashing. On paper, the relationship involves improvements in carbon emissions, wild caught and farmed seafood, key food commodity procurement, and meeting general standards for sustainable tourism.  There are goals set for 2020.  There is no obvious barometer that gives me a hint how Celebrity is progressing toward these goals, and some evidence that indicates problem areas. Sustainable seafood: The 2020 goal for Celebrity Cruises,...

" Greenwashing " refers to the business practice of promoting, falsely, a positive environmental agenda.  It's a marketing scheme that hints at environmental sustainability and protection without environmental sustainability and protection actually happening. The focus is on capturing a greater market share of the people who want to protect the environment.  In greenwashing, any real environmental gains are minimal because, when you remove the fluff, the commitment is not there.   Selling merchandise on the Solstice to support WWF.  This happens once per cruise.  It is unclear how much money is raised, and where this money goes.  Participants, however, probably believe they are doing something positive for the environment.  I doubt it. Celebrity Cruises regularly promotes its  partnership with WWF, the World Wildlife Fund .  However, this partnership is difficult to see in action.  First, more than half of the crew tha...

Noel Krauss is second from the left in this undated photo, in the home of Jacques Fonce, his friend for many years in Noumea, New Caledonia.  The photo is at least 30 years old.  Shirley is on the left, and Jacques is on the right. Our visit to the capitol of New Caled onia ( Nouméa ) wa s a pleasant surprise.  Caroline's mother, Lisa, had reminded us that her uncle (Caroline's great-uncle), Noel Krauss , had spent time in New Caledonia, and that Lisa still exchanged annual holiday cards with one of Noel's friends there.  We tracked down his email, exchanged a few message s, and voilà!  Eighty-seven year old Jacques Fonce met us at the  Nouméa  cruise terminal at 8:30 sharp. Jacques and Caroline meet for the first time in Nouméa. Jacques retired many years ago as the chief plant quarantine inspector for harbors and airports in New Caledonia, and has a long family history in Nouméa. His great-grandfather moved from France to Ne...

Yesterday the Celebrity Solstice  left New Caledonia territory for a few hours and sailed to the nation of Vanuatu.  The destination?  Mystery Island. Caroline is standing on the grass runway for the island's airstrip. Other than the beaches, the main feature is the grass runway. Actually, I can't find much about "Mystery Island." The island we visited actually is Inyeug Island , which is uninhabited but used for a cruise destination and the regional airport for Aneityum , the southernmost island in Vanuatu .  I think "Mystery Island" runs off the tourist brochure and tongue better than " Inyeug Island ." We spent an hour walking around the perimeter of the island. We usually walk pretty fast, and this walk should have taken us 20 minutes or so, but we kept being distracted by the thousands of little hermit crabs scurrying on the beach. You had to be careful not to step on these little guys! Finally, after scoping out t...

One of the nice things about revisiting a place is that you have a better idea of what to do and see.  The first time we visited the Isle of Pines in New Caledonia, Caroline, Doc Martin, and I walked around a little peninsula looking for a snorkeling area away from the other 2000 visitors.  After a short walk with our gear through the columnar pines , we ended up right where we were trying to avoid... the snorkeling spot suggested by the crew of the Celebrity Solstice .  The water was a bit turbid and there were not a lot of fish... not ideal snorkeling conditions.  We ended that trip with a walk to the other end of the beach (where you are stopped by a "private beach" sign - a resort).  Caroline and Doc Martin snorkeled out a bit, and Caroline came back with two thumbs up... we have to try this site on our next trip. That next trip was yesterday. Isle of Pines.  The first time we visited, we walked around the peninsula at the top, to eventual...