Environmental group protests against newest Royal Caribbean cruise ship

Monday, November 17, 2003

WASHINGTON, USA: Floridians angry about Royal Caribbean's refusal to stop dumping inadequately treated sewage and waste into the seas held a rally Sunday protesting the maiden voyage of the company's newest mega-ship, the Mariner of the Seas. 

"Royal Caribbean still thinks dilution is the solution to pollution," said Katie Swayne, a Florida-based organizer working with Oceana, a non-profit ocean advocacy group. "That theory should have gone the way of the dinosaur long ago. It's outdated and misguided. We're here today to ensure the Mariner of the Seas is the last of a dying breed."

Large and extravagant enough to contain its very own ice rink, the Mariner of the Seas is equipped only with an antiquated Marine Sanitation Device (MSD) to treat its sewage and wastewater. Despite studies showing MSDs to be ineffective, Royal Caribbean has repeatedly denied requests from Oceana to invest in affordable, state of the art waste treatment technology.

"Royal Caribbean generated $3.4 billion in revenues last year, of which $167 million was spent on advertising alone," said Dana DuBose, Oceana's Cruise Pollution Campaign Director. "It would have cost around a can of soda per passenger per day to ensure this ship treats its waste properly, yet they wouldn't even make that minimal investment."

According to Oceana, Royal Caribbean's 27-ship cruise fleet produces and dumps millions of gallons of wastewater into the ocean every day. The company has installed advanced wastewater treatment facilities only on its three Alaska-bound ships, Alaska being the one state that requires the advanced systems by law. Royal Caribbean refuses to upgrade the remainder of its fleet.

For more information about Oceana's Stop Cruise Pollution campaign, visit http://www.oceana.org. 

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