Balancing our increasingly green ideals with the need for a great holiday has always been a tricky problem, but can you now cruise with a cleaner conscience?

The problem with cruising, and other forms of tourism and air travel, are well documented by the media and environmental groups alike, giving us all pause for thought when booking our next holiday. Often we ask the question 'Am I doing the right thing?'

Although planes, cruise ships and cars undoubtedly can't be said to be completely green just yet, it's good to know that the cruise industry is taking big steps toward a sustainable, zero emission target suitable for the 21st Century. With a raft (or cruise ship?) of initiatives and technological advances taking place, you can now make the cleanest choice possible for your next cruise.

Single Use Plastic and Recycling

It may seem crazy now, but up until a few years ago, attempting to recycle the majority of waste onboard a cruise ship didn't seem to be a priority for the big companies. But now, with a more responsible attitude onboard, you can kiss goodbye to those pesky plastic straws, lids, sir sticks and cocktail picks that used to litter the ship from dawn 'til dusk, blowing around (and overboard) on the outside decks like a mini litter-tornado.

Although it' a small step, every little counts, and together if we all forgo our cocktail umbrella - it adds up to a big save for the environment! Cruise lines are now pledging to recycle, re-use or remove this kind of pollutant from their fleet, with a 50% reduction already on course by the end of 2022.

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) - Next Generation Engines

Now from the small steps to the large leap: LNG engines are the next big thing in cruise ship propulsion. With traditional cruise ship engines emitting over five tonnes of nitrous oxide and more sulphur than thousands of cars per day, the development of the new generation of engines plays a massive part in the fight to reduce the carbon footprint of the industry.

The newest of these engines can now be used both in port and at sea, meaning cleaner air all round on your holiday, with less impact on the people and place you visit, as well as at sea. Pioneered by Carnival Corporation, the newest and best ships to be launched with LNG propulsion now include the Costa Smerelda, Carnival Mardi Gras, P&O UK's Iona and in 2022 Arvia, plus Carnival Celebration and the amazing 'World' Class MSC World Europa and Disney's Wish.

MSC World Europa will be the most advanced LNG ship at sea and has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a further 25% over the first generation LNG engines.

Hull Design and Dynamics

But why stop there? Design of the ships hulls is also improving, reducing drag and improving fuel efficiency and emissions- even down to the super sci-fi paint allowing the hull to glide along on a bed of air bubbles, reducing friction even further. In fact with every new ship to be built, eco friendly design and reduction of the carbon footprint is now an integral part of the process from beginning to end.

Air & Water Improvement

With Advanced Air Quality Systems (AAQS) now filtering and purifying the air you breathe and dependency on purchased fresh water being brought onboard at every port being reduced, desalination plants and Waste Water Treatment systems are improving the fresh water cycle of your holiday to give you the quality you deserve.

My Kind of Green Cruise is here!

Ashore and afloat, sustainable cruising is now becoming a reality within reach, as the industry realises that in line with global tourism, we all have a responsibility to the planet that cannot be ignored. Protecting the ecosystems we visit, improving the biodiversity of the land and the oceans, all of these goals should now be at the forefront of cruise development.

Although a carbon neutral, zero emission holiday is still some way off, you can now rest assured that the environmental footprint that you leave behind on holiday is becoming smaller and smaller each time you book.

Couple up an eco-friendly ship and a carbon offset, modern flight with a company such as Easyjet, stay in an eco-hotel before your cruise, and you can be sure you are doing your best to make those footprints lighter every year.