Cruise madness: enjoyment without limits or danger to your health?

Cruise madness: enjoyment without limits or danger to your health?

Cruises have been experiencing enormous popularity in Germany for several years, with 3.84 million Germans following the trend in 2024, four times as many as in 2005. This wave of travel contributes to the global cruise community, but also brings challenges. A worrying aspect is mass tourism, which affects the quality of life of residents in busy anchor points. At the same time, cruise ships have a high carbon footprint, which could further exacerbate climate change. Although shipping companies emphasize their sustainability efforts in line with the UN goals, the issue of their passengers' personal sustainability is often neglected. This could have serious environmental impacts that are not adequately addressed in discussions about cruising.

Another central topic is the all-inclusive offers on cruise ships. These offers may seem tempting, but they often lead to overconsumption of food and drink. The average weight gain of at least three kilos per week on all-inclusive tours is alarming. Many passengers tend to consume a lot of alcohol, often at breakfast. Especially on “MeinSchiff” cruises, around 80% of the drinks offered are alcoholic. Therefore, guests who abstain from alcohol have to pay extra for mineral water, while alcoholic drinks are included in the price.

The impact of the all-inclusive strategy

When taking a cruise, it is important to keep an eye on additional costs. In particular, the prices for individual drinks such as coffee, soft drinks and cocktails can quickly become high. Therefore, all-inclusive packages are recommended to better control costs. These packages can often be booked cheaper and less stressful, as many additional costs are already covered. However, there are hidden challenges here too. Gambling is part of the leisure activities on many cruise ships, and smoking is often permitted on guest cabin balconies, which can affect non-smokers.

Shipping companies are therefore faced with the task of not only ensuring the comfort of cruises, but also seriously focusing on the health and well-being of their customers. A greater sensitivity to personal and environmental sustainability would be desirable in order to meet the challenges of modern travel. While the range of all-inclusive cruises continues to grow, the question remains as to how the associated challenges can be solved in a long-term and sustainable manner.

For more information on this topic you can World and Cruise bargains visit.