Do you like your vacations with a side of swashbuckling? The Sea Cloud Spirit might just be the cruise ship for you.
The Points Guy, a travel influencer, demonstrated the boat's incredible features on TikTok, but one part of the ship stands out more than the rest.
@thepointsguy A cruise ship with sails…in 2024?! ⛵️🌊 #cruise #luxurytravel #costarica #fyp ♬ original sound - The Points Guy
The 138-meter-long vessel, which can carry 136 passengers, is powered by the wind, with a full set of sails and an 18-person crew helping the ship to reach various destinations — trips are available in Europe, Central America, and the Caribbean.
"Feels more like being on board the Black Pearl in Pirates of the Caribbean than on a cruise ship," the video's narrator said.
While the look of the boat might make you feel like Captain Jack Sparrow is at the helm, it is decked out with luxurious features. It has a wellness and spa area, comfortably proportioned bedrooms, and fine dining options.
But those sails do more than make you believe you're on the hunt for treasure. According to Conde Nast Traveler, the boat utilizes wind power for most of its journey, with a fuel-powered engine for when an extra boost is needed. For a four-day trip, an average of 80 tons of fuel are required.
Compared to standard cruise ships, that's a notable reduction in planet-damaging fuel. CruiseHive pointed out that a large cruise ship can use as much as 200 tons of fuel per day. That makes the Sea Cloud Spirit more environmentally friendly than most.
Cruise ships have a notable polluting impact. According to data from the non-profit Transport & Environment cited by the BBC, the 218 cruise ships that sailed around Europe in 2022 produced more sulfur oxides than 1 billion cars. Furthermore, the BBC pointed to statistics from the International Council on Clean Transportation showing even efficient cruise ships produce more carbon dioxide pollution per passenger kilometer than a passenger jet.
There are also detrimental effects of cruise ships on marine life. The boats' use of sonar can interfere with blue whale communication, according to a 2012 study, and with migration routes changing because of human-caused global heating — among other factors — ships can also collide with whales.
Meanwhile, Oceana noted that the dumping of treated and untreated sewage by cruise ships can kill fish and corals, particularly when done without heed to location.
As far as cruise ships go, though, the Sea Cloud Spirit appears to be on the less damaging end of the spectrum by at least using less planet-warming dirty fuel than other similar vessels. TikTokers were impressed by the boat.
"I've never wanted to be a pirate more," one user said.
"This is the only cruise ship I'd actually get on," added another.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
