If a cruise line's advertisement telling you to "Cruise responsibly" or "Cruise green" with them makes you think that their cruises are environmentally friendly, you wouldn't be alone. But when it comes to MSC Cruises, several watchdog groups recently argued, that's a dubious claim to make — and that's why the Dutch Advertising Committee (DAC) has ordered it to withdraw those advertisements, Minerva Analytics reported.
The complaint was filed by three Dutch environmental activism groups — Reclame FossielVrij, Advocates for the Future, and De Reclamejagers — who argued that the ads made by the cruise line were "misleading, unfair and in violation of the code for sustainable advertising."
The key issues, they noted, were that the company used greenwashing language to mislead potential travelers about the sustainability of the cruise line. For example, MSC claimed that its liquefied natural gas is "one of the cleanest shipping fuels," but DAC stated that this was a difficult claim to make, especially in such absolute terms.
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Similarly, the cruise line boasted how it was "making great strides to be net zero by 2050." But in reality, DAC pointed out, it has laid out "no realistic path" as to how it plans to achieve this, Minerva reported.
Unfortunately, the advertisements had already been rolled out on TV and online in over 30 countries before they were canceled. And with more and more travelers looking at environmental impact as a deciding factor in their bookings, claims like this could mislead them to seek out brands like MSC — even when there's nothing to back up the greenwashing language.
Considering the major planet-warming pollution generated by air, ocean, and ground travel, it's a critical moment for the travel industry to communicate honestly so that consumers can make informed decisions.
For many travelers, that will likely look like opting for low-impact journeys, such as traveling to places they can drive to — particularly with EVs — or take a train rather than on a heavily polluting flight.
But understanding that flights are somewhat unavoidable for the modern traveler, there are still many ways to ensure that your trip is as carbon friendly as possible. For example, choosing to stay at a regenerative hotel, eating locally sourced food, and avoiding single-use items are all great ways to minimize the impact of your trip — while maximizing the authenticity and meaning of travel.
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