Floating '15-minute' city attracts travelers from around the world — but it's not what you would expect

The world's biggest cruise ship has arrived.

F***Cars (@F***CarsReddit) reposted a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, showcasing Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas' entrance in the port of Miami.

Americans love walkable places so much that they voluntarily use their measly 2 weeks of vacation to hang out on the largest floating car-free '15-minute' city in the world. https://t.co/9glJ8QtAjm

— FuckCars (@FuckCarsReddit) August 19, 2024

The caption snarkily reads: "Americans love walkable places so much that they voluntarily use their measly 2 weeks of vacation to hang out on the largest floating car-free '15-minute' city in the world."

Cruise ships continue to be a popular vacation "destination," and they're only getting bigger. The Icon of the Seas has a max capacity of just under 8,000 people, with 2,800 rooms and over 40 restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues.

The ship does boast eco-friendly features as part of Royal Caribbean's pollution-reducing endeavors, with the goal of meeting these measures by 2035. Nonetheless, many people argue that bigger isn't always better. In fact, sometimes bigger is worse.

GreenMatch reported that medium-size cruise ships emit as much planet-warming pollution as 12,000 cars and can send over 1 billion gallons of sewage into our oceans. The majority of cruise ships rely on dirty energy, disrupt wildlife, and leave massive pollution in their wake.

While cruises are alluring for their convenience and affordability, they're also a shining example of overconsumption. They endanger marine life and boast excess with features like all-you-can-eat buffets. 

Some sustainable cruise ships, while great in theory, have been accused of greenwashing the reality of their impact on the environment — regardless of what's advertised. 

While many cruise lines boast eco-friendly features and are working toward greener futures, the sheer number of people these boats can carry can also create havoc when it comes to excursions and offshore activities. 

Amsterdam has taken steps to ban cruise ships from its shores. Svalbard, Norway, has issued new regulations to limit the number of ships and guests allowed in protected areas.

If you are planning a cruise, be mindful of the cruise line and what eco-efforts they're making to ensure your money is going toward a solution rather than perpetuating a problem.  

The tweet was met with like-minded sentiments. One comment even included a picture of a cruise ship with a racetrack on top of it.

"A car lets us get stuck in traffic, get stressed, get into crashes, increase pollution, have road rage, and costs a lot of money. What a privilege," one comment said.

"Cruise ships are definitely just a global thing in general, not specifically an American thing," another offered.

A third wrote: "Where each passenger emits half a ton of CO2 a day."

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.