In recent years, sustainability has consistently emerged in travel trend reports as a key motivator for many people in deciding how and where to spend their time away from home—and for leaders in considering where to hold meetings, events, and other gatherings. Opportunities to support the conservation of our planet is at the core of countless everyday decisions in business, in households, and beyond. Increasingly, consumers are becoming aware of not only the impact their actions can have on natural resources, but also of the potential to affect communities, cultures, and specific ecosystems.
In other words, people’s commitment to sustainable travel’s mission of maintaining current conditions and avoiding further harm has evolved.
But Booking.com’s 2025 research illuminates this growing awareness, citing “a shift in traveler perceptions of what sustainability encompasses. For the first time, more than half of travelers (53%) are now conscious of tourism’s impact on local communities, as well as the environment.” (Source: news.booking.com)
This mindset is at the core of the concept of regenerative travel, which, simply put, aims to leave a destination better than one found it.
Unlike hotels and resorts, cruise ships move through the world’s oceans from one destination to another, making their innovations and efforts to not only avoid harming the places they visit, but to improve them whenever possible, exceedingly important—and fascinating. Landry & Kling is passionate about regenerative travel and committed to collaborating with the cruise lines leading the effort.
From Sustainability to Regeneration: How Cruise Lines Are Creating Lasting Positive Impact
When most of us think of sustainable cruising, we envision ships equipped with the latest fuel technology, a commitment to reduced carbon emissions, and onboard practices like the ban of plastic straws and single-use plastics.
These are ever-changing, powerful choices. Still, many cruise lines are elevating these efforts by also committing to regenerative travel practices. They want to ensure that the world’s most beautiful and treasured destinations not only survive but thrive, through initiatives including:
- Protecting natural environments, wildlife and natural resources when developing and managing tourism activities
- Providing authentic tourist experiences that celebrate and conserve heritage and culture
- Creating community partnerships to provide socio-economic benefits
In short, these cruise lines aim to be good stewards of the planet and support local communities to not only avoid further harm, but to go further and create a positive impact for future generations—and so does Landry & Kling.
A Selection of Cruise Lines Practicing Regenerative Travel
CELEBRITY CRUISES – Supporting Local Agriculture and Fishing Communities in the Galapagos Islands
In the Galapagos Islands, Celebrity Cruises has sown the seeds of sustainability by building greenhouses and partnering with local farmers’ associations. Their organic agriculture initiative even led to the creation of the unique “Galápagos tomato,” a symbol of innovation and collaboration.
Celebrity also helped launch a fishing cooperative, giving local fishermen access to a safe, modern facility for processing and storing their catch. Thanks to these efforts, hundreds of kilos of organic produce and fresh fish now make their way from the islands to Celebrity’s ship in the region, allowing guests to enjoy local flavors while directly supporting the community’s economy.
COSTA CRUISES – Creating Sustainable Food Gardens in Africa
Costa Cruises has transformed its food waste reduction efforts into a force for good, supporting the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity. Since 2018, Costa has helped establish 100 Food Gardens across Africa—60 “community gardens” for local villages and 40 “school gardens” that double as outdoor classrooms.
These gardens thrive under the guidance of local coordinators, who teach sustainable farming to young people and farmers. So far, the project has touched the lives of around 4,000 people—including 3,000 children and over 700 women—in Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, and Madagascar. Through this initiative, Costa’s commitment to sustainability is cultivating hope, knowledge, and a greener future for communities across the continent.
HURTIGRUTEN – Strengthening Coastal Communities
Hurtigruten is deeply committed to the year-round prosperity and sustainable development of every destination it visits. With great respect for indigenous communities and local traditions, the expedition cruise line works hand-in-hand with residents to ensure responsible tourism and authentic cultural encounters.
Rooted in its Norwegian heritage, Hurtigruten prioritizes local partnerships—employing local guides, sourcing ingredients from nearby suppliers, and supporting small businesses through excursions and services. As the leading advocate for locally sourced food in Norwegian travel, Hurtigruten helps strengthen coastal communities, ensuring their welfare and preserving their unique way of life.
LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS – Supporting Whale Conservation in Alaska
In Alaska’s icy waters, whales play a critical role in the ecosystem, and whale-watching is a strong economy driver. Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund partners with the Alaska Whale Foundation (AWF), a nonprofit dedicated to protecting and studying these magnificent creatures.
AWF’s work is a collaborative effort, joining forces with other research groups to monitor whale presence and vocalizations through both sight and sound. Their discoveries are shared in peer-reviewed journals, expanding our understanding of whale behavior and raising awareness for conservation efforts in these pristine northern waters.
MSC CRUISES – Regenerating Coral Reefs
Catastrophic coral bleaching—driven by record ocean heat—has devastated reefs worldwide, stripping corals of their life-giving algae and threatening not only marine biodiversity but also the coastal communities that depend on reefs for food, protection, and livelihoods.
MSC Foundation’s Super Coral Reefs Programme has been nurturing coral fragments in an offshore nursery since 2022, and beginning in 2025, in partnership with the Perry Institute for Marine Science, these resilient corals—including the critically endangered elkhorn—are being outplanted onto carefully chosen reef sites to rebuild structure and foster natural fusion.
By restoring a diverse mix of species, the programme is not just reviving reefs but also strengthening their resilience and supporting the communities and marine life that rely on them.
PONANT – Spreading the Wisdom of the Peoples of the Sea
The PONANT Foundation supports concrete initiatives that contribute to conserving and restoring ecosystems, acquiring and sharing scientific knowledge, and developing local communities. With a focus on conservation and restoration, innovation and awareness, and taking action for people, PONANT Foundation supports a variety of meaningful projects around the world. In Oceania, the PONANT Foundation is behind the “Moana Rising” project, a series of eight short films produced by the NGO Conservation International that explore the relationship between the people of the Pacific and the Moana, the ocean. Central to all the stories are the impact of climate change and the local solutions used by these peoples to better conserve their environment.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN GROUP – Exploring the World While Lifting Up Communities
Royal Caribbean Group and its family of brands is charting a greener course for travel by partnering with local governments and tour operators to make shore excursions more sustainable. By offering tours certified by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)—which focuses on sustainability planning, community benefits, cultural heritage, and environmental protection—the cruise line is helping guests explore the world responsibly.
In its most recent sustainability report (2023), Royal Caribbean Group confirms its goal for 60% of RCG-offered tours to be provided by GSTC certified tour operators by 2026. As of year-end 2023, 39% of the company’s tours were GSTC certified, making it increasingly easier for guests to choose from responsible excursions across the globe, ensuring their adventures support both local communities and the planet.
Poised for Impact
With its estimated global market valued at over USD $8BN and growing, and with its reach into destinations, communities and ecosystems all over the world, the cruise industry has a unique opportunity to lead regenerative travel to new levels of innovation and impact. The examples in this post are but a few of the ways that cruise lines are rising to the opportunity and delivering positive applications of technology, programming, and practices.
Leaders with an interest in leaving the world a better place than they found it who are considering whether a cruise is the right venue for meetings and events, and other gatherings can find not only validation, but even inspiration, throughout the world of cruising. With a shared passion for regenerative travel, Landry & Kling is the ideal partner for creating responsible, conscious experiences at sea.
For a complimentary cruise meeting consultation, request a proposal, call us at +1 786-594-0732, or email inquiry@landrykling.com.
FAQs
What is the difference between sustainable travel and regenerative travel?
Simply put, sustainable travel aims to maintain current conditions and avoiding further harm, and regenerative travel goes further to focus on leaving a place better than one found it.
What are some of the biggest challenges the cruise industry faces, when it comes to sustainable and regenerative travel?
The global nature of cruising puts it in touch with different ecosystems, geographies, cultures, governments, and operations around the world. In other words, there is no one-size-fits-all innovation that addresses all issues everywhere, so cruise lines must be especially innovative, imaginative and collaborative to continue to build sustainable travel and regenerative travel efforts into their operations and guest experiences.
How do cruise ships handle waste management and recycling at sea?
While specific equipment and processes vary by cruise line and location, the majority of cruise lines are deeply committed to the latest innovations in advanced wastewater treatment, waste management, and water conservation. Members of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) globally employ these technologies. Cruise lines are constantly exploring and trialing renewable fuels, and not only recycling but in many cases also repurposing onboard waste.
