While aboard the Norwegian Epic a few weeks ago, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes when a guest angrily complained to the lido bartender about the lack of a drinking straw for the frozen concoction she was holding. In the scheme of things, a plastic straw seems like a non issue, really, but it has become a hot topic since Norwegian did away with them as a step in an environmentally-friendly direction. The new line, Virgin Cruises, has similarly announced a similar ban on straws as well as other green methods of eliminating excessive waste. 

I wholehearted agree with the forward thinking. You might say “it’s just a straw - how can a straw possibly make a difference?” Well, take a 5,000 passenger ship, for instance. That’s up to 5,,000 straws a day in the trash, some ending up in the ocean. We can all do our part, one baby step at a time.

Start with those ugly disposable plastic water bottles. Plastic bottles, in my humble opinion, are the scourge of the earth. Ditch the plastic and start using a reusable water bottle. Bring it on your cruise, and make it a daily habit at home. 

Buy some reusable drinking straws. Some are made of silicone, but the good ones are steel and indestructible. Bring a few along on your cruise. You’ll be the envy of all your frozen pina colada friends. Everyone will want one!

Other ways to conserve include recycling glass, paper, aluminum, plastic and cans where available, re-using towels, turning off the lights when leaving the cabin, and closing the balcony door so the A/C doesn’t have to work so hard.

Now, if only Norwegian would do something about those plastic cups ... ?