Cruise Ethics

Jody Earney

February 24, 2015

Business Ethics

Building Moral Fiber to Encourage Sustainability in the Cruise Industry

The Cruise Industry is material for significant ethical discussion, especially with regards to their impact on the environment in a world growing progressively green. This essay will examine Carnival Corporation, and a few ethical dilemmas it has encountered recently: the strip search of a 17 year old girl, a recent crash, and emission concerns. It is a well-known fact that cruise liners emit harmful carbon emission into the environment, by some counts, three times as much as air liners. It is also well know that cruise liners contribute to the pollution of the seas by recycling waste and sewage. Ultimately, both these practices need stronger regulation, especially when analyzed from the utilitarian standpoint. The cruise industry must take into account the immense quantity of individuals its emission and recycling policy will affect in the present, and more importantly, the future.

The history of cruise ships arguably dates back thousands of years. Individuals hoping to survey new territory might cut a deal with a captain to board his ship and explore new land. In the 1800’s, however, transportation vessels began offering services that surveyed territories and remote locations. By the dawn of the 20th century, cruise vessels were ubiquitous. However, they catered more towards the utility of transportation rather than luxury and leisure—as it is today. The introduction of commercial aircrafts changed the industry. Aircraft transportation was significantly cheaper than maritime transportation. Thus, in order to survive, the cruise industry began offering transportation to exotic remote locations, while providing fine dining and quality service. “Over 13 million people went on a cruise last year, and the industry contributed some $35 billion to the U.S. economy last year”(Mahr1). In short, the market is huge.

Today, the cruise industry is a...