Finding a way to reduce emissions, like greenhouse gases, that reach our atmosphere is no small feat; it’s a challenge that countries, companies and leaders around the world are working on. Royal Caribbean Group, along with the cruise industry, is on a similar journey.
The Group has set an ambitious goal to reach net zero emissions by 2050 as part of its decarbonization strategy, Destination Net Zero.
Actioning that strategy means carving out important milestones while also reflecting and innovating how the Group operates their ships — from the fuels they use, to the routes they take and how they can apply land-based solutions at sea.
Dive into five ways Royal Caribbean Group is reducing emissions and sustaining the planet:
1. Energy Efficiencies: Reducing and Repurposing Energy Use
Currently, the Group’s emissions are directly connected to the amount of energy it needs. That’s why Royal Caribbean Group is implementing hundreds of creative solutions to make its ships more energy efficient. From using air lubrication systems that create tiny bubbles around the ship’s hull to reduce friction, to capturing and reusing excess engine heat, these initiatives are collectively reducing the energy needed to operate.
The Group is also optimizing their fleet’s deployment and itineraries to drive energy reductions. The single largest influence on a ship’s emissions is propulsion power. Using cross functional teams to work together to customize itineraries specific to each ship’s ideal operating conditions helps the Group deliver the best vacation experiences, responsibly.
While no single technology or operational improvement can achieve Destination Net Zero, the combined efforts are significantly cutting down energy use and moving the company closer to a double-digit carbon reduction target by 2025 and a net-zero ship by 2035.
2. Transitioning to the Alternative Energy
Rather than waiting for a single fuel solution to emerge, Royal Caribbean Group is trialing and investing in multiple options to power its ships sustainably. Last summer, the Group began trialing biofuel, an energy source produced by purifying renewable raw materials like waste oils and fats, combining it with conventional fuels to create cleaner and more sustainable energy. Trials happening across the US, Europe and Asia tested different blends of biofuels, and some using 100% Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and Fatty Acid Methyl Esther (FAME), with carbon intensity reductions of up to 85% versus conventional fuels. These are proving its viability as a sustainable “drop in” fuel option that can be used with existing infrastructure. In 2023 and 2024, the Group doubled the volume of these fuels within their fuel mix, and they intend to double them again in 2025.
The Group carried out their first trial with bio-LNG during Utopia of the Seas crossing from Europe and are setting their sights on even newer fuels further out on the horizon. As part of the development of Celebrity Cruises’ latest ship, Celebrity Xcel, Royal Caribbean Group is working towards engineering an engine capable of operating on three different fuels and will incorporate methanol as an alternative fuel option for this innovative vessel.
Ensuring the fuels are safe and efficient is the first step, but in tandem, the Group is working with suppliers to ensure these future fuels will be available at a larger scale for cruise ships around the world.
Many ships have also been equipped with the ability to use shore power, letting them shut off engines when docked and plug-in to a landside power source.
3. Driving Operational Excellence with Machine Learning and AI
The Group partners with solution experts to bring emission-cutting systems and tools to life. Royal Caribbean Group has been using machine learning and predictive analytics, and they have been able to determine the most efficient way to operate ships and find the best route to reduce emissions. The data-driven, route optimization system uses billions of data points collected onboard daily to deliver real-time guidance.
Similarly, over the last couple of years, Royal Caribbean has leveraged its in-house Data and AI team to use data to apply machine learning principles to the hotel power consumption, using AI to get real time energy usage onboard and identifying anomalies and deviations from expectations to minimize excess energy use.
4. At the Cutting-Edge of Technology Development
Curbing emissions takes ingenuity and persistence. Royal Caribbean Group has been relentlessly pursuing innovations and improving its operations for more than 30 years, which has led the company to help develop and pioneer new technologies on their ships. Over the last two years, they deployed the cruise industry’s first onboard waste-to-energy technologies on Icon of the Seas and Silver Nova. Their learnings from these first installations are already influencing the future specifications and work with technology partners.
Royal Caribbean Group continues to play a key role in shaping engine technology development, from debuting new twin-stage turbo-charged engines on Utopia of the Seas, to upcoming plans for a tri-fuel engine on Celebrity Xcel. Looking at next generation technologies, despite development setbacks experienced with planned fuel cell pilots, the Group continues to explore and pursue applications for this exciting and developing technology across our fleet and destinations.
5. Collaborating to Accelerate Innovation
Recognizing the power of collaboration, Royal Caribbean Group seeks to find ways to work with leaders across the cruise and maritime industry. A notable example was the first Decarbonization Summit, held summer 2024 onboard Utopia of the Seas, and hosted in collaboration with our Strategic Partner, the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping. The Summit brought together the best minds across the maritime industry to uncover and share insights into new pilot and testing programs that will collectively contribute to a more sustainable maritime sector.
A Sustainable Future on the Horizon
With every innovation, trial and collaborative effort, Royal Caribbean Group is accelerating toward a cleaner, more decarbonized future for travel. Destination Net Zero is not just a strategy – it’s a commitment to ensuring travelers can enjoy the beauty of our planet for many generations to come.
For more information on Royal Caribbean Group’s efforts to decarbonize and their SEA the Future initiative, please visit https://www.royalcaribbeangroup.com/sustainability/.
