Oceania Cruises continues the sustainability leadership that the Norwegian Cruise Holdings group is known for by unveiling a new group of more than 150 shore excursions designed around the concept of conservation, and sustainability. The new Go Green tours are designed to encourage engagement between cruise guests and local people at ports that they visit around the world. From visiting vineyards and learning about the impact of climate change to exploring native artisans creating eco-concious art, this program is something I look forward to seeing more of as we transform cruise tourism from one of simple escapism and into one where we can learn, share, and bring ideas back to our own people to hopefully inspire further cultural, social, and technological imprvmenet at home.
With more than 150 Go Green tours to choose from around the globe, travelers may engage with residents and businesses to learn about how they are working to conserve and sustain their surrounding environment. The tours, many of which provide an educational element, offer guests the opportunity to take part in a variety of experiences, such as visiting a sustainable vineyard in Almeria, Spain; learning the fascinating aspects of hydroponic farming in the rainforests of St. Kitts; discovering the world of eco-conscious art in Buenos Aires, Argentina; or imbibing in zero-emission rum in the world's only carbon-free distillery in Dartmouth, United Kingdom. Oceania Cruises' Go Green tours span the globe in a wide variety of destinations across Africa, Alaska, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Northern Europe and South America.
Additionally, Oceania Cruises is introducing the Beyond Blueprints tours offer a rare and in-depth look behind the scenes at some of the world's most iconic architectural landmarks such as The Royal Library and The Blue Planet aquarium in Copenhagen, Denmark; the Equinor office building and the Munchmuseet in Oslo, Norway; and La Villa Mediterranée and MUCEM Marseille, France. The line is showcasing a total of 10 Beyond Blueprints tours in Europe for 2022 and additional global destinations are expected to be unveiled later in the year. All offer special, little-known stories and information from insightful guides about the inspiration, reasoning and genius that brought these marvels to life. Other Beyond Blueprints tours being launched focus on sites in Barcelona, Spain; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Glasgow, Scotland; La Coruna, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; and Sete, France.
Oceania Crusies Go Green Tour Examples
Bordeaux Wines and Sustainability: Bordeaux, France
On this tour, guests will discover how converting to biodynamic and organic farming has further elevated the quality of the esteemed wines at Château de La Dauphine. The first vineyards in the Fronsac region of Bordeaux were planted about 2,000 years ago, so this appellation has a long-distinguished history. Even so, in 2015 the new owners of Château de La Dauphine sought to improve its wines by adopting sustainable, biodynamic practices that go far beyond organic pesticide-free agricultural methods. Biodynamic farming takes a holistic, ethical approach that follows the harmonious cycles of nature, specifically the movement of the moon and planets. As guests tour the vineyards, they will learn more about biodynamics and how it affects the terroir and the taste of the wines. The sampling that follows will lend even more insight. The exact wines will be chosen on arrival, but will likely include an elegant, deep-scarlet merlot.
A Sloth Paradise – Give Back to Nature: Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Visiting a sanctuary for sloths that have been orphaned or injured or lost their habitat due to deforestation, guests will have a close-up look at the animals as they are rehabilitated in hopes of returning them to the wild. Sloths are the world's slowest animals and spend nearly all-day hanging upside down in trees, rarely traveling more than 125 feet. If their habitat is disturbed or destroyed, the sloths are at great risk. Guests can expect to observe baby sloths and plenty of adults in various stages of rehabilitation. The guide will describe the habits of sloths in the wild and how they easily adapt to the sanctuary environment that replicates a tropical forest. Deforestation is one of the biggest threats to sloths, so to help their cause, travelers may plant a tree in a nearby forest reserve.
Bach Ma National Park Ecosystem: Hue, Vietnam
Guests can hike through Bach Ma National Park with a naturalist who will point out and describe the remarkably diverse flora and fauna. As an introduction to the natural wonders, travelers will first browse the exhibits in the visitor center, which detail the park's mountainous topography. Bach Ma means "white horse," a reference to the clouds that ride the wind around the granite summit. As the trail ascends, the forest will become denser and the air cooler. Although the ruins of homes that the colonial French built to escape the summer heat are still visible, most every other sight will be natural. Birds are abundant, including red-headed trogons and scarlet minivets, which are easy to spot because of their bright coloring. A fifth of all the plant species found in Vietnam flourish in the park, and rare orchids may be seen. The summit will afford panoramic views of the mountains, Tam Giang Lagoon and Hue.
Not Just Green Tours ...
While it is easy to simply rebrand a shore excursion program, Oceania has worked hard over the past few years to support a variety of initiatives around the world where they cruise - as well as on-ship improvements. This includes featuring reusable Vero Water decanters at all restaurants, bars, and in staterooms and suites to help eliminate plastic waste. They even provide guests with a refillable bottle that they can take on shore excursions to eliminate the need to create additional waste ashore.
Additionally, Oceania has supported various initiatives in Alaska and throughout the Pacific Ocean. This incldues supportign the ECHO Voluntary Slowdown Study conducted by the Port of Vancouver to study the impact of cruise vessels on the resident killer whales and other migrating marine mammals. They are also a strong supporter of the Alaska Raptor Center in Sitka, helping them to replace inefficient equipment and migrate away from paper towels to high-efficiency hand dryers, as well as implement a recycling program.
We love supporting brands that give back in genuine and meaningful ways and look forward to learning more about Go Green branded tours that Oceania Cruises will be offering throughout the west coast cruise region.
