Yesterday we wrote about MSC Cruises allegedly dumping garbage bags and other items into the ocean at night from the Magnifica cruise ship while it was sailing in Brazilian waters.
It’s been 24 hours since we posted the article together with video and photographs provided to us by a former cruise line employee. Our article has gone viral, having been read several hundred thousands of times with over 7,000 Facebook “likes.”
You can see the videos here and the photos here.
We have received lots of comments by members of the public expressing their disappointment and outrage that this cruise line was allegedly engaged in this type of alleged conduct. But what’s the reaction from the 
cruise industry and the maritime authorities? The cruise lines want us to believe that authorities “rigorously” enforces “strict” environmental regulations? What’s the reaction from travel agents and travel writers about this breaking news story? Let’s take a look:
The International Maritime Organization (IMO): The IMO is the international maritime authority which promulgated the pollution regulations (MARPOL) which the cruise lines are suppose to comply with. Cruise ships can’t dump unprocessed food or other items within three miles of the closest shore. They are suppose to separate, process, grind, crush and/or incinerate the ship’s refuse, paper items and/or garbage and then discharge the garbage at sea at various distances from shore or store the pulverized / incinerated materials for pick up at port after the cruise is over. Plastic is prohibited from being discharged.
But what happens when a cruise line ignores MARPOL? Nothing. The IMO is a United Nations entity. It’s a “feel good” organization. It can’t enforce its own rules and it can’t punish cruise lines when they violate the rules.
Cruise Line International Association (CLIA): CLIA is the cruise industry trade association which promotes the image and the interests of the cruise lines. CLIA says that if a cruise line member violates safety or environmental regulations, it will take steps against the member including kicking the cruise line out of the organization. But that will never happen. CLIA has never criticized, admonished or taken disciplinary action against a cruise line. It’s sole function is to protect the cruise industry from public scrutiny or criticism.
CLIA has not issued a public statement about the MSC dumping scandal. Don’t expect one either. There would have to be a Congressional investigation taking place before CLIA would even acknowledge the issue and it would then spin the story with corporate gobbledygook. Today CLIA’s CEO and former travel-agent Christine Duffy issued a PR statement on CLIA’s behalf applauding the cruise industry’s alleged efforts to create a “pristine environment.” Ms. Duffy said: “We will continue to forge new paths toward a greener, more sustainable planet . . .” and “will make cruising more environmentally conscious than ever before.”
Travel Agents, Writers, and Cruise Bloggers: So far not a single travel publication has touched the story. There are thousands of tweets and Facebook posts from the usual cruise bloggers (Cruise Hive, Cruise Currents, Cruise Fever, Cruise Critic) and travel writers (Travel Weekly, Travel Pulse) about the best deals on cruises. Many hundreds of travel agents are hawking cruises on Twitter. But no one is mentioning garbage bags in the sea dumped at night.
That’s bad for the travel agents’ business. And whether the cruise lines are polluting or not, travel agents are selling cruises on the MSC Magnifica right now. 99% of the travel writers and cruise bloggers just want the pollution story to go away. They don’t want to embarrass their friends in the cruise industry. They’re afraid that the cruise lines won’t give them complimentary or heavily discounted cruises if they mention the story.
That’s what MSC Cruises and CLIA are counting on. The cruise industry won’t change a bit as long as the 16,000 CLIA travel agents and travel writers remain silent as the oceans are polluted with cruise garbage.