Suffolk cruise company removes single use plastic water bottles

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines Boudicca wears its poppies with pride on The Royal British Legions D-Day 75 Voyage of Remembrance recently. Picture: DWITYA PRANATA (Image: Dwitya_CruiseTravelImage)

It is the first cruise line to work with environmental organisation City to Sea as part of its Refill Campaign.

The announcement coincides with National Refill Day the annual campaign that raises awareness of the impact of single-use plastic water bottles on the environment, and encourages people to use refillable water bottles instead.

The Ipswich-based company is installing free water stations across its fleet, and guests are being encouraged to 'bring their own bottles' on their next sailing, as well as being able to take their refillable bottles to any bar on board. In addition to refillable water bottles, guests are also being encouraged to bring along reusable tea and coffee cups for use in the Bookmark Cafés and hot drinks stations across the fleet.

Thomas Rennesland, hotel operations director at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines said: "Protecting our oceans is something that is of paramount importance to us. "As a cruise line, we make our living out of the sea, so we need to do all that we can to conserve this precious environment and make sure that it is safeguarded for marine life and the enjoyment of generations to come.

"We are making great efforts to reduce and, where possible, eliminate single-use plastics across our fleet, and removing single-use plastic water bottles is one of the biggest changes that we can make. Our guests joining us on their holidays want to do their bit, too, and we wouldn't be able to make such big changes without their support."

Other plastic-reduction efforts that have already been introduced across Fred. Olsen's ocean fleet, including:

The removal of single-use disposable tea/coffee cups and plastic cutlery.

Replacing single-use plastic jam and butter portions with refillable options.

Replacing plastic laundry bags with linen ones.

Reducing the use of cling film.

Using ropes to secure items during rough seas, rather than plastic.

Removing plastic pens from guests' rooms and replacing them with wooden pencils.