[seszett]

> If you arrive by boat, you must use public transport (or good old feet) to get around. I understand that it is a a surge in demand, but I am putting money in to the local economy.

Public transport is usually run at a loss, and at least partly funded with local taxes. Same for public museums, although I don't know about the Netherlands.

I think the amount of pollution per passenger is really disproportionately high for cruise ships, and I'm afraid nothing can be really done about it. It's just a less efficient means of transportation.

Now, living in Antwerp the pollution caused by container ships is at a whole other level though.

[belorn]

> It's just a less efficient means of transportation.

Boats could be a very efficient way of travel. Luxury cruise ships are inefficient because they general carries things like swimming pools, golf courses, major shopping malls and restaurants. The proportion of space and weight that is used for transportation is tiny compared to something like a train, buss or aircraft (or even a car).

Ferries in contrast has very low carbon footprint of travel per kilometer, as can be read in this graph: (https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/carbon-footprint-travel-m...).

Since container ships has a very high ratio of transported goods vs total weight of the ship, and those tend to have one of the lowest carbon footprint per ton/mile. It is one of many reason why things like ore is generally always preferred to be shipped by water.

[mlyle]

> Public transport is usually run at a loss, and at least partly funded with local taxes.

Worse-- public transport usually more than covers its variable costs at the margin, but has fixed costs related to peak use. Cruise ships help set that peak use, but don't provide consistent ridership.

That is, it's the variability that makes public transport expensive and troublesome, and cruise ships pile on variability.

[bmsleight_]

>I think the amount of pollution per passenger is really disproportionately high for cruise ships

Cruise ships are not perfect. I love to take the sleeper train everywhere. Perfect is the enemy of good. Air travel is bad. Carbon footprints is a hard one, try to minimise impact. I think nudging the industry into electric ships and using shore-side power is better.

>Public transport is usually run at a loss Maybe - look I don't want to go anywhere which do not want the ship to visit, however local officials (democratically elected) keep building facilities for ship to visit.

>Same for public museums, I never bulk at a price - charge me a tourist rate - or use tricks so local can pay less. Put the price of the gift ship. But for example the Gender museum in Aarhus you not going to get a better take on local thinking without a physical visit.

[everybodyknows]

> Now, living in Antwerp the pollution caused by container ships is at a whole other level though.

Meaning diesel exhaust? So, nitrous oxide? I assume they're not allowed to burn heavy fuel oil in port.

[bombolo]

Well the netherlands is funded by the tax avoidance in the rest of EU, so I don't really see the problem.