Are Cruises Ruining the World?

Port of Charleston

Much has been said about the awe-inspiring Oasis of the Seas: it's the largest cruise ship ever at 225,282 gross tons and can carry 8,600 people including passengers and crew. To put that into perspective, The Wall Street Journal recently reported that a weeklong sailing requires 700 tons of supplies (including a whopping 20 tons of maraschino cherries) and 20,000 pieces of linens need to be washed every day to outfit the cabins and dining rooms. Which begs the question: With cruise ships getting bigger and bigger, what kind of impact are they having on the environment?