Residents of Portland, Maine, were none too pleased after a massive cruise ship with a track record of polluting the air and water came into port.
A concerned citizen posted a photo of the floating skyscraper in the city's r/portlandme community.
"Meet the 'Norwegian Getaway,'" they wrote, followed by some concerning details sourced from Portland Cruise Control, a local volunteer group.
They shared that this specific ship has an F grade from the advocacy organization Friends of the Earth. The company, Norwegian Cruise Line, was ranked as the second-worst polluting cruise line in 2024, and its ships release as much pollution as an entire town.
Most cruise ships harm the planet in some way, whether through their massive turbines disturbing marine habitats, their intense fuel needs, or how they handle waste. Yet major ports open their doors to big cruises for the fees they pay and the economic boost to their cities.
Still, Redditors in Portland seemed skeptical that playing nice with the cruise industry offers residents any real benefit. A study even found that cruise passengers spend less money in Maine than previously thought.
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"I've worked retail in the Old Port for years," one person testified in the comments. "[Passengers] will buy a shot glass or a magnet at best."
This debate over whether cruises bring in enough value for Portland residents went back and forth, but the original poster reminded people of the bottom line.
"I would have preferred that our city spend public money courting actual businesses and industries that don't wreck the environment, and don't have the potential of disappearing in an instant," they wrote.
It's okay to need a vacation — but it doesn't have to be a cruise. There are tons of fulfilling ways to travel without supporting polluting industries.
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As for Portland residents, their message about "Norwegian Getaway" could not have been clearer.
"Not worth the pollution!" a commenter exclaimed.
"Gross," someone else added.
"Tourism kills everything it touches eventually," a third warned.
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