Angry Polar Bears Greet Cruise Ship in France
Passengers aboard the World Traveller luxury cruise liner received a frosty reception in France over the weekend, as dozens of environmental activists dressed as polar bears gathered to decry the impacts of cruise tourism.
The small ship, operated by the U.S.-based company Atlas Ocean Voyages, was met by approximately 80 jeering protestors as it docked in the port town of Brest on Saturday morning. The activists, wearing fake fur and holding signs reading “Shame on you,” booed passengers as they disembarked from the 196-person vessel following a 12-day voyage.
The polar bear demonstration was organized by local chapters of Friends of the Earth and ANV-COP21, two leading environmental groups in France. Activists accuse the booming cruise industry of accelerating climate change through excessive greenhouse gas emissions and disturbing fragile Arctic ecosystems through expanded routes across the North Pole.
“Cruise companies are proposing trips to destinations that their own activity endangers. By developing tourism in the Arctic, they are participating in the destruction of what we want to discover,” said Faustine Defossez, an organizer with ANV-COP21 Brest.
The World Traveller cruise embarked from Iceland on September 11th for an advertised “Ultimate Iceland and North Atlantic Sailing” through remote northern islands and Greenland’s fjords. Promotional materials highlight the ship’s small size and maneuverability compared to conventional cruise liners, allowing access to isolated, ecologically sensitive destinations.
But environmentalists argue that the cruise industry relies on burning heavy fuel oil, one of the dirtiest petroleum products, and contributes disproportionately to pollution and ecosystem disruption relative to the recreational value it provides to passengers. They advocate for more sustainable forms of tourism across Western Europe’s prized natural areas.
“We are not against trips or even boats, but against these massive ships that serve no purpose other than to entertain 500 people at the expense of the climate,” Defossez said.
Cruise ships have faced mounting backlash across Europe this summer, with protests against overtourism staged in Marseille, Venice, Barcelona, and other popular port destinations. Ocean voyages are rebounding after a pandemic-related lull, but customers may encounter growing resentment rather than hospitality in certain ports.
Industry advocates argue that cruising remains a small fraction of maritime carbon emissions, and that luxury operators like Atlas Ocean Voyages cater to discerning guests focused on culture, nature, and underserved destinations. But protesters plan to continue calling attention to the impacts of recreational cruising and pushing for accelerated adoption of emissions-slashing technologies industry-wide.
