Friends of the Earth issued an annual environmental scorecard for the cruise industry, giving all cruise lines an F for transparency for what it says was a refusal to cooperate with data gathering.
The environmental organization said it added a fourth criteria, transparency, to its scorecard this year and gave across-the-board Fs to 16 cruise lines it examined.
The Friends group said all cruise lines declined to respond to its survey through CLIA, the industry trade association.
“By working to stifle the Cruise Ship Report Card, the industry attempted to shield itself from continued scrutiny of its environmental practices, and obscure data from conscientious consumers who would make different choices based on how a cruise ship or line performs on the report card,” said Marcie Keever, oceans and vessels program director for Friends of the Earth.
In a statement, CLIA said it did not decline to work with the group. "Any decision to not participate with the FOE on its distorted and inaccurate cruise line report card was made by individual cruise lines, not CLIA,” the statement said.
CLIA went on to say that the report card fails to provide consumers with an accurate picture of “the outstanding environmental performance and sustainable practices of CLIA member cruise lines.
“While it may advance FOE’s agenda, this report does not provide accurate or useful information that will further public understanding of the cruise industry’s true environmental performance,” CLIA said.
Friends of the Earth said the industry has cooperated with past surveys, which date back at least to 2009. In the 2014 report, the group gave its best rating to Disney Cruise Line, which it said would have earned an A except for its non-cooperation. The worst scores were assigned to Costa, Crystal, MSC and P&O, which all got an overall grade of F.
The cruise lines are graded on sewage treatment, air pollution reduction, water-quality compliance and transparency.