A confined space

Comments

9 responses to “A confined space”

1. 

   Omar

   May 4, 2026 9:28 AM

   It may help if we think of the descendants of the present-day climate ‘sceptics’ and denialists, like say, er, Donald Trump: who will likely be rich enough and influential enough to be able to move to the tropical paradise of Iceland, Greenland or maybe Patagonia, there to relax under the palms enjoying cool drinks and the view of Antarctic glaciers as transformed into sea water, whose surface would be 65 to 70 meters (roughly 210 to 230 feet) above present levels, inundating all low-lying populated regions on Earth.

   Their present-day living ancestors, like say, er, Donald Trump, will remembered for their not-so-wise sayings, like ‘What has posterity ever done for us?’
2. 

   Mike Haubrich

   May 5, 2026 10:34 AM

   I went on a cruise once, and I don’t see the appeal. The only time that I enjoyed it was in the very early mornings, when I could wander the ship just before dawn. There were just too many people in a confined space, and the group I was with turned out to be cliquish. So I was very happy for us to dock, so I could get off the ship and back to my car. The entertainment is lame, the food isn’t that great, and I wasn’t about to go to the onboard casinos or art auction.

   The thing is, that it’s an affordable vacation for many people and so, not likely to be scuttled in the near future.
3. 

   Dave Ricks

   May 6, 2026 10:05 AM

   The Hondius interests me very much.

   The Wikipedia page on cruise ships reports, “As of November 2022 there were 302 cruise ships operating worldwide, with a combined capacity of 664,602 passengers.” That averages 2,200 passengers per cruise ship.

   But as the BBC article reported above, Hondius can carry 170 passengers, which is fewer by a factor of 13, so Hondius is very different. Oceanwide Expeditions explains more, starting with its design for polar expeditions:

   https://oceanwide-expeditions.com/our-fleet/m-v-hondius

   m/v Hondius

   Hondius is the first-registered Polar Class 6 vessel in the world, meeting the latest and highest Lloyd’s Register standards for ice-strengthened cruise ships. Surpassing the requirements of the Polar Code adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Hondius represents the most flexible, advanced, innovative touring vessel in the polar regions, thoroughly optimized for exploratory voyages that provide you the utmost first-hand contact with the Arctic and Antarctica.

   More about their expeditions:

   Swift & safe ship-to-shore operations

   It is our philosophy to keep sea time short so that we can focus instead on fast, effective access to shore and near-shore activities. To give you the maximum contact with the nature and wildlife you traveled so far to see, we employ a tough fleet of rigid-hull inflatable Zodiac boats that guarantee swift and safe landing operations for the passengers. Hondius has two separate gangways and a sheltered indoor Zodiac boarding [area] that can also be used for special outdoor activities, such as kayaking.

   So while the mainstream media have been calling Hondius a “cruise ship” (which might evoke a capacity over 2,000 passengers), the Wikipedia page for Hondius classifies it as an “expedition ship” (in this case with a capacity under 200 passengers).

   Also, Oceanwide Expeditions says Hondius is a ship for “expedition cruises”, so the words “cruise” and “ship” are correct by themselves, but I felt the distinctions above were worth my examination and clarification.
4. 

   Ophelia Benson

   May 6, 2026 10:59 AM

   Mike, have you read David Foster Wallace’s essay “A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again”? About a cruise he undertook for a magazine. It’s breath-stealingly funny.
5. 

   Ophelia Benson

   May 6, 2026 11:03 AM

   Thanks Dave; interesting. A ship for 200 people is certainly nothing like the multistory monsters that tie up in Seattle.
6. 

   Sackbut

   May 6, 2026 1:52 PM

   I’ve been on a cruise. I had a good time. I have family who take cruises often. I’ve been thinking of joining them on a cruise someday.

   But the latest bunch of incidents, such as the one in the OP, give me great pause. I don’t know if I could manage it anymore.
7. 

   Omar

   May 6, 2026 4:03 PM

   Why bother getting on a cruise ship bound for a polar region, when all those greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere, and increasing its internal energy, will probably bring the polar region to you?
8. 

   Ophelia Benson

   May 6, 2026 4:54 PM

   I can imagine having a good time on a cruise on a small ship. The huge ones sound like a nightmare. But there’s also the whole “should we really be dumping this much carbon just for the sake of a fun boat trip?” aspect.
9. 

   Omar

   May 7, 2026 9:41 AM

   According to the Sea-Level Research Group at the University of Colorado, glacial melt is causing the world’s one ocean to rise at 3.4 +/- 0.4 mm/yr, and accelerating. They use satellite altimetry rather than tide guages to get that high level of precision.

   But every country can claim to be only adding a small to modest amount of greenhouse gas to the atmosphere. From memory, the biggest emitter is China, contributing ~ 10% of the total.

   I have not checked this, but I would guess that most cruise ships have Liberian registration, which would boost Liberia’s contribution a fair whack.

   https://sealevel.colorado.edu/