57 “When the planning and construction of the Sea Cloud Spirit began in 2008, the subject of sustainability had nowhere near the importance and significance it has today. Nevertheless, the designers paid attention to the longevity and value of the interior design when selecting the materials used and their processing. From the very beginning, it was their goal to achieve an interior design of the same high quality as on the Sea Cloud. After all, our flagship has been sailing the world’s oceans for 90 years now, which is at least three times the normal lifetime of a ship – for the most part still with the same furnishings as at the beginning. Like longevity, the manufacture of the furniture is also inseparably connected to the issue of sustainability. For example, the furniture and equipment details were individually designed and made especially for the ship by experienced craftsmen. The theme becomes even clearer in the area of the ship’s propulsion and the supply of electrical energy on board. Naturally, the 28 sails with a total area of 4,100 square metres are the main propulsion of the Sea Cloud Spirit. For periods of calm and harbour manoeuvres, the ship has a diesel-electric engine drive. Thanks to the state-of-the-art control system installed shortly before completion, the diesel-electric drive is currently one of the most efficient drive trains in a ship of this size.” – Daniel Schäfer, Managing Director, Sea Cloud Cruises “St. Lawrence Cruise Lines is committed to improving sustainability and efficiency in all areas of our cruise operations. This includes our ongoing programme to update and maintain the Canadian Empress, which was built in 1981 and originally featured a Victorian aesthetic that included brass and wood furnishings, ornate tin ceilings, and heavy carpeting and drapery. The company has made great progress in transforming the interior of the vessel over the past five years, with a focus on increasing passenger comfort, improving the view of the river, and modernising the style of the Grand Saloon and staterooms. The regulations on our industry in Canada are onerous and the approval process can become an obstacle to the use of certain types of paint, building materials and furnishings that might otherwise improve our profile when it comes to sustainability and efficiency. Despite these challenges, we have been able to make some significant sustainability improvements to our vessel over the last five years. We have replaced all of the observation and stateroom windows with glare-reducing energy-efficient windows, transitioned to LED lighting wherever possible, and greatly reduced our use of plastic on the service side of operations. “ – Jason Clark, President, St. Lawrence Cruise Lines
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