I don't go along with the theory that it's OK to have anything you want and can afford when you want it, because consumption fuels economies & makes jobs. Consumption & waste economics simply doesn't make sense to me. Greed & waste isn't a nice look & doesn't seem justified.
The thing about a cruise is that over consumption and waste is almost irrevocably built in. The buffet restaurants, as opposed to the speciality restaurants with menus, have to provide a bigger variety and quantity than is necessary to offer enough choice for very demanding passengers - some of whom seem to have surprisingly big appetites. H&S means that once food is put out but not used it will necessarily be wasted. Unless it goes to the crew, which I don't think happens. They have different menus I think.
Having said that, there are stringent protocols for waste disposal. The cruise ships can't just chuck it all over the side. It has to be macerated & only dumped in certain areas. But it is still a huge waste of very high quality food.
Similarly with drink. If your USP is providing anything the customer wants, free, at any time as part of the cruise price, then they take advantage & drink more & ask for the exotic. I've never had so much champagne or so many cocktails in my whole life as on a 9 day cruise. The wastage was surprising to say the least.
Then there is the question of towels & linen. I've stayed in 5 star hotels & been used to the policy that if you want your towels etc washing you dump them in the bath. If you are prepared to use them for a couple of days you hang them up. (I have to acknowledge that lots of posh hotels have a card saying that, but wash the towels anyway). On this cruise not only did they get washed daily, but were changed more than once a day, which does seem excessive & wasteful given the demand on water consumption - On a boat in the middle of the ocean.
Ditto, sheets were changed daily. I don't know about your personal habits, but I think I'm clean enough to use my sheets for a week.
Given that all of the crew we saw doing the service jobs were from places like India & the Philippenes, which are not wealthy countries, I imagine the imbalance must have been a bit of a culture shock initially. All the more amazing how delightful they all were, seeming to really enjoy their jobs and have no resentment towards us, the lucky, wealthy ones.
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