Expanding the increasingly popular Dry January theme into the new year, Princess Cruises is rolling out the Amore Princess Zero Alcohol Drinks collection, a “curated menu of premium non-alcoholic elixirs and spirits alternatives.” The curated alcohol-free drinks will be included in Princess Plus and Princess Premier Packages.
The first standalone non-alcoholic menu at a major cruise brand, it will feature 10–20 craft cocktails, developed in collaboration with the team behind Sips, Barcelona, as well as an exclusive selection of craft non-alcoholic beers and white, red, rosé, and sparkling wines. Offerings will include drinks like Blake’s Breeze, a blend of Betty Buzz Sparkling Grapefruit, a splash of soda, and a twist of citrus; Kylie Minogue’s Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Rosé; mocktails featuring Lyre’s No-Jito Royale, mojito made with Lyre’s White Cane Spirit, fresh mint, and lime; and the 24K Margarita, featuring Almave tequila by Lewis Hamilton.
The Amore Princess Zero Alcohol Collection will debut fleetwide by the end of March.
Travel advisors with whom TRO spoke were overwhelmingly positive about the new product.
”I think it’s awesome!!” said Gretchen Machnik Soares, owner of Gulls Way Travel in Old Lyme, CT.
“Yes I think it would make many guests happy as many people in Los Angeles don’t drink and you see this on many bar menus now,” said Melissa Curtin McDavitt at Fora Travel.
“I drink minimally, so I mostly stick to fruity drinks that mask the taste, or non-alcoholic drinks that actually taste good,” said Mollie Knowles Ward at Troubadour Travel in Austin. “I personally am HERE for this new menu option, as will be friends and family in recovery! Previously I got Princess Plus mostly for the WiFi and so my family could enjoy the benefits. This one is all for me!”
Most of my clients are non-drinkers, so I definitely think that this would be something that would interest them. I hope it catches on and eventually goes industry wide,” agreed Mary Barrett, an Outside Travel Agent at Cruise Brothers.
Travel With Shelly Eden owner Michelle Feit Eden noted that “people going alcohol free seems to be a new trend—not because of an alcohol problem but more because they don’t like how they feel and for their health. Many local bars/breweries/restaurants are expanding their offerings to this. I think it’s a great idea.”
At The Bee’s Knees Travel by Heather Bannon, Bannon sees the new option as a selling point for Princess. “Many clients are focusing on health and wellness. And the Millennial and Generation Z clients tend to drink a lot less than the previous generations,” she said. “This is a great offering from Princess and I can think of many clients that would be swayed with this option.”
“Clients often say, ‘my partner doesn’t drink, so we won’t need the Plus package.’ They still struggle with justifying the upgrade even after I explain all the benefits of the package to them,” says Julie Vowell-Ramirez, owner of Dream Vacations franchise Sunny Days Vacations. “This is a great idea!”
“I, personally, love my booze but I am glad to see this trend,” says Phillip Archer, Chief Experience Designer at Roaming Richly Travel. “So many of the younger generations prefer mocktails and this is a great way for Princess to reach a younger audience, which makes great sense for the future of the line.
And Kay Sanderford owner of A+ Cruises and Tours in Kerrville and Waco, TX, just plain likes it for herself. “This is fabulous!” she said. “Due to recent health concerns, I’ve had to mostly shelve the alcohol myself. I really miss an occasional martini especially, even though I’ve never been a heavy drinker. If some of these non-alcoholic drink options are also low or no-sugar, many of my clients and I will be super excited about this new direction. And hope many other cruise lines will follow this trend!”