Bacardi and ecoSPIRITS Are Bringing Circular Packaging to Cruise Ships

Cruise ships are getting greener, one drink at a time. Bacardi and ecoSPIRITS have teamed up to cut down on single-use glass bottles across the cruise industry.

Bacardi and ecoSPIRITS Are Changing How Cruise Ships Handle Spirits

This partnership isn’t brand new. It actually kicked off back in August 2023, when Bacardi made history as the first spirits company to bring circular packaging to cruise ships. Carnival Cruise Line was the first to test it out on their ships.

The early results were promising. The pilot program proved that this eco-friendly packaging system works well even in busy, high-volume cruise ship settings. Quality and day-to-day operations weren’t affected at all.

What Has the Partnership Accomplished So Far?

The numbers are pretty impressive. Since the program launched, the partnership has eliminated more than 130,000 single-use glass bottles. On top of that, it has removed more than 82,000 kilograms of packaging waste.

That’s a massive reduction in waste for the cruise industry. And it all happened while keeping spirits flowing smoothly for passengers onboard.

A New Global Agreement Takes Things Further

The two companies have now signed a new, formal global agreement. This deal builds a stronger framework for working together on eco-friendly technology. It also opens the door to expanding into new areas beyond cruise ships.

“Our collaboration with Bacardi began with a bold idea: bringing circular packaging to the cruise industry for the first time,” said Paul Gabie, CEO of ecoSPIRITS. “Since then, we’ve demonstrated what this model can deliver in a complex, high-volume environment.”

Gabie added, “This new global agreement marks an important next step in our collaboration and creates a framework to explore broader future opportunities together across additional channels and sectors.”

How Does the Technology Actually Work?

ecoSPIRITS uses a circular technology platform to make all of this possible. The system includes several key tools. These are the ecoTOTE, SmartPour, ecoPLANT, and the CircularONE software platform.

Bacardi also helped develop the ecoTOTE 3.0SC Cruise Edition. This version was built specifically for ships. It has extra resistance to corrosion, which is important in a saltwater environment.

Bacardi’s Commitment to Sustainability

For Bacardi, this goes beyond just one partnership. The company has a broader sustainability mission it calls “Good Spirited.”

“At Bacardi, Good Spirited is about making better choices for both people and planet, while continuing to grow our business the right way,” said Rodolfo Nervi, VP of Corporate Sustainability at Bacardi. “Expanding our work in circular packaging builds on real progress we’ve already made to reduce waste across our portfolio.”

Nervi continued, “This agreement shows how collaboration and innovation can help accelerate positive change at scale.”

What This Means for Cruise Travelers

If you’re a cruise fan, this is good news. The drinks you enjoy onboard may soon come with a much smaller environmental footprint. More cruise lines could adopt this technology as the partnership grows.

It’s a small but meaningful shift in how the cruise industry handles waste. And it shows that sustainable choices don’t have to come at the cost of a great onboard experience.