Starboard Group

Turning Onboard Spirits into Destination-Led Discovery

The onboard liquor category has evolved significantly in recent years. Consumers today are more intentional about spirits and the experiences tied to them while traveling. Cruise guests also have more time to engage with brands throughout their trip, creating opportunities for education and immersive experiences that differ from traditional travel retail environments.

One of the biggest changes we are seeing is the growing demand for cruise-exclusive offerings. Travelers want products and experiences that are only offered onboard and commemorate their vacation. Tequila and whiskey, particularly premium segments, continue to see strong momentum driven by mixology trends and interest in limited offerings.

From a merchandising perspective, our focus has been on curating the right offerings for the right consumers on each ship. Lindsey Mitchell, the broader team and I have worked to build assortments that reflect the guest demographic and itinerary of each ship, whether guests are traveling to Alaska, the Mediterranean or the Caribbean. Data and personalization help us tailor assortments ship by ship based on passenger mix, regional preferences and purchasing trends.

Why Exclusivity Now Defines Cruise Retail Value

The success of Angel’s Envy Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey onboard Celebrity Xcel and Star Princess reinforces that consumers are increasingly seeking cruise-exclusive experiences tied to their vacation. Angel’s Envy single barrels have also recently expanded across Celebrity ships, with each ship featuring its own unique selection to create a more personalized onboard experience. On Celebrity Xcel, Angel’s Envy has hosted onboard tastings led by Bacardi's brand ambassadors, along with hand engraving services for customized bottles guests can take home.

Starboard also partnered with Invicta Watch Group and Casa Maestri Distillery last year to launch Invicta Tequila, an exclusive collaboration that debuted across 26 ships globally. The partnership marked a first-of-its-kind crossover between categories and Starboard’s first time developing a branded premium spirit from concept to ship.

Choosing Partnerships That Extend the Guest Experience

When evaluating potential partnerships, we look at several factors including brand story, consumer demand and alignment with our guest demographics. It is also important that these partnerships feel additive to the onboard experience, bring cultural relevance and create experiential moments that resonate with guests across generations, including younger luxury travelers.

We recently entered an exclusive partnership with Agape to bring celebrity-backed spirits and other categories onboard, with plans to continue expanding those offerings across our fleet. Collaborations like these help us introduce new brands and experiences that align naturally with the broader guest experience while keeping the assortment fresh and relevant.

Making Personalization Part of the Pour

Tastings, guided storytelling, engraving opportunities, curated pairings, exclusive products, collaborations and limited-time activations are all examples of how we are bringing more experiential elements into the category.

The future of onboard spirits retail is about creating memorable moments and emotional connections behind every sip, turning a purchase into part of the journey itself.

We have introduced several immersive activations across our fleet, including an F1 McLaren x Jack Daniel’s pop-up across five Royal Caribbean and Carnival ships, a Jameson St. Patrick’s Day activation and a Mr. Black Valentine’s Day gifting experience. We have also explored cross-category concepts like “Scent and Sips,” which paired spirits and fragrances with similar scent profiles to create a more sensory-driven experience onboard.

Personalization also plays a major role in engagement. Experiences like Don Julio label personalization allow guests to create customized products that feel tied to their vacation and create a more emotional connection to the purchase.

Where Premium Spirits Become Travel Memories

Premiumization will continue to shape the category, particularly within tequila, whiskey and sought-after and craft spirits. Consumers are increasingly prioritizing quality over quantity and are seeking products with strong storytelling, heritage and craftsmanship that are hard to find elsewhere.

Going forward, we will see greater demand for cruise-exclusive offerings that are intentionally designed for the cruise guest and only available within that environment.

Cruise retail has the ability to create deeper emotional engagement because of the length of the guest journey and the immersive nature of the onboard experience. As a result, brands and retailers will need to think differently about assortments, storytelling and activations specifically for the cruise consumer. Experiential retail will also continue to evolve, with greater emphasis on sensory engagement, personalization and entertainment-driven shopping experiences.

At the same time, success in this category comes from staying ahead of what consumers are seeking next, not simply reacting to trends. Our team, led by Lindsey Mitchell, has done an incredible job identifying emerging trends, sought-after brands and products that bring a deeper level of storytelling and discovery to the guest experience. Ultimately, the future of onboard spirits retail is about creating memorable moments and emotional connections behind every sip, turning a purchase into part of the journey itself.