Carnival replaces Coke with Pepsi, Starbucks products aboard cruise ships
Starting in January 2020, Carnival Cruises will replace Coke products with PepsiCo products.
While Pepsi may not pass the test for Coke fanatics, PepsiCo does offer a wide range of products, including Starbucks ready-to-drink coffee, Naked Juice and Pure Leaf tea among others.
The cruise line announced the product change on Nov. 14 to Fox News. Carnival President Christine Duffy shared, “At Carnival Cruise Line, we invite our guests to Choose Fun, and now with PepsiCo’s extensive portfolio of brands, we’re able to give them more ways to choose a beverage that suits their taste, mood and preference.”
Duffy also noted that the two brands share a commitment to sustainability and plan to work together on reducing reliance on plastics and finding alternative ways to serve beverages.
Back in January 2019, TPG looked into the debate of Coke versus Pepsi in the sky and found that only four airlines internationally carried Pepsi products. That number increased to five when JetBlue made the switch in May, making it the only U.S. airline to carry it presently. And now, the debate has taken to the seas with Carnival making the switch.
Related: How to book a cruise using points and miles
While I'm personally a Diet Coke fan and simply couldn't settle for a Diet Pepsi, I understand the change given the range of non-soda products offered by PepsiCo. In a day and age when non-soda options like seltzer are becoming increasingly more popular, this makes sense.
Soda aside, the truth is I'd rather sip a Piña Colada over anything else while cruising — so as long as that's still an option, I'm unfazed.
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