Norwegian to Eliminate Single-Use Plastic Bottles Across Fleet by 2020

by Patrick Clarke
Last updated: 10:03 AM ET, Wed September 25, 2019

Norwegian Cruise Line will replace all single-use plastic bottles across its fleet by January 1, 2020, the company announced Wednesday.

The Miami-based cruise line is partnering with JUST Goods, Inc. to eliminate more than six million plastic bottles each year. The latest initiative comes just one year after Norwegian eliminated single-use plastic straws across its fleet and private destinations.

JUST Water is 100 percent spring water inside of a plant-based carton that's both refillable and recyclable. The carton is made of 82 percent renewable materials from trees grown in responsibly-managed forests while the carton's cap and shoulder are made from a sugarcane-based plastic.

JUST Goods, Inc. operates bottling facilities all over the world in places such as Glenn Falls, New York; Ballymena, Northern Ireland and Ballarat, Australia, meaning that the water doesn't have to be shipped from a single production source.

"We are a leading company-one that is in the business of creating memorable experiences for our guests," said Andy Stuart, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line, in a statement. "It is imperative that we take meaningful steps to preserve our oceans and the destinations we visit."

"Partnering with JUST is one of my proudest moments as the head of our pioneering brand. This latest effort-the elimination of single-use plastic bottles across our fleet-is just the latest environmentally responsible action we are taking to reduce our footprint and encourage others to protect our natural resources," added Stuart. "While we are aware that this is just the beginning of what we and others need to do to be good stewards of our environment, we are committed to our Sail & Sustain initiatives and will continue to innovate for the overall benefit of the planet and its future."

Norwegian's latest initiative follows similar sustainability efforts by fellow Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings subsidiary Oceania Cruises. This summer, the Carnival Corporation also announced its intention to significantly eliminate its purchase and consumption of non-essential plastics by the end of 2021.