South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Royal Caribbean sails into beer business
Cruiseline collaborating with Funky Buddah to create ‘Chilla Thrilla’
Passengers aboard Royal Caribbean ships will soon be drinking a specialty beer brewed just for the Miami cruise line.
Royal Caribbean is collaborating with Funky Buddha to develop an exclusive brand of beer that will be available next month on the cruise line’s private island Perfect Day at CocoCay and at the Oakland Park brewery.
The cruise line filed a trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office this summer with the name of the beer, “Chilla Thrilla” according to beer blog Tenemu. John Linn, a spokesman for Funky Buddha, confirmed news of the beer brand to the South Florida Sun Sentinel Thursday.
Packaged in 12-ounce cans with bright blue, orange and white hues, the beer will have various labels that would capture a typical day on the tropical island, according to Tenemu. One flavor is called Tropical Ale with Mango & Guava. “Sips are worth the swim,’’ the label reads. The beer will have 4.5 percent alcohol by volume, said Linn.
“The beer is made with real mango and guava and is ideal for warm weather and cool water,’’ he said. “We’re very excited to have partnered with Royal Caribbean on its creation and look forward to its availability on Perfect Day at Cococay, which will begin in November.”
The beer’s name appears to reflect an area of CocoCay called Chill Island where passengers can snorkel, enjoy personal watercraft and dine in the largest venue on the island.
In the last year, Royal Caribbean has been investing up to $200 million to upgrade its private island in the Bahamas. Amenities include a 13-slide water park, zip line and helium balloon ride.
Among the ships that stop on the island are Miami-based Symphony of the Seas, aka the world’s largest cruise ship, Navigator of the Seas, also out of PortMiami, and Harmony of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas out of Port Canaveral.
Carnival also has several brands of its own beer with ThirstyFrog on Carnival Vista’s brewery, and Parch-edPig on Carnival Horizon and Carnival Panorama. The Doral-based cruise line also brews, cans and kegs its own beer in partnership with Brew Hub of Lakeland, said Vance Gulliksen, a Carnival spokesman.
The beers are available in 16-ounce cans and on tap across the company’s 26 ships and private destinations.