Liquor giant Bacardi has announced the launch of its 2015 Bacardi
Cruise Competition Bartender of the Year, now in its 10th
year. The contest aims to identify the best
bartender on the high seas, as part of the Bacardi strategy to help raise
standards of cocktail-making in this vibrant and growing
leisure sector.
The competition opened on November 19 and all bartenders
on cruise and ferry lines around the globe are invited to enter, via www.bacardicruisecompetition.com.
Participants are required to create their own expertly
crafted cocktail recipes using at least one spirit from the Bacardi
rum portfolio. Entrants should demonstrate how that personal creation is
inspired by their love of travel, the flavours, people and places they have
experienced on their journeys, including the interactions with guests they meet
in the onboard bars.
Entries close on January 12,
2015 and the five finalists will be announced on January 19. The finals
will take place in Miami from March 18-20.
 |
| Liisi Kutt won last year's Bacardi Cruise Competition |
Spotlighting destination bars
Zachary Sulkes, regional manager at Bacardi Travel Retail Americas, said: “Cruise is such a dynamic sector of tourism with strong levels of growth in the numbers of people choosing to vacation on the high seas – for example South America is a key market as more consumers start to travel internationally. With ever more sophisticated vessels launching each year and with many of these super-ships offering up to 30 bars and restaurants as a major focus of the guest experience, we’re actively seeking to work with more cruise operators who share our vision to guarantee great cocktail experiences and to develop the mixology and presentation skills of the onboard bartender through initiatives such as the Bacardi Cruise Competition and in spotlighting the quality of destination bars such as Carnival’s Alchemy Bars, Celebrity’s Molecular Bars and Norwegian’s Mojito Bars, to name just a few.
Zachary Sulkes, regional manager at Bacardi Travel Retail Americas, said: “Cruise is such a dynamic sector of tourism with strong levels of growth in the numbers of people choosing to vacation on the high seas – for example South America is a key market as more consumers start to travel internationally. With ever more sophisticated vessels launching each year and with many of these super-ships offering up to 30 bars and restaurants as a major focus of the guest experience, we’re actively seeking to work with more cruise operators who share our vision to guarantee great cocktail experiences and to develop the mixology and presentation skills of the onboard bartender through initiatives such as the Bacardi Cruise Competition and in spotlighting the quality of destination bars such as Carnival’s Alchemy Bars, Celebrity’s Molecular Bars and Norwegian’s Mojito Bars, to name just a few.
“Cocktails and vacationing are perfect companions,
creating special moments and the chance to try something new. By helping the
cruise lines and the ambitious onboard bar-tending community to enhance their
craft, we can really create a sustained category driving strategy that wins all
round.”
The winner will receive $5,000 cash prize and a Bacardi
experience, specially selected to further the recipient’s knowledge base.
In 2014, out of almost 2,000 entrants, the top prize went
to Liisi Kütt from Estonia, based on Tallink
Silja Line, with her Summer Fairy cocktail – a blend of
Bacardi Grand Melon, Martini Prosecco, apple juice, fresh lime juice and syrup.
