Heineken Global Duty Free has enrolled 1,500 bar crew members into a training programme designed to strengthen the onboard draught beer experience.

The Heineken Passion & Quality Training programme focuses on delivering the perfect serve, where speed and quality are crucial customer service elements, for the benefit of participants Carnival, Celebrity, Costa, Holland America, MSC, Princess, P&O, and Royal Caribbean.

Christian Klimpke, Global Account Manager Cruises at Heineken Global Duty Free stated: “Quality is at the heart of Heineken wherever we operate, and crew engagement is fundamental to the success of our cruise business. Our focus on quality extends beyond the beer to the people entrusted to fill the glass.

“The Cruise training programme has been highly successful, and is very popular with bar teams who become valued Heineken ambassadors.  The training helps busy on-board bars to better meet the expectations of guests, driving results for our cruise partners and Heineken, but also increasing guest satisfaction too.”

The 2025 expansion includes bar staff training in Europe and Mexico that takes place in onboard bars and is led by draught masters from the Heineken Experience in Amsterdam.

Additional shore-based training hubs include Athens, Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Cozumel, and Southampton, ensuring consistency of quality both at sea and on land.

Launched in 2023 and doubling annually, the programme has already trained more than 1,000 crew and adheres to the principle of former President Freddy Heineken: “The only reason to order a second beer is the quality of the first.”

As the globe’s second-largest brewer and a European market leader, Heineken operates in 190 markets and reported €35.995 billion in 2024 revenue.

Top and pictured: Crew displaying their pouring certifications onboard Allure of the Seas, Royal Caribbean and Island Princess, Princess Cruises, part of Carnival Corporation.

The company aims to lead the 2.2 million-hectolitre beer and cider category in global travel retail through a portfolio of beers, ciders and seltzers, including Heineken, Dos Equis, Amstel, Lagunitas and Birra Moretti, backed by consumer-focused data insights and inclusive next generation marketing campaigns.

READ MORE: SSP introduces Heineken World Bars to Asian market at Changi Airport

READ MORE: Heineken launches limited edition Sail Edition can for the cruise sector