All 50 ships across the Royal Caribbean Cruises fleet will ring in 2019 free of plastic straws, the company said.

Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises, TUI Cruises, and Pullmantur Cruceros are eliminating plastic straws en route to comprehensive plastics elimination programs across their brands.

For over a year now, the company’s ships have begun implementing a “straws upon request” policy. That program will be taken a step further by the start of 2019, when guests requesting a straw will receive a paper straw instead of a plastic one. Guests also will begin seeing Forrest Stewardship Council-certified wood coffee stirrers and bamboo garnish picks, the company said. 

“Healthy oceans are vital to the success of our company,” said Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises. “For over 25 years, our Save the Waves program has guided us to reduce, reuse, and recycle everything we can. Eliminating single-use plastics is another step in that program.”

After straws, stirrers and picks, the company’s next efforts will focus on other single-use plastics such as condiment packets, cups, and bags.  A full plastics audit is underway, with the overall plan to be completed in phases by 2020.