Overwhelmed by the drink menu on cruises?  Looking for a tasty but healthy drink? 

Just in time for summer, MSC Cruises announced that it will be putting an emphasis on “pure, fresh and fruity beverages this summer season to ensure the selection of natural drinks, cocktails and fine wines matches the healthier lifestyle choices of increasingly discerning guests.”  The cocktails will offer “innovative twists on the traditional classics and feature fresh ingredients and contemporary flavours.”

Have you ever been on a cruise ship or in a tropical location and wanted another pina colada but not the calories that went with it?  It’s great that MSC Cruises is addressing the needs of many cruisers who want a fun, flavorful drink but without all the calories. 

MSC Cruises’ "classique-nouveau" (new classics) cocktails include:
-    Pomegranate Tini
-    Frozen Mojito
-    Campari Orange shake
-    Martini Gold Dolce & Gabbana includes ‘bergamot from Calabria, lemons from Sicily, oranges from Spain, saffron and myrrh from Ethiopia, ginger from India, and cubebe pepper from Indonesia'!

"Our passengers are a lot more health conscious and we pride ourselves in keeping up with new trends by continuously upgrading, changing and adjusting our selection of drinks, cocktails and wines to ensure we can always meet their expectations," said Monica Panero, MSC Italcatering Corporate Bar Management Director.

My favorite calorie-conscious drink that I always order, coined the Zabby Sunset, by me while another friend calls it “Health”, it is made up of vodka, soda water, and a splash of cranberry juice, finished with a lime. It is low calorie, refreshing, flavorful, and hydrating at the same time!  The hint of pink makes it fun and summery.

Other healthy drink options:
-    “Light” or Ultra Light Beer (55 calories – 95 calories)
-    Guinness – looking for a more flavorful beer, Guinness is a good option (around 125 calories)
-    Wine – careful as it depends on the size of the pouring (normally around 120 calories)
-    Simple cocktails – Stick with light mixers including: Club soda (0 calories), Diet soda, diet tonic (0 calories), orange juice (85 calories – 6 oz.), lemon or lime juice  (10 calories ½ oz), Cranberry juice (140 calories – 8 oz), coffee (0 -10 calories) and tea (0 – 10 calories)
Note: Calories are approximations as it depends on the size of the drink and the brand. 

For more calorie counts on popular drinks, click here to read an article by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD from WebMD.

Don’t forget to try a Zabby Sunset next time you’re looking for a low-calorie and refreshing drink!