CRUISE: CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE
Horizon looking pretty on Carnival as renovations and new contracts beckon
Carnival Cruise Line is upping the knots on its experiential retail proposition amid a tranche of on-board retail renovations. As Luke Barras-Hill discovers, there is much more to follow.
W
illiam Butler, Vice President,
Retail Services, Carnival
Cruise Line lauded the Carnival Corporation subsidiary’s Horizon vessel earlier this year as featuring ‘the biggest and best shopping experience yet’. The comments came as Starboard
Cruise Services [see p51] revealed an expansive retail space onboard the vessel, which spans 1,055 feet in length and currently operates a seasonal itinerary out of Miami. A new ‘Shop Fun’ concept
immerses guests in a cross-section of categories including fashion & accessories, beauty, spirits and watches & jewellery, which are segmented into areas dependent on guests’ interests. The concept plays out over a two-
level shopping promenade that encircles the ship’s atrium on decks and four and five. Highlights include a Beauty and
Fragrance bar allowing guests to test the latest skincare, cosmetics and fragrances and enjoy a makeover, while ‘What’s Your Jewelery Personality?’ pairs gemstones with visitors’ personalities as they browse collections. The jewellery journey continues
at Rock Envy with Crystals from Swarovski, where guests can custom design keepsakes of their cruise from a selection of charms, bracelets, necklaces, rings and watches. A liquor and tobacco area features
a Spirits Tasting Bar hosting happy hour sessions, where guests can sip some of the world’s most coveted drinks, including Hennessey White, exclusive to travel retail. And in what is sure to be a draw for
fashionistas, Carnival’s first Victoria’s Secret boutique hosts Victoria’s Secret Girls Night Out – a special themed activity. Meanwhile, trained staff deliver giveaways, in-store parties and
OCTOBER 2018
entertainment, while promotional pop-up spaces
showcase
new brands. In curating the merchandise and
retail activity menu, Carnival Cruise Line has paid particular attention to the overall guest experience. “When we talk about the
evolution of retail, none of our decisions are made without guests’ input, whether it comes to how we refurbish our ships, which brands to bring on or how we evolve overall promotions and offers to get excited and engaged,” comments Butler.
Renovations continue Indeed, Carnival Cruise Line has anchored Carnival Horizon as evidence of the way it is transforming the onboard retail experience. This is focused on delivering
new and popular brands in an environment demonstrating high levels of theatre and personalisation. Effy, Swaroski, Tag Heuer,
Pandora, Invicta, Los Cinco Soles, Breitling, Hublot, Rebecca Minkoff, Michael Kors, Kate Spade and the line’s first Victoria’s Secret Boutique are among the novelties. “As we renovate our vessels and
launch new ones, the shops feel much more integrated than ever before,” enthuses Butler.
“We’re very cognisant that guests have a lot of options to choose from on our ships, so when it comes to shopping we’ve infused a lot of entertainment aspects into the overall shopping experience.” The multi-year concession
agreement with Horizon means concessionaire Starboard operates on nine Carnival Cruise Line ships, with rival Harding Retail on 10; Gebr. Heinemann on four and Dufry
on three. As its newest retail partner,
Hamburg-based Gebr. Heinemann scooped retail concessions for four of the line’s ships serving the North America and Australasia markets at the start of this year. Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Ecstasy
“We’re very cognisant that guests have a lot of options to choose from on our ships, so when it comes to shopping we’ve infused a lot of entertainment aspects into the overall shopping experience.”
William Butler, Vice President, Retail Services, Carnival Cruise Line
TRBUSINESS 53
Above: Carnival Horizon showcases the line’s most expansive onboard retail offer to date.
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