By
Alex Smith |
Retail specialist Harding has agreed a contract with Carnival UK which will see it operate the retail offering for all ships across P&O Cruises and Cunard fleets.
The Harding internal design team will also work in partnership with the cruise lines’ own design teams and architects to plan, manage and build retail environments, following their collaboration on the design of the spaces onboard P&O Cruises’ Iona. The new ship features four exclusive stand-alone boutiques and the first shop at sea for fashion company Mulberry.
“This is a real milestone in the Harding history, and I am delighted to confirm our partnership with Carnival UK across both P&O Cruises and Cunard,” said James Prescott, managing director of Harding. “We have worked closely with the senior teams based in Carnival House, Southampton, in a total trinity approach to deliver the best products with the right experiences for the guests on board. We are delighted that these two companies have put their trust in Harding here in the UK.”
The contract will include P&O Cruises’ Ventura, Britannia, Arcadia, Aurora, Azura and Iona, as well as the cruise line’s new ship Arvia, which is scheduled to join the fleet in December 2022. It will also cover all three of Cunard’s existing ships, as well as an upcoming newbuild. The contract will span a five-year period.
“We are delighted to have signed this future-focused contract with Harding,” said Robert Palmer, vice-president of onboard revenue for Carnival UK. “Working with one of the leading players in cruise retail to build a strong commercial and branded retail partnership as we resume sailing and enter an exciting period of new ship launches for both our P&O Cruises and Cunard brands is an important milestone.”