Harding+ focuses on brand experience, personalisation and the family to drive cruise retail growth

UK/INTERNATIONAL. Leading cruise retailer Harding+ has revealed three data-backed strategies for driving growth this year: prioritising brand experiences, personalisation strategy and the rising family dynamic. 

These are based on sales proof points, 30,000 onboard guest surveys and experience in running 300 shops across 85 ships. 

The strategies include meeting customer expectations with well-rounded brand experiences; investing in exclusives and hyper personalisation approaches; and working with the rise of the cruise ‘family dynamic’ as a powerful shift for planning. 

Harding+ emphasised that with the cruise category set to grow by +12% year-on-year in passenger numbers, cruise retail offers key differentials for brands in their marketing and sales mix.  

The combination of extended customer dwell time (seven to 14 days), integration into the holiday sense of place, and targeted audience engagement for each cruise line and destination creates substantial commercial value. 

The strategies are informed by positive business performance for Harding+ and insights from various data sources. These include guest surveys as well as learnings from investments in automation and AI technology to enhance sales and supply chain operations. 

Brand experience priorities 

The brand experience strategy is based on an analysis of Harding+ brand partnerships, which show sales increases of over +35% when experiential elements are involved.  

A summer 2024 onboard study also revealed that 87% guests said their shipboard purchases were influenced by brand theatre, aligning commercial returns with customer insights. 

Harding+ Marketing Director Katie Floyd explained: “When guests are actively seeking out retail as part of their trip, surprise and delight strategies help turn their heads.  

“But what is key is to bring elements of education and entertainment into play in each activation, and to recognise that if guests return to the store in question on the same trip (which they do thrice on average), having something different to showcase each time matters. 

“Great success can be found in masterclasses and brand ambassadors bringing insights, fun or product demonstrations to life. Lining up clear product links between the store, bar and cabin for example absolutely lands better share of mind.  

“And fusing multiple worlds and interests all build relevant storytelling and long-term recall into play – as we have recently done for Cunard’s Queen Anne ship launch and our ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ showcase for multiple iconic British brands with technology, art and history working together. There’s no better retail canvas for building brand theatre now than the cruise space. 

“If we go back to the summer 2024 guest survey data, we see that 92% of travellers are likely or very likely to look forward to shopping when away, building an advantage to be seen, heard and sought out makes commercial, emotional and priority-planning sense.” 

Personalisation strategy 

The second Harding+ strategy is about personalisation, exclusives and linking to sense of place.  

The retailer noted: “Cruises are about making memories, and as products bought can be indelibly linked to moments, celebrations or locations, the loyalty and recall potential is significant.” 

Guest research from m1ndset and CLIA reveals that 47% of cruise guests are impulse shopping and looking for exclusives that they cannot find elsewhere. 

In 2024, onboard exclusives proved to be commercial winners across the 85 ships that Harding+ serves.  

Initiatives ranged from limited edition small batch whiskies to destination-themed jewellery items, as well as personalised and engraved premium spirit bottles.  

Harding+ highlighted that the latter saw a brand’s sales increase by over +200% compared to a previous sailing, with an additional +120% uplift for their wider portfolio. 

Harding+ Commercial Director Linzi Walker said: “A unique environment needs unique elements to match, and the brands that have invested in this approach have seen the rewards. One-size-fits-all retail strategies don’t necessarily work in cruise retail. 

“What does work is effective collaborations based on listening, sharing and truly understanding the goals of each party in the brand-ship-guest dynamic.

“There is no room for retail to be boring or lack freshness or relevance, only room to launch, treat, specialise or think bespoke for those with the time and desire to invest in brands and efforts.” 

The rising family dynamic 

The third strategy is to dive deeper into cruise guest ‘family’ demographics and capitalise on the shift in cruise profiles.  

The average cruise guest age is now 46 and 73% of trips involve families with at least two generations, with more than a quarter multigenerational. 

From a retail perspective, this changes the engagement rules. Harding+ invests heavily in guest listening and research to stay ahead of trends, especially as data shows that 75% families consider shopping an important part of their trip. 

Floyd remarked: “What works is integrated thinking – what can keep the kids happy and the parents busy or browsing at the same time rather than dividing the family’s attention? Brands need to think through the line of the family dynamic to earn full on engagement. 

“We held a lab-style fragrance masterclass for kids in the beauty shop space while parents sampled and browsed. Put on Pink Parties for Pandora and Swarovski, focusing on charms, pink diamonds and rubies, fuelled by both pink prosecco and pink lemonade.  

“We also ran a timeless Lego masterclass, colouring competitions and family relevant treasure hunts across the retail estate. The way we look at it is that shopping can be an adventure for all.” 

Walker concluded: “As with everything in cruise retail, effort brings significant reward. Experiences, personalisation and exclusives, as well as rounded targeting of activities fit the wider cruise feel and why people sign up to enjoy one.  

“It makes total sense for retail to think differently here to match mindsets, and why the brand stable we work with is continually growing. 

“With 2025 set to be another growth year in the booming cruise sector, not being involved could feel like an omission to strategically regret in these otherwise tough times. 

“The sector spending habits are bucking wider shopping trends and shopping anticipation remains extremely high on the agenda for over 37 million annual cruise guests.” Read More