Harding+ "Brand Day" aboard the Sun Princess draws sizeable crowd and prioritizes experiential retail
The inaugural event, courtesy of Princess and award-winning cruise retail vendor Harding+, provided an exclusive first look at the next generation of experiential retail, highlighting unique opportunities for customer engagement, activations, and promotions tailored to today’s evolving cruise passenger
Last weekend more than 40 leading brand representatives and industry press embarked on a journey aboard the brand-new Sun Princess, marking the inaugural “Brand Day” and ushering in a fresh chapter in luxury retail at sea. The event, courtesy of Princess and award-winning cruise retail vendor Harding+, provided an exclusive first look at the next generation of experiential retail, highlighting unique opportunities for customer engagement, activations, and promotions tailored to today’s evolving cruise passenger.
Sun Princess is the latest addition to the Princess Cruise Lines fleet and features over 5,000 square feet of retail space across two decks, designed by Harding+. The retail experience onboard is unlike anything on any other cruise ship, a fluid, immersive space that favors experiential shopping over browsing. Both deck areas are replete with showcase areas and pop-ups, and the experience extends beyond the individual shops and lounges into long walkways flooded with natural light. Spaces such as the Breitling/Tag Heuer watch lounge and the bespoke Swarovski boutique encourage dwell time and return visits which are only possible on cruise ships, and blend perfectly with the hypermodern design of the ship itself.
Brand partners were invited onboard to explore the full extent of this retail experience, while the retail experts at Harding+ furnished them with detailed information about how the spaces came together and how they can best be utilized to make brands and products shine. This was capped off by a culinary experience put on by Princess’ award-winning culinary team. The event acted as a gateway to the kind of versatile brand activation opportunities that have already proven so successful onboard the Sun Princess.
“We are thrilled to host 'Brand Day' aboard the Sun Princess, welcoming our valued brand partners to experience firsthand the exciting possibilities that lie within our luxury retail environment,” said Chris Matthews, Harding+ CEO. “With a unique setting and an affluent audience, the Sun Princess serves as a powerful platform for brands to showcase their offerings, build loyalty, and engage consumers in unforgettable ways.This synergized partnership between Harding+ and Princess Cruise Lines aptly demonstrates the power cruise retail has as a collaborative effort between cruise lines and vendors, and Harding+ bring almost a century of expertise to bear in this discussion, harmoniously matching Princess’ finesse and appetite for pushing industry boundaries."
See more pictures from the event below:
