Barcelona Cruise Terminal SLU (BCT), an affiliate of Carnival Corporation & Plc (CCO), has confirmed to TRBusiness that it is currently seeking proposals from interested companies to develop and operate duty free and duty paid stores.

 

BCT is requesting expressions of interest from ‘qualified bidders’ for the exclusive right to develop, design, fund, construct, operate, and manage the duty free stores within the existing Palacruceros Terminal and for the soon-to-be-built Terminal E.

 

Carnival Corporation is ultimately looking for a ‘destination’ feel from these new stores, which will offer tax and duty free/duty paid merchandise including but not limited to fragrances, liquor and tobacco. The successful bidder will only be able to sell other merchandise previously approved by BCT, says Carnival.

 

The lease agreement covers 700sq m of retail space split between two areas. The first retail area will be located within the embarkation and disembarkation lounge of the ‘newest and largest cruise terminal in Europe’, currently under construction and set to open for business in early spring 2018.

 

BUILD OUT BY MID-LATE 2017

“Following execution of the tenant agreement we expect the retailer will be able to initiate with tenant build out by mid to late 2017,” says the company.

 

“This new cruise terminal will welcome the largest and most advanced cruise ships in the world and will be the only terminal in Barcelona capable of receiving the new XL class of ship.”

 

The retail space in the new terminal could be as large as 550sq m, while the second retail area, within the adjacent cruise terminal ‘Palacruceros’ will stretch 160sq m.

 

Carnival Corporation & plc claims to be the ‘world’s largest leisure travel company’ with a portfolio of global cruise line brands which include: Carnival Cruise Line, Fathom, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Seabourn in North America; P&O Cruises (UK) and Cunard in Southampton, England; AIDA Cruises in Rostock, Germany; Costa Cruises in Genoa, Italy; and P&O Cruises (Australia) in Sydney.

 

BARCELONA ‘NO 1 CRUISE DESTINATION IN EUROPE’

Additionally, Carnival Corporation owns a tour company that complements its cruise operations: Holland America Princess, Alaska Tours in Alaska and the Yukon.

 

According to the Port of Barcelona, the capital city of Catalonia is the No 1 cruise destination in Europe with 2.5m passenger movements in calendar year 2015 and 749 calls. This represents a 7% increase in passenger movements (2.3m) since 2014, says Carnival Corporation.

 

 

“We estimate that CCO operations accounted for more than 900,000 passenger movements in 2015 in Barcelona,” it adds. “This is expected to increase for the 2018 season with the opening of the new terminal and introduction of the XL class ship to the Mediterranean itineraries.”

 

To be considered for participation in the bidder selection process, please send expressions of interest as follows:

Deadline for submission of expression of interest: September 9, 2016

Contact Person: Richard Cooke

Phone: +44 (0)2380 655186

Email: [email protected]

Address: Carnival House, 100 Harbour Parade, Southampton, SO15 1ST, UK

 

Carnival Corporation says it requires evidence of any relevant past and current experience in the retail industry, as well as a general company presentation.