Switzerland-based MSC Cruises will reveal the world’s largest shopping area on board a cruise or ferry liner when its newest vessel MSC Euribia is launched in June.

Totalling 1,278sqm, the flagship retail space will feature the cruise operator’s first Luxury Plaza, with a TimeVallée concept store for timepieces, a dedicated liquor and cigars boutique, and an extensive Samsung offering. 

MSC Euribia, which will have its naming ceremony in Copenhagen on 8 June, features 2,419 cabins to accommodate up to 6,327 passengers and 1,711 crew members.

Experiential retail

Luxury Plaza, located on Deck 6, will be open from morning to night, offering workshops, seminars, discovery sessions, personal shopper consultations, tastings, and other experiential activities. 

TimeVallée, located within the luxury plaza, is a multi-brand jewellery and watch boutique. The concept was included in the retail offering following a successful opening on board MSC Seascape.

Brands featured include Baume & Mercier, Bvlgari, Hublot, IWC Schaffhausen, Montblanc, Panerai, Tag Heuer and Ulysse Nardin. 

Fresh to MSC is the dedicated Liquors & Cigars area, which showcases bottles valued up to €11,600/US$12,400. Single malt Scotch whiskies are a key focus, alongside Davidoff cigars and accessories. 

‘Modernity and technology’

The open Shopping Gallery features almost 250sqm of redesigned space, with the widest range of tech items available across the MSC fleet, plus food and beverage options.

A Samsung area will offer various SKUs from smart watches to mobile phones. According to MSC, the space “brings modernity and technology together in an innovative way as never before seen in cruise retail”.

In addition the MSC Logo Shop features a range of sustainable, eco-friendly products with a focus on recycled or natural materials, reduced packaging, waste reduction, and eco-labelling certification. 

“We’re particularly excited to share what we have in-store aboard MSC Euribia with our future guests,” said Adrian Pittaway, Head of Retail.  

“She’s really taken what we started on her sister ships and brought it to a whole new level, with open, fluid retail spaces, new meeting areas and dedicated, immersive spaces for luxury, it ensures that we offer something new for every type of guest.”

Last year MSC Cruises introduced the ‘dynamic and immersive’ retail offering onboard its flagship MSC World Europa.