P&O Cruises Australia and cruise retail company, Harding, have announced the extension of their successful thirteen-year partnership that will see Harding operate all onboard retail concessions on all three of the P&O Cruises Australia ships for a further five years, ‘reinforcing its position as global leader in cruise retail’, said the retailer.

 

Pacific Explorer resumed cruising on 31 May and was then joined by the first new ‘Grand-class’ cruise ships for P&O Cruises Australia – Pacific Encounter (which started sailing out of Brisbane from August) and Pacific Adventure (sailing out of Sydney from October).

 

Harding will manage and curate the retail offer on all three ships, working closely with P&O Cruises Australia and ‘fuelled by the significant data and insight programme that Harding has developed over the past five years’, added the retailer.

 

“Both Harding and P&O Cruises Australia carry a very high set of values that put their people and customers at the heart of everything they do, with the cruise line holding a very special place in many Australians’ and New Zealanders’ hearts,” said the company in a joint statement.

 

Marguerite Fitzgerald, President of Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises Australia added: “For the last thirteen years Harding have demonstrated an exemplary partnership approach, with cruise retail understanding, insights and perspectives that are unrivalled in the industry.

 

 

“We are delighted to be extending the relationship and embrace new thinking, learnings and growth approaches to build on all that has worked so well over the years.

 

“Partnership means more than just commercial success, and the importance of cultural alignment, a shared set of values and mutual ambitions and approaches to what matters in business all count strongly too.

 

“Our teams, our guests, and our brand partners will all benefit from this next phase of the P&O Australia and Harding association.”

 

“Today’s announcement comes after extensive and detailed discussions about what is best for our guests, our teams, and our brand partners, and we are confident Harding will continue to deliver and enhance our best-in-class retail proposition.”

 

James Prescott, Managing Director of Harding (left), said: “Continuing our long standing partnership with P&O Cruises Australia as they return to cruising and introduce the two Grand-Class ships to Australasian guests, is something we take great pride in.

 

“Long term relationships count for so much, and say so much about both businesses and their outlook on what matters.

 

“With the P&O cruise line holding a very special place in many Australians’ and New Zealanders’ hearts, we are excited to bring our ever evolving and data led insights on what matters for cruise guests in the retail space into the next chapter of how we work together, to make sure we can add surprise and delight value to every trip. Making every cruise guest’s retail experience better is at the heart of our approach.”