Cruise retailer Harding+ has shared details of its retail offer on Cunard’s latest ship Queen Anne, which makes its maiden voyage to Lisbon on 3 May.

The 3,000-guest capacity Queen Anne, which entered her home port of Southampton on Tuesday (30 April), boasts a curated assortment of brands and immersive experiences, including a a dedicated shopping host to welcome guests, understand and attend to their shopping needs.

A ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ located in the centre of the retail space is intended to tell the Cunard story using an eclectic and rare set of brands and so-called ‘curiosities’, says the cruise retailer.

State-of-the-art transparent screens and illuminated, well-appointed cabinets marry aspects of Cunard’s heritage and its future ambitions through celebrated pieces from Chanel, Garrard, Theo Fabergé, Launer, By Alona and others.

‘Experience Lounge’

An ‘Experience Lounge’ encourages guests to taste, try-on and learn more about the provenance and heritage of key retail partners, with the ability to alter the range according to destination and season.

This underpins, says Harding+, insights that point to consumers’ increased desire for experiential-led retail.

Garrard has a dedicated boutique showcasing fine jewellery; Bremont displays its British watch collections within the watch store and Cabinet of Curiosities; and Harding+’s dedicated Reloved brand for pre-loved luxury goods makes an appearance with vintage leather accessories, and luxury vintage jewellery by Susan Caplan.

Meanwhile, the Cunard merchandise store features the brand-new Queen Anne collection and Cunard heritage range of gifts and mementos that take their inspiration from the Cunard archives while adding a contemporary twist.

A heightened approach to service culture coupled with a wide and engaging programme of retail events underpins the Harding+ mission while acting as a ‘mantra for every element of the retail model’, adds the cruise retailer.

Peter Newbould, Chief Commercial Officer at Harding+ said: “We are hugely excited to see Queen Anne setting sail. The ship is truly beautiful – a spectacular addition to the Cunard fleet – and we have worked closely with the Cunard team to create a truly premium retail experience.

“We have used our combined guest and customer insight to deliver a unique retail proposition, with a number of first-at-sea or exclusive partnerships with Garrard, Chapel Down, By Alona, Launer, Raishma and Atkinsons to attract guests to the retail area and new reasons to shop. Chief among these is the Cabinet of Curiosities, a one-of-a-kind gallery unlike anything on any other ship.

“The palatial surroundings, hands-on customer service and world-class brand roster really exemplify the Cunard experience. We’re hugely grateful to Cunard, our brand partners and, of course, all of our office and shipboard team for helping us to make this a reality. We can’t wait for the ship to sail and for customers to experience it.”

Cunard took ownership of the 113,000-ton Queen Anne, the 249^th ship to sail under the Cunard banner, at a traditional handover ceremony at the famed Fincantieri Marghera shipyard in Venice on 19 April.