Guests onboard Princess Cruises’ Sun Princess – which set sail on its maiden voyage in the Mediterranean yesterday (28 February) – will encounter an expansive retail footprint with clear sightlines and plenty of surprise, according to concessionaire Harding+.

The Sphere Class vessel counts more than 5,800sq ft of shopping space over two decks with open, spacious areas and in excess of 200 premium brands – from fine jewellery, premium timepieces and fashion and leisurewear, to beauty and wellness and accessories.

“Harding+ is delighted to see the retail space on board Sun Princess come to life,” a Harding+ spokesperson told TRBusiness.

“The retail design sees the removal of traditional shop boundaries and walls to allow shops with no limitations and better open flow visibility for customers, creating more space and surprise.”

“Game-changing cruise retail”

Pop-ups with interactive brand displays span categories such as eyewear, with merchandise from Tom Ford, Prada, Oakley and Maui Jim; pre-loved luxury leather and accessories from Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Gucci; and Pandora jewellery.

“The blend of pop-ups and interactive, curated spaces will offer guests a shopping experience like no other,” continued the spokesperson.

“Unique offerings include augmented reality applications, custom printed gift ribbons and plenty more, operated by a core team of retail specialists. We can’t wait to see what guests make of this all new, game-changing cruise retail set-up.”

On deck 8, guests can enter ‘The premium Watch Lounge’ to discover luxury horology including a first-at-sea Breitling Lounge concept and the latest Tag Heuer boutique.

‘The Fine Timepieces Boutique’ carries a selection of signature timepieces for men and women from the likes of Longines, Rado, Tissot, Hamilton, plus pre-owned Rolex watches.

Within ‘The Beauty & Wellness Boutique’, also on Deck 8, guests will discover leading cosmetic and skincare brands of the likes of Chanel, Dior, Lancôme, Estée Lauder and Clinique.

A curated range of sustainable and organic skincare brands span Comfort Zone, Neom Organics, This Works, Rituals and unisex clean skincare by Ren Skincare.

In addition, visitors can discover professional-grade skincare education services, products and services from Chanel, Dermalogica and Prai Beauty; three new fine jewellery brands from London-based jewellery designer Shaun Leane and Paris-based jewellery designer Yvonne Léon; a wide selection of gender-neutral precious metals and materials from John Hardy; plus costume jewellery from Swarovski.

Meanwhile, fine spirits experiences are being showcased courtesy of Johnnie Walker Blue Xordinaire as a travel retail exclusive.

More than 25 first-to-sea labels grace the cruise decks of Sun Princess, including Chanel No. 1, Beyond Yoga and Varley, sustainable fashion from Neu Nomad and Italian handbags from Pinko.

The first logoed merchandise boutique from Princess, Waves, makes its debut, selling the exclusive Princess Inaugural collection that pays tribute to the new ship. New lines also feature the Princess Seawitch.

Carnival-owned Princess Cruises’ latest vessel took to the seas on 28 February on a 10-day grand Mediterranean cruise roundtrip from Rome, where it will take in port stops in Naples, Italy; Crete, Greece; Kusadasi, Turkey (for Ephesus); Athens, Greece; Sicily, Italy; Mallorca, Spain; and Barcelona.

It represents the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessel for the cruise line in a bid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“The ship is a magnificent showcase of advanced design, technology and craftsmanship, with elevated spaces and experiences all focused on taking the Princess vacation experience to a new level,” added John Padgett, President of Princess Cruises.”

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