INTERNATIONAL. Cruise retail offers brands time to build relationships with guests in a way few other travel retail channels can, according to Carnival UK Associate Vice President – Onboard Revenue Susan Reid.
“What we don’t have in space, we make up for in time,” Reid said during today’s Women in Travel Retail+ webinar titled ‘Brands at Sea – A New Retail Frontier’.
In a session moderated by The Moodie Davitt Report Publisher Irene Revilla, Reid discussed why cruise remains an underutilised retail channel, pointing to long guest dwell times, detailed customer behavioural insights and emerging passenger demographics as key advantages.
While ships cannot match airports for large-scale retail activations, Reid said they offer brands something different: “My counter-argument would be that you’re missing the opportunity to really connect your brand with guests that are onboard.
“Over a 14-day cruise, you’re going to have four full sea days. That’s a lot of time to get guests to come in and out of the retail boutiques to really grow and build your brand.”
She added that cruise retailers also have an unusually clear picture of their guests before they travel.
“In the cruise industry, you know exactly who is going to be your guest. You have all the data there and you can connect with them before they even get onboard the ship.”
That insight allows operators to tailor products, experiences and pre-cruise offers to individual passengers before they even step onboard.
The discussion also examined how the cruise customer has changed over the past decade.
“If you think about ten years ago, you probably would have said it was all retirees,” Reid said. “That has evolved, particularly since COVID. What you’re seeing now is multi-generations travelling together.”
She noted that P&O Cruises’ XL-class ships now attract an average passenger age of around 45 during the summer season, reflecting growing demand from families and younger travellers alongside traditional cruise guests.
Revilla also asked why some prestige beauty brands continue to prioritise airports over cruise.
Reid suggested some remain focused on retail footprint rather than customer engagement, arguing that ships provide more opportunities for storytelling and personal interaction, despite having less physical space.
She concluded: “If you put the guest experience at the heart of it all, the guest will purchase and the revenue will look after itself.” 🛳️
