INTERNATIONAL. Carnival Cruise Lines has partnered with Starboard to unveil an immersive retail experience aboard Carnival Firenze, the latest ship in the Cunard fleet.
Named the Fun Shops, the retail space features top global brands and celebrates “carnival fun with an Italian flair” to reflect the ship’s Florence-inspired theme.
Starboard President and CEO Lisa Bauer said: “Starboard is thrilled to launch our 14th ship with Carnival and help bring the Fun Italian Style concept to life for Carnival guests through the shopping experience. We approached our curation of product and experiences tailored to the intersection of West Coast meets Florence Fashionista.”
Carnival Vice President, On-Board Guest Commerce Luis Terife added: “Our guests love to shop and working with Starboard enables us to develop experiences that continually raise the bar on retail at sea, while also curating the collection that our guests from California love.
“Carnival Firenze further proves the success of our partnership, as the retail promenade on the ship has been very popular with guests sailing on her inaugural season.”
High fashion and designer jewellery on board
Carnival Firenze showcases what is described as the largest assortment of Swiss and jewellery pieces in the Carnival fleet.
Top luxury brands available at the Fun Shops include Gucci and TAG Heuer, featuring the highly sought-after Carrera collection, Formula 1 and Aquaracer. The ship is also the first in the fleet to feature family-owned Swiss brand Norqain watches.
Carnival Firenze also highlights Luxe Legacy, Starboard’s proprietary brand of curated pre-owned luxury collections. It showcases an expanded range of vintage luxury pieces in a new standalone store concept.
The boutique displays a collection of certified pre-owned Swiss timepieces, as well as pre-loved leather accessories and handbags from renowned brands including Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Chanel.
Fun Shops also houses a Pandora in-shop boutique featuring its popular customisable charm bracelets and designer jewellery.
The Beauty for All zone offers guests an array of products from leading beauty brands including the Sephora Collection, Sol de Janeiro, Benefit and Kylie Cosmetics.
Exclusive ‘Fun Italian Style’ collection commemorates inaugural season
The Fun Shops presents a collection of clothing for men, women and children, featuring T-shirt designs to celebrate the ‘Fun Italian Style’ theme of the retail space and the ship’s homeport of Long Beach.
The retail offer includes shirts featuring what is described as California vibes with vintage, surf-inspired designs, inspired by Long Beach.
The shop also features Carnival Firenze merchandise shirts designed with distressed artwork and Italian football jersey influences.
The surf shop on Deck 5 includes a vibrant kids’ zone, showcasing a curated collection for young customers.
To commemorate the ship’s inaugural season, the Fun Shops has introduced special destination offerings such as hats, travel mugs and tote bags, developed in collaboration with Starboard’s in-house experts.
Sailing year-round from its homeport in Long Beach, Carnival Firenze accommodates approximately 4,960 guests on three- to seven-day voyages to Baja Mexico and the Mexican Riviera. ✈
