CHINA. Adora Cruises has struck an agreement with leading travel retailer Starboard to jointly develop a 600sq m duty-free shopping complex onboard Chinese cruise ship Adora Flora City.
Adora Flora City is scheduled to sail on her maiden voyage from Guangzhou Nansha port on 22 November.
The offer brings together nearly 100 leading Chinese and international brands across 12 categories, including fine jewellery, fashion jewellery, watches, luxury handbags and premium fashion. The brand lineup features labels such as Prada, Miu Miu, Balenciaga, Fendi, Vivienne Westwood, Mikimoto, Longines and Polo Ralph Lauren.
The partners pledged “an expertly curated, themed experience that invites guests to discover, engage, and purchase with ease”.
In a first for a Chinese-built large cruise ship, Adora Flora City will also introduce luxury vintage through the What Goes Around Comes Around concept. This houses rare, pre-loved pieces from luxury brands including Hermès, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton and will include a handbag range.
“We’re extremely proud to partner with Adora Cruises to debut a retail experience aboard Adora Flora City that is as stunning and memorable as the ship itself,” said Starboard President and CEO Lisa Bauer.
“We’ve curated exceptional Chinese and global luxury brands, rare vintage offerings, unforgettable immersive experiences and exclusive collections for the ship’s inaugural season to create an onboard shopping destination where every guest can find something personal, unexpected and uniquely connected to their vacation at sea.”
Adora Cruises CEO Roger Chen stated, “We are delighted to join forces with Starboard to bring a world-class, yet distinctly Chinese, shopping experience to our guests aboard Adora Flora City. We look forward to every guest discovering something they truly love at the Adora duty-free shopping centre and enjoying a relaxing and rewarding retail experience as part of their voyage.”
As the name suggests, Adora Flora City will use flowers as the theme and motif in the artistic designs of the hull, cabin and public areas.
The ship will be fitted out with advanced smart and AI technologies. In addition, rich Chinese cultural elements will be incorporated into its dining, entertainment and services, delivering a more distinctly Chinese onboard experience, said the partners.
Olympic diving champion Guo Jingjing has been invited to serve as the ship’s Naming Ambassador, and will officially name Adora Flora City at the inaugural ceremony.
Adora Cruises currently operates three large cruise ships: Adora Magic City, the first Chinese-built large cruise ship, Adora Mediterranea, known as the ‘Ship of Art’, and Piano Land under the Astro Ocean Cruise brand. 🛳️
