Cruise retail journeys beyond borders with Starboard & Celebrity

Sustainability, female empowerment and modern luxury are the core values ​​embedded throughout the operation, guest experience and retail onboard. Celebrity Beyondthe latest vessel in the Celebrity Cruises fleet, which embarked on her maiden voyage on 27 April from Southampton, UK.

A long-time partner of Celebrity, Starboard Cruise Services has a curated shopping experience anchored by well-known luxury names including Bulgari, Cartier, Gucciand Montblanc and complemented by many first-at-sea brands that “go beyond” the traditional cruise retail offer.

DFNI was onboard Celebrity Beyond ahead of her inaugural sailing to meet with Starboard Cruise Services President & CEO Lisa Bauer and discuss the inspiration behind the retail for one of the most anticipated ship launches of the year.

Responsible retail

In keeping with Celebrity’s commitment to women empowerment and sustainability, Starboard has placed the spotlight on “responsible retail” where guests can discover brands that pursue meaning beyond commerce.

Onboard the inaugural voyage of Celebrity Beyond, Starboard Cruise Services President & CEO Lisa Bauer told DFNI Editor Kapila Ireland: “We really wanted to lean into the Celebrity brand and its pillars –sustainability, diversity & inclusion, and female empowerment. We were also very thoughtful in the way the assortment reflects destinations because people choose cruises based on where they are sailing. Around 50% of the destination offer is formed of first-at-sea brands – local artisans, handmade products that are one of a kind, something special that invokes a memory of their trip. ”

Celebrity Cruises Vice President Onboard Revenue Jeanette Coto Dou told DFNI: “This experience with Starboard is a very open and mutual partnership. What’s beautiful here is the output of real collaboration and partnership, thinking about the customer needs first and delivering a great experience. On Beyond, you see a lot more curation and more thoughtfulness [in the product offer]. ”

The Celebrity Shops onboard Beyond cover 8,966sq ft and are divided into two distinct zones: Experiential luxury boutiques on Deck 5; Lifestyle, Swiss time pieces and immersive multi-category shops on Deck 4 that offer apparel, accessories, spirits, eco-friendly products to beauty, logo, destination, watches etc.

Female Empowerment

A press conference with the leadership onboard Celebrity Beyond highlighted the cruise brand’s focus on empowering women. Inclusiveness is woven into the very fabric of Celebrity Cruises, according to Jo Rzymowska, Vice President & Managing Director, EMEA.

Under the leadership of Celebrity Cruises President & CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, the cruise line has made a concerted effort to redress the gender balance onboard and attract more women to the industry. In fact, the latest in Celebrity Cruises’ Edge Series, Celebrity Beyond is helmed by the first American female cruise ship captain, Kate McCue, whose bridge is staffed by 70% women. On International Women’s Day 2022, Captain McCue made headlines as she lead Celebrity Edge with an all-female bridge.

Lutoff-Perlo said: “When I joined Celebrity Cruises (in 2014), we had 5% women on the bridge. Today that figure is 32%… We are making progress every day and we recruit talent from all over the world regardless of race or gender. ”

In line with those values, Starboard’s retail offer has broken barriers in cruise retailing onboard Celebrity Beyond, inviting guests to “purchase with purpose” across women-led collections and brands that support sustainability and celebrate local culture and traditions.

Female-led brands include Summersalt – a fashion-inclusive brand offers swimwear and resort wear made with earth-friendly practices “for every woman’s body” based on measurements from over 10,000 women; and Stella McCartney, the luxury British brand committed to responsible fashion.

Stella McCartney has been leather and skin-free since 2001 and has never used fur. Its ready-to-wear collection featured onboard is created with 63% eco-friendly materials.

“Stella has a huge reputation as an advocate for female empowerment and sustainability. And Summersault was founded by two women, is all about diversity and inclusion and the pieces are made from sustainable materials. We’re getting excited when we find brands that are that aligned [with our values] and will resonate with the customer, ”Bauer tells DFNI.

Sustainability

The core pillar of sustainability is also supported through Starboard’s retail offer through several niche brands:

4Ocean – An accessory brand that supports beach and ocean cleanups with proceeds from global sales. Starboard’s exclusive relationship with 4Ocean has already resulted in over 25,000 pounds of plastic removed from global waterways.

Task – Fabrics are made with natural fibers like organic cotton and bamboo, and the knitting and sewing facility is fully powered by solar and wind energy.

AFS Apparel – AFS brings recycling to life. Plastic bottles are repurposed into earth-friendly fibers, which creates comfortable and sustainable clothes.

S’well – One S’well reusable water bottle can keep 167 single-use plastic bottles out of the waste stream each year.

Sea Bags – Ship’s sails are recycled to become handcrafted tote bags and accessories. Sea Bags has kept over 700 tons of material out of landfills. The company also believes in sustaining communities through job creation; All products are sewn in Portland, Maine

Destination

Cruise guests can also discover a celebration of people, culture and traditions from the ports visited through artisanal apparel, accessories, and authentic gifts inspired by Celebrity’s Mediterranean itineraries with brands from each destination:

Italy

The Bridge – In 1969, three artisans joined forces to create fine handmade bags in their laboratory in Florence, Italy. Five decades later, The Bridge continues to marry tradition with modernity, combining worldly-wise elegance with bohemian style.

Piquadro – This premium Italian leather brand delivers tech-design features for business professionals and travelers. Piquadro accessories and luggage combine functionality and performance with original, recognizable design, to make your travels stress-free while allowing you to stand out from the crowd.

Alienina – This sustainable accessory collection is founded respect for craftsmanship. Each bag is handmade in Italy, using traditional processes to create one-of-a-kind pieces.

Spain

Anna Albert – Artenseda: Inspired by the Mediterranean, Barcelona artist Anna Albert transforms silk into fashion accessories. Her painted-silk creations are 100% handmade, requiring mastery of the brush and many techniques.

Zahati – Zahati’s artisan pieces are created with natural fibers inspired by architecture, art and nature.

France

The Corvette – Savonnerie du Midi – La Corvette Marseille soap has been made since 1894 at the Savonnerie du Midi in Marseille, France, using the traditional cooking process. Expert artisans create a 100% natural product of high quality that is respectful of the environment.

Gas Bijoux – Saint-Tropez brand Gas Bijoux’s features jewelery handmade in limited editions.

Greece

RizesCrete – skincare products created with organic olive oil from Crete. Products are dermatologically approved and not tested on animals.

Luxury anchors

The retail offer onboard is anchored with renowned brands with stand-alone boutiques with the latest collections.

The Bulgari lifestyle boutique offers jewelery, watches, handbags and accessories.

The Richemont luxury watch boutique at sea showcases three of its iconic luxury brands together in one boutique for the first time at sea offering Swiss timepieces from Cartier, IWC, and Panerai.