AUSTRALIA. P&O Cruises Australia and cruise retail concessionaire Harding have announced the extension of their 13-year partnership. Harding will operate the onboard retail concessions on all three of the P&O Cruises Australia ships for a further five years.
Following the COVID pause, Pacific Explorer resumed cruising on 31 May. It has since been joined by the first new ‘Grand Class’ cruise ships Pacific Encounter (which started sailing out of Brisbane from August) and Pacific Adventure (sailing out of Sydney from October).
Harding is managing the retail proposition on each in close alignment with P&O Cruises Australia, fuelled by the significant data and insight programme that Harding has developed over the past five years.
The partners said that the extended partnership helps both companies “maintain their strategic ambitions and commercial goals to be market leaders in their space”.
Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises Australia President Marguerite Fitzgerald said: “For the last 13 years Harding have demonstrated an exemplary partnership approach, with cruise retail understanding, insights and perspectives that are unrivalled in the industry. We are delighted to be extending the relationship and embrace new thinking, learnings and growth approaches to build on all that has worked so well over the years.
“Partnership means more than just commercial success, and the importance of cultural alignment, a shared set of values and mutual ambitions and approaches to what matters in business all count strongly too. Our teams, our guests, and our brand partners will all benefit from this next phase of the P&O Australia and Harding association.
“Today’s announcement comes after extensive and detailed discussions about what is best for our guests, our teams, and our brand partners, and we are confident Harding will continue to deliver and enhance our best-in-class retail proposition.”
Harding Managing Director James Prescott said: “Continuing our long-standing partnership with P&O Cruises Australia as they return to cruising and introduce the two Grand Class ships to Australasian guests, is something we take great pride in. Long-term relationships count for so much, and say so much about both businesses and their outlook on what matters.
“With the P&O cruise line holding a very special place in many Australians’ and New Zealanders’ hearts, we are excited to bring our ever evolving and data-led insights on what matters for cruise guests in the retail space into the next chapter of how we work together, to make sure we can add surprise and delight value to every trip. Making every cruise guest’s retail experience better is at the heart of our approach.”
