Gone To Sea

Evolving cruise ships know that experiential shopping is what’s in store.

There’s no lack of at-sea thrills these days — from racetracks and roller coasters to water slides — that elicit screeches and screams of joy. But when those heightened sounds emanate from the onboard watch shop … well, something unexpectedly special must be happening. Virtually There

A female passenger on Norwegian Encore wears a Panerai diving watch and a virtual reality device while seated in the watch shop. With a click of a remote, she transforms herself into a diver — gasping, commenting, and writhing as she simultaneously twists and turns in her chair, moving her head in all directions to scan the surrounding area. In fact, she just experienced a virtual reality of a diver deep in the sea coming face to face with the likes of sharks, octopi, and other sea creatures large and small.

All of this to introduce the Italian luxury watch Panerai and make a timely connection. Shoppers cruising with Norwegian Cruise Line have several opportunities to become experts on watches and watchmaking, with events such as a Scotch and Watch session and a history of watches seminar. Other passenger-inclusive opportunities include jewelry making by John Hardy and even the opportunity to “borrow” jewelry.

Welcome to a new retail experience.

Shows, trivia, and games still fill the schedule on ship newsletters, but now shopping is considered a worthy activity. With the focus on experiential travel, it comes as no surprise that cruisers expect those same immersive experiences while shopping. Whether it’s called retail-tainment, immersive shopping, or experiential shopping, the goal is the same: to get shoppers involved in a deeply personal shopping experience. Unlike passive shopping, as found with online retailers, experiential shopping attempts to give a shopper an experience that involves all of the senses. Cruise lines have jumped on board with this type of marketing in order to entice shoppers.

One of the marketing components is the appeal to the senses. What could be more engaging than feeling, touching, or even tasting a product? Teaching shoppers about a product encourages them to share their newfound knowledge with friends and creates a sense of loyalty to a product. Authenticity and exclusivity also play a role in experiential shopping.

Changing Expectations

Unlike most cruise lines, MSC Cruises does its own retailing, which results in innovations and ideas generated from the cruise line; no two ships, even within the same class, offer the same shopping experience. So everyday, something different is presented to guests, whether it is the captain signing ship models or a fashion show on a catwalk. Wafting from the open kitchen right at the heart of a guest area, the smell of Venchi chocolate lures guests to not only watch its production, but also taste the finished product and visually enjoy art pieces created from chocolate. Guests of the luxurious Yacht Club area don’t even need to leave their comfortable enclave to shop. Fashion shows and exclusive presentations of products complement dinner, and displays of products grace the public areas. Guests may request a shopping session with items brought to this luxury retreat, where they may shop in the comfort of their stateroom.

Sensibility

Guests on Celebrity Cruises seek elevated, unique experiences and offerings that add to their overall vacation experience. In response to this new model of shopping, Celebrity initiated a program known as the Sensory Shopping Journey that aims to enhance the retail experience for guests by highlighting the five senses. The five senses are cleverly matched to different products on this sensory journey: Feast Your Eyes:

Fine Jewelry Sounds of Time:

Timepieces Scent Soiree:

Fragrance and Beauty Spirit of Taste:

Premium Spirits Perfect Touch:

Leather goods and accessories

Experiences involve trunk shows, spirit tastings, and fragrance matching. Their iLounge is the first Authorized Apple® Specialist at Sea. After learning tips and tricks in this lounge, guests will not only be inspired to make a duty-free and tax-free shipboard purchase, but will bypass the notorious waits found at the mall stores in the process.

Luxurious Space

Part of the immersive shopping experience is exclusivity. Aboard Holland America Line, The Vault, Diamonds and Gemstones by Merabella creates an intimate atmosphere surrounded by the high- end collection of jewelry in this elegant space. Guests can set up a private appointment here and purchase some of the precious jewels, some valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars range. The designs of these bespoke pieces often reflect the destination of the ship. The private viewings often include champagne to complete the experience.

All in the Family

Immersion into a culture, even by virtue of regional products used on a ship, quickly puts passengers in an experiential mode. A list of products aboard Viking ships, for instance, conjures that feeling of coziness and well-being known as hygge. As a Norwegian company, Viking decks its ships with Scandinavian brands, like Iittala glassware and Mamsen’s dishware.

The cruise ship that doesn’t provide more than a cursory shopping experience for guests will fall behind in the game. Creating memories and instilling an intimate connection with guests keeps them returning for more. It’s not your grandparents’ shopping anymore. Put shopping on your radar and plunge into an immersive, engaging, and unexpected experience.