Harding+ is asking its brand partners to take a more active role in generating guest demand, as the cruise retailer looks to build on recent growth and make onboard shopping a more engaging part of the holiday experience.
Speaking at the company’s annual Supplier Conference, CEO Jeremy Fennell said cruise retail offers an unusual opportunity to connect with guests over several days. He encouraged suppliers to work with Harding+ on demonstrations, events and other experiences that bring brands to life.
Fennell outlined a three-way partnership involving cruise lines, suppliers and Harding+, with guests at its center. He said the company wants to develop closer relationships through shared insights, joint business plans and clear commercial objectives, while investing together in guest demand and supporting onboard teams.
“Bring us your best ideas as well as your best products,” Fennell said, urging partners to test new approaches, learn from the results and expand the initiatives that work.
Chief Commercial Officer Linzi Walker said Harding+ has spent recent years strengthening its ranges, product availability and onboard experiences. The next step, she said, is to make those capabilities work more consistently across the fleet.
The company is also investing in its retail operations. Technology and process improvements have freed up more than 25 percent of shipboard colleagues’ time to spend with guests. A new fleetwide selling model is being introduced to help teams use their product knowledge to make more relevant recommendations.
Chief Operating Officer Mark Birnie described the investment as Harding+’s biggest in two decades, adding that the company is placing renewed emphasis on its employees.
Harding+ expects to deliver approximately 300 activations across more than 40 ships in 2026, tailored to onboard guests and the destinations they visit.
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