Photo Caption: Mein Schiff 7 ship
MIAMI (July 30, 2024) – Starboard, the world’s leading retail curator at sea, celebrates its debut into the German market with new cruise partner TUI Cruises and its latest vessel, Mein Schiff 7, the first cruise ship designed for operations on methanol. The retail space spanning 5,629 square feet across two decks features curated brands and products with a focus on sustainability and items inspired by the unique destinations of the ship’s maiden season in Northern Europe.
“Starboard’s new alliance with TUI Cruises represents a significant step in our global growth, affirming our status as the preferred retail partner to cruise lines worldwide,” said Lisa Bauer, Starboard’s President and CEO. “This new venture positions us to continue demonstrating our expertise in delivering exceptional curated retail experiences, uniquely tailored to the German cruise market.”
Refined Offerings Tailored for German Guests
Starboard’s expertise in understanding a cruise partner’s brand, passenger profile and itinerary nuances is exemplified in Mein Schiff 7’s tailored retail program. The Neuer Wall Shops feature categories including beauty, fine jewelry, watches, destination inspired products, Mein Schiff branded collections and fashion apparel and accessories for her, him, and children, showcasing both global and German brands. German guests who value quality and durability will discover notable brands such as German-based Lamy Writing Instruments and first-at-sea brand Junghans watches, showcasing expert craftsmanship and timeless design.
In addition to the extensive collections of Italian handbags, the Mein Stil boutique will feature a full lifestyle presentation of women’s apparel and accessories from globally recognized brand Karl Lagerfeld. Danish jewelry brand Pandora offers TUI Cruises guests designed pieces and hand-finished charms to express stories through their style. For beauty offerings, customized for the German guest, Starboard has introduced a TUI Cruises first, AI-driven SkInsight augmented reality skin analysis technology where guests can step up to the mirror and see a personalized analysis of their skin with individually recommended products for their particular skin type and care.
Photo Caption: Karl Lagerfeld
“Mein Schiff 7 is the seventh addition to the Mein Schiff fleet, incorporating new features based on our guests’ feedback and it was important for our retail offerings to reflect these enhancements,” said Carolin Bauer, Head of On-Board Commerce. “We are thrilled to partner with Starboard as our official onboard retail partner and introduce our guests to high-quality, specially curated products, elevating their overall cruise journey.”
Sustainability Retail Initiatives
Aligned with TUI Cruises commitment to sustainability and the environmental consciousness of German travelers, innovative and low impact onboard retail practices have been implemented, such as the elimination of plastic bags and the introduction of product assortments from environmentally friendly brands.
Sustainable brand offerings include the world’s first lab-grown diamonds offered at sea from Engrace Diamonds, Certified Pre-Owned Rolex watches, and vintage selections of luxury accessories and designer handbags curated by What Goes Around Comes Around. Guests will enjoy discovering eco-conscious brands such as Rituals Cosmetics, a certified B Corporation Dutch brand dedicated to sustainable and personal wellbeing in the beauty industry.
Photo Caption: What Goes Around Comes Around
Curated Destination Shopping and Storytelling
The Baltic season destination shop is a key pillar of the retail experience offering curated retail assortments spanning multiple categories including food, apparel, fashion accessories, jewelry, books, drinkware and souvenirs for adults and kids. TUI Cruises guests can engage, explore and connect with their travel destinations through destination-inspired, locally sourced, and artisanal products that evoke the itinerary’s region and enhances the discovery experience.
Focusing on sustainability and environmental stewardship without compromising aesthetics, the Scandinavian brand Sandqvist offers well-crafted, design-led, functional bags made of recycled and ethically sourced materials. Established is 1927, Norlender collaborates with skilled spinners in Norway and Europe to create sweaters and accessories made of Norwegian wool.
Known for its warmth, healing powers and exotic appeal, Baltic Amber offers guests a stunning variety of amber based jewelry set in .925 sterling silver colors and textures available in the amber collection. Artisanal Omnom Chocolates, the premium Icelandic “bean-to-bar” chocolate with a creative twist and hand-produced in Iceland in small batches, uses the highest quality of ingredients individually sourced with care, placing ethics, sustainability, and transparency at the heart of the process.
Photo Caption: The Baltic season destination shop
This summer, Mein Schiff 7 will sail between Kiel and Norway before transitioning in mid-August to Baltic Sea cruises from and to Warnemünde. In the winter, the ship will spend the majority of the season in the Canary Islands, with cruises starting and finishing in Las Palmas on Gran Canaria.
CLICK HERE to view and download retail and ship photos.
About TUI Cruises
TUI Cruises GmbH is one of the leading cruise companies in the German-speaking countries. The joint venture company made up of TUI AG and the US cruise company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd employs a staff of around 750 in Hamburg and Berlin. A fleet of seven ships sail for the Mein Schiff brand. Since the end of 2020, the brand Hapag-Lloyd Cruises with its fleet of currently five ships is also part of TUI Cruises GmbH. The Mein Schiff fleet offers modern holiday cruises at sea in the premium segment (Mein Schiff 1 to Mein Schiff 7 / bed capacity: 18,800). Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is the leading cruise brand in the luxury and expedition segment in the German-speaking countries with a history dating back 130 years. TUI Cruises sails with one of the most modern, environmentally and climate friendly fleets worldwide. Two further ship newbuilds are planned by 2026 as part of a sustainable growth strategy.
About Starboard
Charting a new course in the duty-free industry since 1958, Starboard has been the world’s leading vacation retailer at sea with the purpose of curating a vibrant world for guests, cruise line partners, brand collaborators and employees. Starboard’s transformative retail elevates the experience on more than 90 ships across 14 world-class cruise line partners: Blue Dream, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruises, Holland America, Resort World Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, TUI Cruises and Virgin Voyages. Starboard’s dedicated Luxury Division partners with Azamara, Crystal, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Silversea, and The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.
Starboard is consistently recognized for quality and innovation by the travel industry, championing numerous awards, including DFNI-Frontier Americas Travel Retailer of the Year, Asia/Pacific Cruise Retailer of the Year, Global Cruise Retailer of the Year and Exceptional Achievement by a Cruise Retailer.
Going beyond sailing, Starboard’s sister company, Onboard Media, creates multimedia products for top companies in the travel and hospitality industry, driving brand awareness to generate sales and grow revenue. Both businesses are headquartered in Miami with additional Starboard offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Genoa, Italy.
Starboard and Onboard Media are proud to be a part of Global Travel Retail Holdings, LLC, an industry leading travel and technology-centric joint venture in partnership with Gissy Investments and LVMH.
MEDIA CONTACS
Maureen Gonzalez | FINN Partners
(954) 368-9809 | Maureen.Gonzalez@finnpartners.com
Paula Amador | Starboard Cruise Services
(786) 845-7524 | Paula.Amador@starboardretailgroup.com
