Hamburg/Miami, January 12 2018. Anchors aweigh for the Caribbean and the Pacific:For the first time, Gebr. Heinemann is set to enter the American and Australasian market as a retailer on four cruise ships, represented by its subsidiaries Heinemann Americas and Heinemann Asia Pacific. The two Gebr. Heinemann subsidiaries have recently signed a new partnership agreement with Carnival Cruise Line, the world’s largest cruise operator based on passengers carried.
The start of operations for the new retail partnership will take place in the first half of 2018. The product range on Carnival’s ships will comprise perfume and cosmetics, liquor, tobacco & confectionery, watches including fashion apparel and accessories.
“We are looking forward to working with Carnival Cruise Line and this new challenge of starting the first global partnership between Heinemann Americas and Heinemann Asia Pacific. We are also pooling Gebr. Heinemann’s extensive expertise in airport retail, distribution and logistics and bringing it to the cruise ship channel”, says Nadine Heubel, Managing Director of Heinemann Americas. “Heinemann Americas was established in 2013 in order to showcase the expertise of Gebr. Heinemann as a key player in the global travel retail industry, and is committed to becoming the first choice for operators, landlords, suppliers and of course passengers, by offering flexible and comprehensive travel retail solutions on a global scale.”
“Carnival Cruise Line is committed to offering our guests the best shopping experiences at sea”, says William Butler, Vice President of Retail for Carnival Cruise Line. “We are thrilled to launch this fantastic new partnership with Heinemann and we look forward to introducing numerous new brands and retail concepts while creating an enhanced shopping environment for our guests .”
On the four cruise ships Heinemann will operate a total retail space of more than 1,220 square metres. Operations on the Carnival Liberty, Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Ecstasy, which are based in the Caribbean, are scheduled to begin between January and March 2018. Carnival Spirit, based in Sydney/Australia, will follow in June 2018.
Caribbean shopping
As the shop concessionaire on Carnival’s Caribbean-based ships, Heinemann Americas will cater to the needs of the passengers, the vast majority of whom are from the USA and have booked with the line looking for an affordable, fun-packed holiday. On the Carnival Liberty, which sails between its homeport of Port Canaveral in Florida and The Bahamas, two shops will be operated, covering a total of 299 square metres withthe contract beginning this month. Three shops, with a total of 249 square metres, will be managed on both the Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Ecstasy respectively (both beginning February 2018).
Off the coast of Australia
From June 2018, Heinemann Asia Pacific will operate the largest of the new cruise shops, spanning 424 square metres, on the Carnival Spirit, one of two Carnival cruise ships based in the Australian metropolis of Sydney. The Carnival Spirit sails the Pacific Islands and New Zealand for cruises of up to ten days.
Shop design concept: a local sense of place
For the upcoming redesign of the retail spaces, the two Gebr. Heinemann companies will focus on the concept of a “local sense of place”, which has already been implemented successfully at the Heinemann airport shops around the world. Caribbean themes will be reflected in the shop architecture for the vessels sailing US routes. Colourful worlds inspired by the turquoise sea, white sand and beach verandas will recreate the typical island setting on board.
About Gebr. Heinemann
Gebr. Heinemann is one of the most important players at the international travel market. In Europe, the company is the market leader and the only family company among the global players in this sector. As a retailer, the company currently operates over 1,000 shops in over 100 countries. In retail, Gebr. Heinemann is active in a total of 77 airports in 28 countries with more than 300 Heinemann Duty Free & Travel Value shops, license-managed brand boutiques and concept stores.
Heinemann Americas is a subsidiary of Gebr. Heinemann and was established in 2013 in Miami as a gateway that aims to collaborate with local partners, capitalizing on significant mutual growth opportunities. The company’s strategy for long-term partnerships within the cruise line industry is based on the vision of turning shops into great holiday shopping experiences on the world's oceans. Customers benefit from logistical expertise as well as a range of services such as assortment management, store layout and design, marketing and staff trainings.
Heinemann Asia Pacific
is a subsidiary of Gebr. Heinemann and was established in 2010 to represent the group in the Asia-Pacific region. Rooted in Gebr. Heinemann’s legacy, Heinemann Asia Pacific is committed to becoming the preferred partner for landlords, operators and suppliers by offering comprehensive travel retail solutions in the dynamic and diverse Asia Pacific market. From its headquarters in Singapore, Heinemann Asia Pacific maintains business relations across 10 different nations, having established an extensive network spanning from Indonesia to Myanmar. More than 60 staff members, located at the headquarters, collaborate with strong local partners in the distribution and retail fields, capitalising on significant growth on what is currently the world’s most dynamic travel retail market.
Press contacts:
Gebr. Heinemann
Lara Vitzthum
Head of Corporate Communications
Nadine Heubel
CEO Heinemann Americas
