Cruise retail specialist, Harding, has signed a 2027 contract extension with P&O Cruises and Cunard.

As part of the contracts, the Harding internal design team will continue to work with P&O Cruises’ and Cunard’s design teams and architects to design, manage and build entire retail environments.

Carnival UK’s vice-president on board, Robert Palmer, said: “We are delighted to have signed this industry-leading contract with Harding.

“Working with one of the leading players in cruise retail to build a strong commercial and branded retail partnership as we enter an unprecedented period of new fleet launching for both our P&O Cruises and Cunard brands is an inspiring milestone.

“Harding has shown that its agility to predict and mirror changes in land-based retail at a branded and experiential level for our guests at sea undoubtedly gives our guests the best and most inspiring holiday experience.

“We are looking forward to continuing to work with the Harding team in the coming months and years.”

For P&O Cruises, in addition to the three existing ships, the contracts include two new flagships; Iona launching in May 2020 and its sister ship launching in 2022.

For Cunard, the contract includes its new ship, arriving in 2022.

The contracts follow a 20-year working relationship between the three companies and encompass eight of P&O Cruises and Cunard ships over an additional five-year period on more than 6,000 square metres of retail space.

Harding managing director James Prescott said: “This is a real milestone in the Harding history and I am delighted to confirm our partnership with Carnival UK across both P&O Cruises and Cunard.

“We have worked closely with the senior teams based in Carnival House, Southampton, in an approach to deliver the most commercial arrangement and the best products with the right experiences for the customer and destination. We are delighted that the Carnival Corporation has put its trust in Harding here in the UK.”