Postmarked: Barcelona | Our Reflections on DFNI Cruise Conference 2025

We have just returned from an incredible DFNI Cruise Conference and are excited to share our takeaways. Barcelona, one of the cruise capitals of Europe was the perfect backdrop for an inspirational few days with our industry peers and the tone that flowed throughout was: the future of cruise retail will belong to those who think differently.

Tuesday: A Glimpse into the Future at Sea

On Tuesday, Harding+ hosted an exclusive tour of P&O Arvia, we each broke into groups and had an in depth tour of the retail space. Their design has future-proofing sewn into every corner: adaptable layouts, destination-led displays, and open spaces that allow experiential events. Every inch of Arvia’s retail footprint felt intentional. It’s a strong signal that cruise retail is moving away from static in favour of more agile, guest-responsive spaces.

After disembarking, we made our way to the rooftop of the Meliá Barcelona Sky for the opening night cocktail reception. With Freixienet cava flowing and the beautiful skyline behind us, the evening buzzed with the familiar energy of reunion and anticipation of the next few days.

Wednesday

Day one opened with a powerful reminder that this industry is in an exciting transformation mode. The conference kicked off with insights from industry leaders at Starboard, Harding+, Avolta, Heinemann, and Effy, who echoed a shared theme: growth is happening, but it’s no longer business as usual.

Key moments included:

• Lightning Talks from Harding+ that spanned AI integration, flexible retail design, and why storytelling should anchor every guest interaction, not just brand campaigns. We loved the mention of how 25% of Hardings store design is reserved for event space.

• A standout panel, Essence of Luxury, reframed luxury as less about price point and more about emotional relevance. It’s not just about stocking premium products, it’s about attracting the right guest, in the right moment, with the right story.

  
  

Midway through the day, our co-founder, Hannah Whitehouse, took the stage as part of the Unlocking Ship Synergies workshop. This interactive session explored how multiple departments can work as allies, not silos. When retail is integrated with onboard experiences, from food and drink to excursions, it becomes more than a shop visit, it enhances the guests voyage and increases spend.

Tying it all together

We wrapped up day one with something a little different, our Raconteur activation.

Our experience invited delegates to take a moment to feel the shift, not just hear it. With ropes, cava, (and a healthy dose of friendly competition), we brought a nautical tradition to life through the art of knot-tying, Catalan cultural trivia, and sensory storytelling.

It was playful, but also purposeful, because if the future of cruise retail is about creating connection, then activations like this are the blueprint. It wasn’t solely about product placement. It was about engagement. It was about stepping into the shoes of the guest, having fun, and walking away with a memory, and maybe a new knotting skill or two.

We loved seeing retail executives roll up their sleeves, laugh, learn something new, and talk about how these kinds of experiences can be reimagined for guests onboard. It sparked exactly the kind of dialogue we were hoping for.

For us, it was the perfect full-circle moment: to go from stage to experience, from conversation to connection, because this is what Raconteur is here to do, not just talk about the evolution of cruise retail, but help shape it.

The evening concluded with a surprise: a Gala Dinner under the stars at the historic Fabra Observatory. A huge thank you to Diamonds International for creating such a magical evening. It was the perfect close to an inspiring day.

Thursday:

By day two, the tone shifted from exploration to application. Sessions dove into how we deliver on the bold ideas of day one.

Some of the key takeaways:

• Personalisation and exclusivity are not nice-to-haves, they’re now guest expectations.

• Retail must be experience-led: Whether through activations, storytelling, or even team interactions, today’s traveller isn’t looking to shop, they’re looking to feel something.

• Sustainability is no longer niche. It’s the baseline. Brands that don’t integrate purpose into their offering will be left behind.

  
  

We were especially energised by the final panel, The Future of Cruise Retail, which made it clear: price is no longer the only driver. Guests want emotion. Connection. Surprise. That’s not just validation for what we do at Raconteur, it’s fuel.

The conference closed with the inaugural Maritime Moguls pitch session, a new format spotlighting emerging brands hungry to make their mark at sea. It was an exciting way to end the week, by looking ahead to what’s next.

So, What Comes Next?

DFNI 2025 left us with questions. The good kind. The kind that make you sharpen your offer, reframe your purpose, and rethink the guest journey from start to finish.

• How do we move beyond enrichment as ‘entertainment’ and position it as a commercial strategy?

• How can retail move from transaction to transformation?

• And how do we, as a sector, ensure guests don’t just remember what they bought, but how it made them feel?

  
  

At Raconteur, these aren’t side thoughts. They’re our roadmap.

We came to Barcelona with a belief that the cruise guest deserves more, more immersion, more connection, more inspiration. We left knowing we’re not alone in that vision.

To the DFNI team, our fellow speakers, the delegates who tied knots with us (literally) at our activation, and every partner who made this week possible, thank you.

The work doesn’t stop here. But if Barcelona reminded us of anything, it’s this:

Cruise retail has outgrown its old story.

Now it’s time to write a new one.

-Team Raconteur