Starboard Group expands from cruise and luxury to resorts

The group is comprised of three business units: Starboard Cruise, Starboard Luxury and the new Starboard Resort.

The company's foundation, Starboard Cruise, provides retail on more than 90 ships across 15 cruise line partners with additional capabilities including e-commerce, access to special affinity closed user groups and vacation packaging products. The unit secured the onboard retail contract for Royal Caribbean International’s third Icon-class ship, to enter service in 2026.

Demonstrating the strategic focus to drive revenue for cruise partners, each portfolio will be led by a senior executive: VP, General Manager Claudia King-McWilliams for Royal Caribbean and Asia; VP, General Manager Stuart Breen for Carnival Cruise Line, Virgin Voyages and TUI Cruises; and VP, General Manager Ivette Pimentel for Celebrity Cruises and Holland America Line.

Starboard Luxury

Starboard Luxury reported explosive growth since forming with six luxury lines. Starboard Luxury partners with admired and desired luxury vacation brands to introduce distinct and elevated retail concepts, products and experiences exclusively designed and curated for luxury travelers, with a heavy emphasis on artisans and local goods from destinations around the world.

Starboard Resort

Now, building on more than 65 years of experience operating boutiques at sea, Starboard Group is headed to land with its newest business unit, Starboard Resort. Travelers on cruise and resort vacations share a similar mindset, traveling for an average of seven days, often celebrating something special, and exploring destinations, making this a natural next step. 

Starboard Resort plans to design and deliver shopping environments that capture the essence of each resort and its location with tailored retail strategies that deepen customer engagement and elevate resort ambiance while driving growth and profitability.

Stacy Shaw heads Luxury and Resorts

Stacy Shaw, who's overseen the luxury division as VP, was named SVP Luxury & Resorts and will lead the Starboard Luxury and Starboard Resort business units.

Land-based launch with Westgate Resorts

Starboard Resort will launch with Westgate Resorts, one of the largest resort developers in the US, to unveil land-based Starboard-branded boutiques by the end of 2024 and early 2025.

'Starboard is experiencing tremendous growth, which is enabling us to broaden our vacation retail business while staying true to our North Star purpose, to "Curate a Vibrant World,”' said Lisa Bauer, Starboard Group president and CEO.

'We’ve strategically reflected on the key drivers of our future success, focusing on strengthening our core cruise business while venturing into new channels, including our entry into land-based retail this year as well as aligning our organization around key future-focused opportunities.'

Lisa Kauffman leads marketing and experience

Lisa Kauffman has been named chief marketing and experience officer to lead a new department focused on 'retailtainment' — immersive and engaging events and activations, as well as creating unique and compelling retail environments, digital experience and e-commerce. 

Starboard Group said its joint venture with Open Network Exchange (ONE) positions it to  deliver an extensive marketplace e-commerce solution on land and at sea before, during and after the vacation.

Sherrie Day heads private brand/product development

In the area of product innovation, Starboard Group named Sherrie Day, who's overseen global merchandising, as head of private brand and product development. She will lend her experience to expanding exclusive product offerings, contributing to continued differentiation across cruise line and land partners, and 'win-wine profitability.'