The Strongest Part of the Journey - Reflections from the DFNI Cruise Conference 2026, Barcelona

Some moments remind you exactly why you do this work. Barcelona was full of them.

This week, the cruise retail world gathered at the DFNI Cruise Conference 2026 — three days of the conversations shaping where this remarkable industry goes next. New ships. New routes. New ambitions on every panel. But amid all the talk of growth and strategy, one truth kept rising to the surface, and it's the one we believe in most deeply: the greatest competitive advantage in cruise retail is its people.

On the conference stage this week, two members of our industry's family stood in front of its leaders — and simply told their stories.

Madai came from a small town in Mexico. Davor from a small town in Serbia.

Between them, they spoke for more than 8,000 retail colleagues across our industry — sharing the journeys, the growth, and the lives that a career at sea can genuinely transform.

MADAI'S JOURNEY

For Madai, from a small town in Mexico she stepped onboard Queen Elizabeth on Cunard for the firs time in 2021 at the restart after covid as a logo shop associate, to now leading one of the flagship Oceania ships in the world, in just 5 years - she shows the amazing proactivity and opportunity that cruise retail can give to people.

DAVOR'S JOURNEY

For Davor, coming from a small town in northern Serbia he stepped onboard for the first time in 2015. His incredible progression as a shoppie started from a moment of decision between him deciding to step onboard or turning round and taking a bus home. He chose to setep onboard and as a result has changed his life! Now he has taken an incredible journey through the cruise retail industry firstly as a jewlery specialist, then a VIP ambassador and now he is Director of After Sales for Effy leading a global operation.

Both Madai and Davor's story were genuine, inspiring and proving the power of proactivity. It was honest. It was moving. And for everyone who believes in the potential of people, it was the proudest kind of moment.

The panel they were part of explored how investment in training, leadership and team empowerment drives stronger performance and better guest experiences. A few takeaways stayed with us:

• Crew belong at the heart of your retail strategy — not as an afterthought, but as the foundation.

• Retail onboard is about far more than sales. It's about creating memories that guests carry home long after the voyage ends.

• The entire ship is a shop floor, where every interaction adds something to the guest experience.

None of that happens without the right people, properly prepared and genuinely supported.

Why this matters to us

This is the belief the Cruise Retail Academy was built on. Our job has never been simply to fill roles. It's to spot potential, prepare people properly, and stand beside them as they step into a life at sea.

Seeing Madai and Davor on that stage was the clearest reminder of why that matters. Behind every record-breaking season and every gleaming new ship is a crew that has to deliver. We're proud to play our part in finding, training and championing them.

A heartfelt thank you

Our sincere thanks to DFNI and the whole team for the platform, and for creating the space where stories like these can be heard by the people who can act on them. And to partners Harding+ and Effy Jewelry, whose support turned this moment into a reality — thank you.

Your journey could start here

The ships, the brands, the record-breaking seasons — they all matter. But the strongest part of this journey has always been, and will always be, the people.

If a career at sea might be part of your story, we'd love to help you write it. The Academy is free, and the support is real.

Start your journey today at academy-onboard.com.

Trust us with your journey onboard.