Retail Sales Associate

Harding+; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Harding+ is seeking motivated Retail Sales Associates to join onboard cruise ship boutiques worldwide, delivering memorable guest experiences in a high-energy retail environment. You’ll welcome guests, understand their needs, and use product knowledge to recommend items across fashion, beauty, jewellery, and more, while helping to drive sales and maintain stock.

Life at sea means living onboard, working with a close-knit team, and enjoying travel opportunities as you contribute to events,

Qualifications

• Experience in retail, sales, hospitality or similar customer-facing environment.
• Strong customer-facing background with ability to build rapport.
• Adaptable and resilient with ability to work at sea.

Responsibilities

• Welcome guests into the boutique and understand their needs.
• Make confident product recommendations using product knowledge.
• Support events and promotions and maintain stock levels.
• Contribute to achieving sales targets and team performance.

Skills

Retail experience

Customer service

Communication

Sales targets

Teamwork

Adaptability

English fluency

Job description

We’re looking for motivated, personable Retail Sales Associates to join our onboard retail teams, working on cruise ships around the world.

This is a unique opportunity for someone who enjoys working with people, creating great customer experiences and being part of a busy, high-energy retail environment. You might already have experience in high street, premium, department store, fashion, jewellery, travel retail or hospitality. What matters most is that you enjoy engaging with customers, take pride in your work and are ready for something different.

Life at sea is varied, fast-paced and rewarding. You’ll live and work onboard, become part of a close-knit team and help guests enjoy memorable shopping experiences during their cruise.

About Harding+

Harding+ is a leading cruise retail business, working closely with cruise line partners and brand partners to make every cruise better. Our onboard boutiques offer guests a carefully selected range of products across categories including fashion, beauty, jewellery, watches, liquor, confectionery and logo products.

We are proud to have been recognised as Cruise Retailer of the Year in 2022, 2023 and 2025, reflecting our focus on great service, strong brand partnerships and memorable guest experiences.

What You’ll Do

As a Retail Sales Associate, you’ll be at the heart of the guest experience. You’ll welcome guests into the boutique, understand what they are looking for and use your product knowledge to make confident, helpful recommendations.

You’ll create natural conversations, introduce guests to products, support events and promotions, and help make the boutique feel inviting, well-presented and easy to shop. You’ll also play an important part in achieving sales targets, maintaining stock standards and supporting your team throughout the day.

This role is about bringing energy, warmth and consistency. You’ll need to be comfortable approaching guests, listening to what they need, promoting products in a genuine way and creating reasons for guests to return during their cruise.

What You’ll Bring

We’re looking for someone with a strong customer-facing background and the confidence to build rapport quickly. You don’t need cruise experience, but you do need to be adaptable, resilient and ready for the realities of living and working at sea.

You’ll Bring

• Experience in retail, sales, hospitality or comparable customer-facing environment
• A warm, confident and personable approach with guests
• The ability to communicate clearly and build trust through great service
• Motivation to achieve sales targets and contribute to team performance
• A willingness to learn about products, brands and promotions
• Strong attention to detail and pride in store standards
• A flexible, team-focused attitude and a strong work ethic
• Fluency in English; additional languages would be an advantage
• A good level of physical fitness, as the role involves being active throughout the day

What You’ll Get

• Competitive take home salary with target-based commission
• Accommodation and meals provided onboard at no cost
• No household bills while you are working at sea
• Support with necessary visas and seafaring documents
• Dedicated in-house training across sales, product and brand knowledge
• The opportunity to travel the world while earning
• Contracts of up to 6 months onboard, usually followed by 1 to 2 months at home between contracts
• On selected cruise lines, the opportunity to travel independently after your contract, with support for your return travel home afterwards