Just like hotels and restaurant businesses, cruise ship operators also need reliable distributors of food and other goods. The main difference between regular wholesalers and the ones that specialize in cruise ship supplies is that the latter might also offer tools, parts, and other types of maritime equipment. Distributors for ships are often called ship chandlers. However, these businesses sell products to all kinds of ships. Cruise line operators often need more than regular ship chandlery companies. That’s because they offer a hospitality experience to their guests. As such, cruise ships need deliveries of high-end food products and fine cruise ship wines. Furthermore, as these passenger ships gather guests from all over the world, they often stock ingredients from different cuisines. They also buy wholesale tableware, decorations, and other interior products in different styles and themes. In this post, we’ll share more about the common types of cruise ship supplies, where to find them, and how to choose the right supplier.
Key takeaway: Cruise ship supplies include a variety of maritime equipment and provisions. Distributors that deliver goods to cruise ships are different from classical ship chandlers as these vessels host thousands of passengers and often need specialty and luxury food and ingredients.
What Are Cruise Ship Supplies
The term includes a wide range of tools, provisions, and equipment used by cruise ships. These items are used by the crew and the ship’s passengers. Cruise ship supplies are slightly different from the supplies used by other vessels. That’s because these passenger ships also offer high-end hospitality services. As such, cruise line operators often partner with various wholesalers or broadline distributors that can deliver a wide array of ingredients, restaurant supplies, and other goods. On the other hand, most cargo ships work primarily with ship chandlers that deliver equipment, supplies, and provisions to ports.
Main Categories of Cruise Ship Supplies
Some of the biggest cruise ships in the world can accommodate more than 5,000 passengers and have crews of over 2,000 staff members. As such, they stock a wide range of products in a variety of categories. Here are some of the common ones.
- Engineering supplies. This category includes a variety of spare parts, tools, safety devices, and other engineering equipment.
- Housekeeping products. From wholesale janitorial supplies and toilet paper to branded linens and towels, many housekeeping items are needed on cruise ships.
- Food and beverage. Passenger vessels need to stock various products with long shelf life such as different types of canned food and grains. They also purchase refrigerated or frozen fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy products, and other ingredients used in kitchens. Spirits, beer, wine, and soda are among the popular cruise drinks.
- Kitchen supplies. This category includes cookware, utensils, and other tools used by chefs and bartenders.
- Entertainment. Cruise vessels offer a wide range of recreational activities. As such, they need various products for guests' entertainment. Pool floats, books, and gaming consoles are just some of the examples.
- Gifts. This is an important category in cruise ship supplies. That’s because most passengers want to bring gifts to their loved ones from their cruise. Cruise ships also have retail shops that sell miscellaneous items like sunscreen or clothing.
- Health supplies. From defibrillators and oxygen tanks to first aid kits and over-the-counter medicine, vessels need various types of medical supplies.
- Other products. Pens, notepads, flowers, boxes, decorations, and various other items are needed on passenger ships. That’s why they might also be offered by distributors that specialize in wholesale sales of cruise ship supplies.
What Are Cruise Ship Distributors
These are companies that specialize in procurement, inventory management, and delivery of various products to cruise ships. These wholesalers act as intermediaries between cruise line operators and manufacturers or other distributors. They stock a variety of the most used items on cruise ships and order other less-used goods. In addition to delivering a variety of products to docked cruise ships, these suppliers also need to adhere to maritime standards, port regulations, and temperature-controlled supply chains.
In addition to specialized distributors for cruise ship supplies, some passenger vessels might choose to partner with broadliners. These are companies that offer broadline distribution services to businesses in many sectors. As such, they sell a variety of items – from wholesale frozen vegetables to towels and paper goods. When partnering with broadline distributors, cruise line operators might still need to find a ship chandlery company to work with. That’s because they still need a supplier of maritime equipment and specialized tools needed by vessels.
When choosing a distributor of cruise ship supplies, companies need to consider factors such as distribution points, wholesale prices, minimum order quantities (what is MOQ), and the variety of products offered in different categories. Another factor to consider when picking partners is whether they follow the latest trends in inventory management and technological solutions. Cruise ships have a very complicated business that has a lot of moving parts. As such, they need distributors with impeccable logistics.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cruise Ship Supplies
Whether you’re interested in reading more about popular cruise cocktails or want to find reliable wholesale linen and paper goods distributors, BlueCart is the right place. You’ll find many resources and informative posts on our website. Below we’ve answered some common questions regarding cruise ship supplies.
Is Marine Equipment the Same as Cruise Ship Supplies?
Although the two terms are somewhat interchangeable, they are not the same thing. Cruise ship supplies include a wide variety of categories and marine equipment is only one of them. Provisions, IT supplies, and crew uniforms are examples of other subcategories of the broad cruise ship supplies category. Marine equipment refers to different parts and accessories used for ship maintenance and repair. From electronics and lighting tools to marine waste management and refrigeration systems, marine equipment includes thousands of different products and tools.
Do Cruise Ship Distributors Supply Other Ships?
Yes. Most wholesalers that specialize in cruise ship supplies also deliver goods to other ship types. These distributors are often located near port cities and stock a wide range of tools, marine equipment, and provisions. This means they are able to supply other ships as well. Cruise ships might prefer to partner with suppliers that specialize in this field as they need luxurious items such as different types of caviar, specialty food, and other high-end ingredients. Cruise lines also focus a lot on branding. That’s why their tableware, linens, towels, and other items found on ships need to be properly branded.
What Is Ship Chandlery?
A ship chandler is a specialized distributor that supplies ships and other vessels with equipment, materials, goods, and tools. A ship chandlery is a term used to describe these businesses. Most vessels partner with ship chandlers as they have the necessary knowledge and experience in the field of maritime supplies. These companies are also knowledgeable in regulations and port operations. This helps them be more efficient which saves time for ship operators. Cruise ships often partner with both ship chandlers and other distributors. That’s because these luxurious vessels need specialty items and high-end products in order to offer a top-notch hospitality experience.
BlueCart: From Cruise Ship Supplies to Wholesale Coffee
BlueCart offers a variety of solutions for wholesalers who wish to automate various operations. Our software is specially designed to allow distributors to easily create eCommerce catalogs, manage prices, and find new customers. Buyers also benefit from using our wholesale ordering software. Thanks to BlueCart’s marketplace, companies can purchase wholesale products in multiple categories. Schedule your demo today and see how BlueCart helps distributors increase B2B sales and buyers who wish to find suppliers for their company.