Starboard Resort Expands Land-Based Retail Operations with Opening of Crafted by Starboard at Westgate Vacation Villas Resort in Central Florida

New Family-Friendly Shopping Destination Blends First-of-Its-Kind Personalization Station, Expert Curation and Immersive Retail Experiences

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Starboard Resort, Starboard Group’s land-based vacation retail division, today announced the opening of Crafted by Starboard—a dynamic new retail concept designed with families in mind—at Westgate Vacation Villas Resort in Kissimmee, Florida. The vibrant, family-friendly boutique blends personalization, expertly curated assortments, and immersive retail experiences in a single, unforgettable shopping destination.

“This launch marks another major milestone in our Starboard Resort growth strategy and the latest expansion of our strong partnership with Westgate,” said Lisa Bauer, President and CEO, Starboard Group. “Conceptualized and created with personalization at the center, Crafted by Starboard combines thoughtful curation and unique, immersive retail experiences to ultimately redefine vacation shopping.”

The Personalization Destination

The name “Crafted by Starboard” is a nod to both the creativity behind the concept and the personalization offerings at the heart of the retail experience. The shop features the first-ever dedicated personalization station in a Westgate resort, where guests can transform an array of items into one-of-a-kind keepsakes. Customization offerings include embroidery of apparel and accessories, including tees, hoodies, hats, handbags, backpacks and plush toys, and personalization of tumblers from The Darling Effect. Jewelry customization options include engraving by Metal & Stone, charm stations by Jet Set Candy and Canvas Style, and custom-length chain jewelry from Inch of Gold.

“We’re constantly innovating to create memorable experiences that offer convenience, connection and fun for our guests of all ages,” said Jared Saft, Chief Business & Strategy Officer at Westgate Resorts. “By partnering with Starboard Resort, we’re able to enhance the vacation experience for our guests with a range of unforgettable shopping experiences in a single, on-site destination. Crafted by Starboard gives our guests new ways to discover products and brands, connect through creative retail experiences, and customize items to make them their own.”

The opening of Crafted by Starboard, in the resort’s lobby, caps off an extensive series of renovations and new attractions at Westgate’s largest resort. In addition to Crafted by Starboard, the sleek, new, modern lobby is home to the new $10 million Mystery Fun House Arcade Experience, Viva—a new coffee shop, and Sid’s American Bistro—a new upscale casual American restaurant.

Tailored for Families and Kids

Crafted by Starboard celebrates the youngest vacationers with exclusive assortments curated just for kids and fun shopping experiences designed to spark creativity and joy. The shop features plush toys and dolls, customizable jewelry, accessories and more from beloved brands such as Jellycat, Squishmallows, Charm It and Mon Ami as well as a wide range of artisan, classic and internationally inspired sweets from Candy Club.

“Crafted by Starboard is designed to cater to modern families, offering specially curated assortments for vacationers of all ages along with unmatched customization options and fun, engaging retail experiences,” said Stacy Shaw, Senior Vice President, Luxury & Resorts, Starboard Group. “We’ve drawn on our strong network of global sourcing partnerships and our curation expertise to craft an unforgettable array of products, brands and immersive experiences that will delight Westgate Vacation Villas Resort guests and enhance their stay.”

Lifestyle and Leisure Assortments

Whether guests are heading to one of the Orlando area’s theme parks or lounging poolside, they’ll find the perfect outfit and accessories at Crafted by Starboard. The boutique offers expertly curated selections of apparel, sportswear, swimwear, accessories and lifestyle goods from brands such as America & Beyond, Eat My Socks, NYS Collection sunglasses, Shiraleah, Venus and Weekender. Guests can also shop watches from Citizen and Invicta, jewelry from Shae, Starboard’s exclusive fashion jewelry brand, and ultra-modern beauty and wellness essentials from NatureWell.

Intentionally designed to surprise and delight vacationers of all ages, Crafted by Starboard incorporates eye-catching design features and an interactive floor display. Located at Westgate Vacation Villas Resort at 7700 Westgate Boulevard in Kissimmee, FL, the 780-square-foot boutique is open to the public Monday through Sunday from 9 am to 9 pm.

For additional information, please visit Starboard Resort. Click here to access store imagery.

About Starboard Group

From its origins in 1958 charting new courses in the duty-free industry, Starboard has always been more than just a retailer—we’re curators of vibrant experiences that enrich every vacation. As the world’s leading vacation retailer at sea, we’ve perfected the art of creating memorable shopping moments across more than 90 ships, partnering with 15 world-class cruise lines. Our luxury division is creating a unique boutique experience for luxury travelers by hand curating elevated retail collections and experiences for sophisticated travelers on ocean ships, yachts and adventure-based expedition vessels. In 2024, as Starboard Group, we’re expanding our horizons even further. Now, with Starboard Cruise, Starboard Luxury, and Starboard Resort under our umbrella, we’re bringing our signature retail magic to land-based operations. This evolution positions us at the forefront of vacation retail, blending our rich maritime heritage with the exciting opportunities of resort-based shopping.

Recognized time and again for our innovation and quality—garnering accolades such as DFNI-Frontier Americas Travel Retailer of the Year and Global Cruise Retailer of the Year—Starboard Group continues to set the standard in travel retail. Our sister company, Onboard Media, crafts engaging multimedia experiences that drive brand awareness and boost revenue across the travel and hospitality sectors.

Headquartered in Miami, with additional offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Genoa, Italy, Starboard and Onboard Media are proud members of Global Travel Retail Holdings, LLC—a forward-thinking joint venture with LVMH and Gissy Investments, poised to lead the next wave of travel retail innovation.