On-board cultures of cruise ships and cruise product development

Abstract

Cruise ships are carriers of clearly defined, yet usually not explicitly addressed on-board cultures, which are mostly in dramatic contrast to the everyday culture of the destinations. Often the destination culture hardly matters on board, except for a few presentations of excursions. With the background of design research, the study explores the question of how to bridge the gaps between the designed artificial culture on board and the everyday culture of the destination. The research question focuses on identifying those factors influencing the cruise ship system, which have a potential for change in terms of cultural encounters. The study consists of three main parts: First, relevant actors in the cruise ship system have been synthesized into a theoretical model. Using a holistic approach, not only people were defined as actors, but also objects and organizational forms. Second, the design research method “cultural probes” and qualitative interviews were used in an empirical study. The statements of the participating passengers served as the basis for the description of the holiday cultures on board, as well as for describing the relationship to the everyday culture of the destination. Through redesigning the identified fields, the perception of cultures and cultural encounters can be influenced. Third, these findings from theory and practice were brought together in a “map of socio-cultural relations”. From this map, descriptors were developed that support the description of a cultural identity of a cruise and expand the imagination of possibilities for future cruises, so that cruise companies can differentiate their offers from competitors.