Page 12 - North American & Caribbean Cruise Traveller

being the case, cruise operators are under increasing pressure to differentiate their service from other regional operators, especially when considering that approximately two-thirds of North American & Caribbean cruise passengers have been on previous cruises and therefore have the capability to make direct comparisons between services.
Service differentiation has been achieved by various means with cruise liners implementing on-board services and features to appeal to the regional cruise traveller. In doing this, cruise liners are providing an overall regional industry suited to a very varied traveller type. For example, a similar volume of North American & Caribbean cruise passengers are aged between 30 and 40 years old as those aged between 60 and 75 years old. In addition, passengers have varying levels of income, and cruises are suitable for various party sizes, with around half travelling in groups of two and the vast majority of the remaining travelling in parties of 3 or more.
However, whilst service differentiation is making overall cruising in the region suitable to a wider range of passengers, it is also causing cruise services to suit an ever more closely defined traveller type; particularly those with very specific differentiation strategies.
Broader differentiation strategies include initiatives such as Royal Caribbean incorporating an ice rink on its ‘Allure of the Seas’ cruise liner and signature dining on its ‘Anthem of the Seas’ cruise liner with celebrity chefs including Jamie Oliver, Michael Schwartz and Devin
Due to the highly competitive regional cruise market, cruise
operators are under increasing pressure to differentiate services
Industry Insider:
North American & Caribbean Cruise Duty & Tax Free Retail 2015
North American Traveller Demographics
Source: CLIA
Broader differentiation strategies include features such as on- board ice rinks, specialist cocktail bars, and celebrity chef inspired restaurants
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