Cruise tourism is often characterized by the diverse amount of onboard facilities and services, which are used to maximize passenger expenditures. Some of these onboard amenities include theatres, gyms, skating rinks, and rock climbing walls. Though these provide guests with a multitude of experiences, the core of the growth of the cruise tourism sector can be attributed largely to “standardization, simplification and homogenization” (Dehoorne & Petit-Charles, 2011, p. 3). Since the entrance of Chinese consumers to the market, however, the social aspect of cruising has differed significantly. The “shipscape”, or the way in which passengers interact with the environment on the vessel, essentially shapes their entire cruise experience (Kwortnik,
…show more content…
However, the cruise tourism industry is experiencing a shift in the “shipscape” to better suit the needs of Chinese consumers. This is due to the distinctive traits of Chinese consumers that do not align with previously successful shipscape model, both in terms of wants and needs. Indeed, it is important that cruise lines adapt their offerings to suit the needs of this market segment. Some of the ways that Chinese cruisers differ from North American cruisers include their avoidance of the sun, their preference for authentic Chinese food rather than international food, and their fondness for gambling and karaoke as a forms of entertainment. This changes the social aspect of the way that Chinese tourists experience cruising, and cruise lines have adjusted their business model to better serve the Chinese segment. Examples of this include less sunbathing and pool space, fewer bars and lounges, and more branded-luxury and duty-free shops (Xuan, 2014, p. 89). Indeed, the Chinese cruise tourists have created an impact on the social aspect of cruising and forced international cruise lines to re-evaluate the way they …show more content…
72). The challenges faced by the cruise industry is how to “translate cruisers’ stated (and unstated) needs into new ship designs without losing the essence of the experience of a vacation at sea” (Kwortnik, 2008, p. 304). The CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Adam Goldstein, recently stated that the diversity and availability of port-of-calls is not able to “handle the amount of cruise demand” that will develop in the Chinese region for the next five to ten years (Sheivachman, 2015). As a burgeoning and dynamic region of Asia, China is expected to witness an increase in the number of Chinese cruise tourists and growth in development of ports-of-call. However, before they reach the carrying capacity, they
However, the cruise tourism industry is experiencing a shift in the “shipscape” to better suit the needs of Chinese consumers. This is due to the distinctive traits of Chinese consumers that do not align with previously successful shipscape model, both in terms of wants and needs. Indeed, it is important that cruise lines adapt their offerings to suit the needs of this market segment. Some of the ways that Chinese cruisers differ from North American cruisers include their avoidance of the sun, their preference for authentic Chinese food rather than international food, and their fondness for gambling and karaoke as a forms of entertainment. This changes the social aspect of the way that Chinese tourists experience cruising, and cruise lines have adjusted their business model to better serve the Chinese segment. Examples of this include less sunbathing and pool space, fewer bars and lounges, and more branded-luxury and duty-free shops (Xuan, 2014, p. 89). Indeed, the Chinese cruise tourists have created an impact on the social aspect of cruising and forced international cruise lines to re-evaluate the way they …show more content…
72). The challenges faced by the cruise industry is how to “translate cruisers’ stated (and unstated) needs into new ship designs without losing the essence of the experience of a vacation at sea” (Kwortnik, 2008, p. 304). The CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Adam Goldstein, recently stated that the diversity and availability of port-of-calls is not able to “handle the amount of cruise demand” that will develop in the Chinese region for the next five to ten years (Sheivachman, 2015). As a burgeoning and dynamic region of Asia, China is expected to witness an increase in the number of Chinese cruise tourists and growth in development of ports-of-call. However, before they reach the carrying capacity, they