MBA 623 | North American Cruise Industry |
Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Cruise Industry Overview 2 Market Overview and Structure 2 Industry and Customer Segments 5 Target Market Analysis 7 Carnival Cruise Lines 7 Target Market Analysis 7 Positioning Strategy 7 Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines 8 Target Market Analysis 8 Positioning Strategy 9 Norwegian Cruise Lines 9 Target Market Analysis 10 Positioning Strategy 10 Disney Cruise Lines 11 Target Market Analysis 11 Positioning Strategy 11 Business Opportunities 11 Appendix 1: Market and Customer Segmentation Figures 13 Appendix 2: Cruise Line Positioning and Target Marketing Selection Figures 16 Appendix 3: Perceptual Maps 18 Bibliography:
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This includes North American passengers (6% are from Canada) and foreign travelers departing from North American ports.
Market Overview and Structure
Market Overview
The cruise industry is the most exciting growth category in the entire leisure market. Since 1990, the industry has had an average annual passenger growth rate of 7.2% per annum. The cruise industry is young. From 1980 to 2009, over 176 million passengers have taken a deep-water cruise (2+ days). Of this number, 68% of the total passengers have been generated in the past 10 years. Forty percent of total passengers have been generated in the past five years alone. The cruise market potential is strong. Over the next three years, over 50 million North Americans indicate intent to cruise. To date, approximately 20% of the U.S. population previously cruised. By maintaining historical occupancy levels, the cruise industry will welcome over 14 million guests this year. The cruise product is incredibly diversified with literally a cruise vacation for everyone. Over the past 10 years, the industry has responded to extensive market and consumer research that has guided the addition of new destinations, new ship design concepts, new on-board/on-shore activities, new themes and new cruise lengths to reflect the changing vacation patterns of today’s market.13
The cruise industry’s product delivers unparalleled customer satisfaction. Whether a
A. Pause Strategy (CI#1, 2, 3): Carnival Corp has been known for health and safety records, a key component in consumer decision-making in the cruise industry. In order to begin improvements, a pause strategy needs to be utilized to allow the company to take a step back from aggressive growth and focus more towards consumer necessities. Many complaints stem from issues like sanitization of rooms, quality of food, and ship malfunctions. Keying in on ship maintenance, restoration, and efficiency will significantly decrease the chance of malfunctions. While implementing more stringent and attentive guidelines towards guest amenities and conditions of food storage/quality to help increase consumer appeal.
Summary: The cruise line industry has been experiencing a period of massive expansion over the last decade thus heightening the competitive profile for the industry in terms of market share and competitive rivalry. Now cruise industry is one of the most competitive across all.
* Travel agencies: Travel agencies have strong relationships with the cruise industry as they book around two thirds of their cruise. Although this percentage is declining due to the growth of consumer knowledge and technology the percentage of cruisers using travel agents is relatively strong. (UCLIA)
Carnival is “The World’s Most Popular Cruise Line” with 24 “Fun Ships” operating voyages ranging from three to 16 days in length to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Europe, and Bermuda. Carnival’s success is attributed to its marketing program directed towards
Carnival Cruise’s, Disney Cruises and Norwegian was the only other clear competitors to RCL but in terms of subsidiaries Crystal Cruises was the only direct rival in terms of size and scale and position in the industry but in analyzing the demand increase from 1999 to 2001 a 16.7% increase in demand showed that Celebrity cruises had to maintain their position as a luxury brand to continue being a major player in the industry. The demand was strong and the competition was average, as it relates to entries to market the cruise line industry requires multiple stipulations and regulations required thus unless one of the major players mentioned above acquired a smaller cruise line to increase in operations and services Celebrity’s position was relatively strategic and smart. The competitive landscape was relatively small so quality improvement process should be the main focus during this time, they already created the process needed to offer superior service thus tweaks such as management training, career progression programs and increases in standard of performance programs would set Celebrity’s consistent quality assurance position in the industry to better
The economic climate has a strong impact on the cruise line industry. However, the cruise line industry is growing and more people are traveling today then ever before. As welfare of people has considerably grown despite all possible crises in world economy, anyhow many economic factors are influence to cruise line industry, such as clientele's economic positions, growth in markets, currencies rates when working international and inflation plays a role. Operators of a cruise will be affected under management and operational levels. If fuel price begins to increase, then it will influence operational costs of the company. If interest rates increase then, then it will influence the income of the company. Economic factor plays a major role for the company to be afloat of cruise industry.
Over the years the cruise industry has seen remarkable growths across the country. Several different ports have seen an increase in ships, which increases the amount of passengers have grown. When ships, and passengers increase it can only benefit the cruise industry in a whole. Means more profits, jobs, and the economy will thrive.
Carnival is a leader in the cruise industry and it’s highly likely that the consumers would select this company; as it is also a branded company recognizable on the market it allow the process of word of mouth that lessen the power of the consumers from their self.
Carnival’s value proposition was to be a cheaper alternative to land vacations at all inclusive resorts while providing a variety of activities and destinations in one trip. Carnival was the “fun ship”, providing contemporary vacationing to first-time and repeat cruisers. Because customer retention is low, Carnival uses a more traditional style of marketing, focusing on the short-term customer.
One of the rapid producing leisure industry divisions, the cruise industry faces several challenges. Whereas supply continues to rise at double-digit levels, demand battles to keep speed. Known the demands on communications and the jeopardy of an eroding on-shore practice, less port are in a location to provide accommodation the cruise lines as supply grows. At the similar time, the community sector's inspection of manufacturing practices associated to the surroundings, duty, safety, protection and work increases. Regardless of these confronts, numerous cruise lines report record levels of productivity. This analysis will calculate the leisure-cruise
The cruise-line industry has changed drastically over the past several years. What was once thought of as a luxury to most people, is now affordable and convenient. The industry now focuses on targeting the working middle class, as well as the upper class. One cruise-line in particular, Carnival, has mastered the informal cruise for the mass market. Carnival offers numerous cruises that are inexpensive and exciting. Nevertheless, Carnival operates internationally with shipyards and ports all over the world. Being an international business, Carnival is affected by many global forces, both controllable and uncontrollable. In order to maintain the corporation’s success, Carnival must be aware of all global forces while
The final uncontrollable force affecting the cruise line industry is competition (Montalvo, 2007). This is probably the least influential force since 91% of the cruise line industry is made up of three companies-Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Star. These three organizations are world-famous and have developed the cruise concept to the point that there is a cruise that will fit just about every person’s destination dream and budget reality.
In 1972, Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) was found by entrepreneur Ted Arison. Mr. Arison’s vision involved making cruising, a vacation experience once reserved for the rich, available to the all individuals. Carinal Cruise Lines achieved the ability to carry more passengers than any other cruise line, which lead to Carnival becoming the largest cruise line in the world. By 1987, Carnival Cruise Lines earned the distinction, “The Most Popular Cruise Line in the World.”
Cruising has become popular in the UK and throughout the world for holidays. Breaking travel news states that, ‘Cruise holidays are on the rise and the cruise industry seems
During the recent economic contraction, the cruise industry has been continually changing with more carriers purchasing larger ships. This is part of an effort to offer better amenities when attracting upscale cliental. However, the industry has become more competitive and the total number of players has increased exponentially.