A significant number of cruise passengers are unhappy with their onboard experience, a new report has found.
According to the JD Power 2013 Cruise Line Satisfaction Report, which was released late last week, nearly one in five passengers reported a problem with their cruise. The study quizzed cruise passengers on seven key factors of their cruise experience: service, room, food, embarkation/disembarkation, entertainment, cost and excursions. Overall, 18% of passengers said they experienced at least one problem on their cruise, with an average of 1.8 problems. And the report revealed that this level of dissatisfaction is likely to have major implications on future bookings.
Passengers experiencing zero or one problem (61% and 55% respectively) said they “definitely will” take another cruise with the cruise line they most recently used. When two to three problems are experienced however, the likelihood of customers re-booking with same cruise line drops dramatically (33% and 28% respectively). Among the brands above the industry average, 68% of passengers indicated they “definitely will” recommend their cruise line to others, surpassing the report average of 61%.
“Many cruise lines in the report have very high levels of passenger satisfaction, well above the report average. However, for more than a year, the overall industry has been dealing with a lot of negative news affecting customer perceptions, expectations and trust,” said Ramez Faza, senior account manager of the global travel & hospitality practice at JD Power. “To raise the bar, the industry must focus on meeting the needs of the nearly 20% of passengers who experience a problem with their cruise line experience. Cruise lines need to understand the causes of customer dissatisfaction and determine what will motivate them to come back.”
Disney Cruise Line ranks highest in terms of overall satisfaction, followed by Royal Caribbean and Holland America Line.
Price (53%) and past experience with brand (39%) are the two primary reasons for selecting a cruise line, and for customers who say they “definitely will not” or “probably will not” return for another cruise, cost is the driving factor. The average price paid for one person is US$1,628.
In terms of satisfaction however, customer service, stateroom and food comprise are the most important factors, with service found to be the key reason for passengers who “definitely will” re-book with the same cruise line.
“To retain existing customers or acquire new customers, cruise lines need to be extremely sensitive to the price point that is most comfortable for customers, while providing the highest level of service possible,” said Faza. “It’s all about perceived value for customers. Did they get their money’s worth? Was the service better than expected? Simply put, cruise lines need to work harder to create an enjoyable experience in which customers feel they are getting a great value for the price. Cruise lines that satisfy their customers and provide them with a reason to cruise again are rewarded with loyal customers.”
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