The cruise ship is a small city floating on the immense ocean or on a river, destined to reach different cities. Guest´s journey on board is amazing, but life on board for crew members is a very special experience. In this article “What you should know about Hospitality on cruise ships” get to know more about an interesting industry on board.
The professional background in the hospitality on board takes reference to the traditional hospitality, nestled in this fantastic floating world. Housekeepers, front office agents and F&B workers are operating every day, working very close to different departments.
Read the article “Hospitality on board” and enhance your knowledge about hospitality.
On the cruise ship there are a lot of departments. It needs a lot of people to make work this colossal building. In any case, there are some differences to consider between the traditional hospitality and the hospitality on baord.
In this article we will compare some points, for the purpose to understand how it works on board.
Rooms and categories
On the cruise ship there are different types of guests ‘rooms, quoted on category basis. There are rooms facing to the sea or to the river side and other ones facing internal. The proposal of different categories is very important for embracing a wider guest`s segment. Moreover, there is the possibility to offer different price ranges.
The special fact on board, is concerning the view of the rooms facing the sea or river: for example, the view will change from the immense ocean to the coast of a city.
Nevertheless, some cruise ships are offering elite rooms, with exclusive reception and personal butler. In comparison to the ashore hotels, on some cruise ships there are cheaper rooms and premium suites with private service. Indeed, the difference regarding price and guest ranges is much bigger than traditional hospitality.
Revenue and upselling
Concerning revenue, the focus is on packages. The main sale is ashore and the choice for upselling is very diverse. The majority of guests is long-stay. There are different itineraries available, mostly for a minimum of 7 days. The proposal of packages involves different departments, hence the upselling is the key for a successful revenue generation.
The market analysis is based on the itinerary. Prices for packages are based only partly on the cruise standards, as there is a wide choice of services.
Furthermore, some cruise companies are offering the possibility to personalize packages, by promoting the upselling at the time of sale.
Further departement working with Hospitality
Cruise ships have the own concept, but it happens very often that the cultural theme changes based on the itinerary.
The concierge must have a vast expertise regarding the itinerary. There will be a lot of excursions available and for each port, guests must be informed regarding local shuttle services and how to reach the town centre.
The entertainment is very important and very close to the hospitality. Activities on board are fundamental, especially for navigation days. People are not used to be on board like the crew members and, of course, they do need some leisure.
For the crew is compulsory to know all about the security procedures in case of emergency. There are trainings for all crew members, regarding crowd management and security on board.
Organization
At conclusion, hospitality on board revolves around a lot of departments. Some ships are accommodating thousands of guests. Hence, the organization of the entire hospitality is based on a larger number of people, coming from different countries. Ships are docking in different countries and some crew members must know the local bureaucracy in some countries, in order to allow all guests to visit ashore.
Working on board means to improve the own cultural expertise and general knowledge, taking into account the great life experience that a job on the cruise ship can offer.
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Written By
Knowess International
Knowess International helps business owners and department heads working in the hospitality and restaurant industries to develop the necessary skills with targeted consulting.
