Cruise Passengers’ Complaints: An Analysis of Online Reviews

Mandy Aggett
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Mandy Aggett: University of Plymouth

Chapter 9.0 in Cruise Sector Challenges, 2011, pp 147-161 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract The growth of the cruise industry has led to increasing levels of competition, and the need for more effective design of products and services. Therefore, knowledge of passengers’ experiences and post-consumption evaluations is essential. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the content of online cruise reviews, or electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), to identify cruise passengers’ complaints. A total of 241 online reviews, posted by passengers, were systematically selected and content analysis was conducted using a framework analysis method. SPSS was used to provide some quantitative analysis, and qualitative data is included in order to provide a more in-depth explanation of each complaint category. Attributes most complained about are identified as: food; policies; systems and management; and service outcomes or delivery. Efforts must be made to improve these elements, in order to reduce the number of negative evaluations. Effective service recovery procedures must be in place in order to generate more positive reviews. The emergence of eWOM as a source of reassurance and further information for potential passengers makes it even more necessary to reduce negative experiences as reviews are accessible to a much larger audience, and transcend the other limitations of traditional word-of-mouth communication. Therefore, every effort must be made to improve customer satisfaction in the identified areas in order to generate more positive reviews.

Keywords: cruise industry; experiences; post-consumption evaluations; electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM); service and product improvement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-8349-6871-5_9

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-8349-6871-5_9

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