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Celebrations Cruises
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Marketing Plan
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4/10/2012
Merryn Bedford, Rachael Ferguson, Travis Haggerstone, Emma
Reh
1
Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................................3
Business Description ...............................................................................................................................................4
Objectives.....................................................................................................................................................................5
CREST ............................................................................................................................................................................5
Distribution Strategy and Actions .................................................................................................................. 12
SWOT Analysis ........................................................................................................................................................ 14
Consumer and Channel Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 16
Channel Analysis:................................................................................................................................................... 20
Pricing Strategy and Actions ............................................................................................................................. 21
Product....................................................................................................................................................................... 25
Promotional Strategy and Actions .................................................................................................................. 28
Bibliography ............................................................................................................................................................ 30
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Celebrations Cruises are created for special memories on board an intimate cruise
travelling around Canada’s western islands en route to Alaska departing from Vancouver.
From the months of mid-April to mid-October, guests onboard Celebrations will enjoy many
services from different restaurant options, pubs, swimming pool, fitness centre,
entertainment shows, dances, games room, kids activities, casino, open deck space and
comfortable and practical guest rooms.
Celebrations Cruise invites guests of all ages from anywhere in the world to join our
friendly staff on a cruise vacation they will never forget. The only requirement is to
celebrate. We encourage groups for weddings, small company parties, family reunions,
anniversary celebrations, milestone birthdays, or family vacations to book with
Celebrations Cruises and enjoy the North West.
The market for Celebrations is families in the middle- to high-income who desire a
cruise vacation with no unexpected extra expenses while on aboard. Children under 14 have
a special rate as well as seniors over 59. There are group rates and packages available.
Our main competitors are Carnival Cruises for their similar experience and family
services and Regatta cruises for their intimate atmosphere and boat size. Celebrations offer
a fun family experience with many services but on a small-scale boat at an affordable price.
Our marketing team uses social media sites such as, Facebook, Twitter, and
YouTube to attract the younger market that may be the family vacation decision makers,
and to offer promotions, and contest details. We also have a close connection with travel
agents and wedding photographers who can interest their clients in ceremonies, receptions,
honeymoons, and celebrations on our cruise.
Our product offers services throughout the ship levels and in four different room
types from Interior rooms, Ocean View rooms, Balcony rooms, and Suites.
Celebrations Cruise main concern is to fill the boat on every departure. It is very
important that this is accomplished. To ensure this, there are Early Bird rates, regular rates,
promotions, contests, packages, special rates, and Last-Minute sales.
At this time, Celebrations Cruise is a mid-April to mid-October seasonality as the
demand for North West cruises is strong in the summer, and this limits the need to plan
new winter routes down south in the winter months, putting us in a larger competition
market with bigger cruises and more market options.
3
BUSINESS DESCRIPTION
Celebration Cruises is a Vancouver based Cruise Company founded in 2010 by
entrepreneur Tim Serunato after purchasing his first cruise ship. The company’s
head office is based in Vancouver with all operations being undertaken here. Recent
market watch has seen a steady increase to cruising throughout the world and
Alaska being a major destination for many cruisers. Vancouver currently doesn’t
have a cruise company working out of Vancouver, they do however have a lot of
cruise boats which stop in at Port Metro. Being the first Vancouver based cruise
company sets us apart from other companies.
Celebration cruises specialize in family and event cruises. Our cruise focuses on
intimate family events such as weddings, anniversaries and milestones where
families can enjoy the splendour of the British Columbian and Alaskan coastlines
and scenery whilst enjoying the company of their family.
Due to our company being a new company we have a small employee base with 150
land based employees who take care of paper work, policies, purchasing equipment
and supplies, advertisement and promotion of the company. Our shipboard
employees will be a part of the crew on board. They will have various roles the on
board crew will partake in such as:
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Hospitality
Concierge/ front desk management
Cleaners
Chefs
Entertainment/Events Coordinator
Crewmen
Engineers
Security
First Aid/Medical
Captain and First Mate
Tour Guides
Celebration Cruises makes sure all staff is trained in their specific areas and
participates in all training required by the company. This ensures our staff fully
qualified and trained to ensure “smooth sailing” with no problems whilst on board.
Our company works hard to provide people with low cost, intimate cruising for any
kind of family getaway. We insure our customers have a fun, relaxing time
surrounded by their loved ones as well as the beauty of the North. “Celebrating is
made easier when you celebrate with us!”
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OBJECTIVES
Short Term Objectives: Book 500 families for the 2013 season.
Reach 200,000 people through web-based advertising by 2013
Long Term Objectives: To carry 1000 families per season on our cruise by 2015.
Establish a winter cruise route. By 2016
Achieve a 30% rebook rate over 10 years.
CREST
REGULATIONS AND POLICIES
The company will have numerous regulations in which will need to be followed in
order to operate. There are two different groups of regulations we need to follow.
International regulations are followed by all cruise liners travelling throughout the
world with 25 different cruise companies throughout the world. These are
monitored and amended by two major organisations which work in conjunction
with each other. These are the International Maritime Organisation and Cruise Lines
International Association, (Cruise Lines International Association, CLIA, “Technical &
Regulatory,” 2010). The Norwest and Canada Cruise Association monitors cruise
ships in our specific area.
There are numerous international guidelines and regulations in which our company
will need to follow. Regulations and policies such as the Safety of Life at Sea, which
ensures the vessel meets the safety requirements set out. The vessel needs to have
an adequate security system in place, this includes screening of passengers to verify
the right passengers on board, checking all luggage including handbags through
vigorous screening tools such as metal detectors, (CLIA, 2010).
Medical staffs are required to follow the Medical Facilities Working group which
ensure all staff employed on cruise ships are fully trained and understand they are
to; “1. Provide emergency care for all passengers and crew; 2. Stabilize patients and
initiate reasonable diagnostic and therapeutic intervention; 3. Facilitate the
evacuation of seriously ill or injured patients when deemed necessary by a qualified
physician,” (CLIA, 2010).
Environmental standards are set forth through International Convention for the
Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). Our company maintains the highest
standard of preventing pollution and encouraging environmentally safe acts. These
includes being a part of the Shore Power program in which we are able to turn off
our engines and connect to a power grid provided by Port Metro in Vancouver to
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reduce greenhouse gases, (Port Metro, 2012). Ensuring all staff is up to date in
environmental practices on board and follow protocol when discharging wastes and
using the incinerated, which will be used as little as possible if at all.
Workplace Code of Conduct is operated on board with fairness for all employees
working on Celebration Cruises. The company operates following the International
Labour Organizations regulations in which employees receive fairness and equality
with no tolerance for discrimination in any form to either employees or passengers,
(CLIA, 2010).
Federal regulations include regulations in which countries impose on cruise liners
stopping in their port. For our company we will be travelling into American waters
occasionally. The U.S has in place a regulation of dumping of wastes 20 nautical
miles out from the coast instead of the international 12 nautical miles, (CLIA, 2010).
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL:
Cruising is an ever growing industry that increased in popularity even during the
recession. An article posted on Travelmole.com outlined that cruise passenger
numbers increased by 6% between 2009 and 2010 and that cruising is now
accountable for 11.7% of the total overseas package holiday market, which has
grown from 10.6% in 2009 (Travel Mole, 2011). The cruising industry is highly
appealing to a diverse range of traveller types as they offer a huge variety of
locations to visit and activites on board, often for a reasonable price. Cruise
incentives are increasing with the most popular being; onboard credits, free air
offers, two for one pricing and early booking discounts (Cruise Source, 2011).
Through providing incentives customers are able to save money and still enjoy the
overall experience that the cruise has to offer, these incentives still result in a profit
for the cruise company. With regard to the Celebration Cruises, the primary
incentive will be the option of family ppackages and special offers and discounts
throughout the year.
It was expected that cruise disasters such as the capsizing of the Costa Concordia
would have a disastrous impact on the cruising industry (Mail Online, 2012),
however this has not been the case. In a poll undertaken by Cruisecritic.com
approximately 65% of the 6000 veteran cruisers who responded, were unfazed by
the disaster (Westenberg, 2012). This is a positive statistic as it indicates that the
cruise industry will not be dramatically affected in terms of tourist numbers, if
future disasters occur.
Another social trend that has been noticed is an increased global interest in
environmentally friendly approaches with in the cruise industry. This has lead to
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the Celebration Cruises utilizing the most eco friendly options with regard to the
various suppliers that will be chosen and the policies that will be undertaken.
Through observing and adapting to current cultural and social trends it is hoped
that the company will develop into a well recognised brand. All aspects of
environmentally friendly policies and approaches that are being undertaken, will be
advertised on the Celebration Cruises website to promote what is being done and
hopefully increase interest in potential customers.
The major cultural markets for the Family Fun Boat are the: United States of
America, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Australia. Whilst emerging cultural
markets include, Japan, Brazil, China and South Korea. However, it has been noticed
that travel from Mexico to Canada has decreased, (CTC, 2010). As is seen there is a
primarily European market with an emerging Asian market, hence the cruise must
cater and meet the various cultural and personal needs of customers. Therefore, the
food available on board will cater for all dietary needs and types as trends in dieting
increase it is necessary for the ship to have a large selection of options. These may
include vegetarian, vegan, halal, kosher, carbohydrate free options and various
other meal types that are popular among the majority of the cruises clientele.
Restaurants on board will range from luxurious to middle class restaturants and
also an on board buffet. There will be no chain restaurants on board as customers
are experiencing difference, hence all on board meal options will be prepared and
available only on the Celebration Cruises. The cruise will also accommodate all
reliogious backgrounds and have allocated prayer spaces available on board.
CHANNELS
SUPPLIERS
Food and beverage suppliers are extremely important to the cruise ship industry
and must cater for all of the dietary needs that customers may have. Being an
environmentally conscious cruise ship, The Celebration Cruises intends to source
fresh produce from local food suppliers. Through sourcing foods locally they are
reducing their environmental impact and assisting the local economy. A common
practice within the cruise ship industry is to have suppliers in the home port for
primary supplies and then have these supplies restocked with fresh produce at the
various ports that they visit throughout the cruise. This process is undertaken by
Carnival Cruises, John Meszaros, vice president of supply chain management for
Carnival Cruises, explained that they undertake this process as they require a
consistency of product, supply and specifications, this ensures that there will not be
constant menu changes .
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Goods suppliers will be needed to provide linen, towels, furniture, personal
cleaning products and other goods that customers will require whilst enjoying their
time on the cruise. Goods suppliers will also be necessary for providing supplies
such as those for cleaning purposes, to maintain the high standards that the cruise
upholds. Goods supplies will also be sourced locally. With regard to furniture
supplies specifically, the most ecofriendly, affordable and comfortable products will
be sourced. One company that furniture and goods will be sourced from is WAGLE
(World Awaits Global Learning and Enlightenment), who’s products are
environmentally friendly as they are made from recycled materials or sustainable
and renewable resources.
The Celebration Cruises will utilize employment agencies to provide the most
suitable staff for positions such as hospitality, cleaning, retail and service staff. CastA-Way cruise hiring agency is an example of an agency that the Celebration Cruises
may choose to assist with finding appropriate employees for available positions on
the boat. Cast-A-Way hiring agency aim to find the most suitable employee for
numerous cruise liners around the world, applicants must undertake an intense
interview and screening process. If Cast-A-Way believes that they are appropriate
for the job then there information is sent to the specific cruise liner and the
applicant will be considered for a position from there (Cast-A-Way, 2012). Integral
positions on the ship, such as: medical professionals, entertainers, chefs and crucial
crew positions, will be employed directly by the Celebration Cruises.
The Celebration Cruises intends to use the most cost effective and environmentally
friendly and efficient fuel, that will be supplied at the various port stops throughout
the trip.
MARKETING INTERMEDIARIES:
Travel agents are the primary marketing intermediaries and will be used to
promote, sell and distribute Celebration Cruises. The travel agent will advertise the
cruise on their website as well as in store through posters, brochures and word of
mouth. They will also organize the sale and distribution of tickets to customers.
The travel agency will also provide insurance and transportation options.
Transportation options may include organizing a flight to Vancouver and a hire car
to the cruise ship port. All travel agents will be given the same price for tickets and
specials; there will be no company alliances with specific agencies. Travel agencies
that are likely to promote, sell and distribute Celebration Cruises tickets include;
Flight centre, Fresh Tracks Canada and Scenic Tours, to name a few.
The Celebration Cruises website will also advertise and describe the various
experiences that the cruise has to offer, as well as sell tickets online. The website
will also recommend insurance and transportation options to and from Vancouver
8
airport to the cruise ship port, but these options will not be available to purchase
through the site.
Hotel concierges will be used to suggest Celebration Cruises to potential customers
who are looking to travel on a cruise along the east coast of Canada. Advertising for
the cruise will also be seen in local travel magazines and newspapers as well as on
the radio. Advertising in newspapers and travel magazines will increase as the
business expands and becomes more popular among potential customers. Radio
advertising is likely to be used predominantly for the promotion of upcoming
seasons and specials, this form of advertising will not be used as regularly as those
previously mentioned.
Another form of advertising that is likely to be employed will be the use of a viral
video to spark interest in the Celebration Cruises brand and what the cruise has to
offer. This video will most likely be posted on websites such as YouTube that have a
large viewer segment.
COMPETITORS
CRUISE MARKET AND COMPETITORS.
The cruising industry has seen an increase of customers since the beginning of
cruises. There has been a steady increase of 5-7% in customers going on cruises
since 1980, (Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association,2011). From 2000 to 2011 the
cruise customers increase from 7.2 million to 16.3 million. More tourists are looking
to cruises due to their all-inclusive getaways in which people are able to spend as
little money as possible on extras on board. This means that there is an increase in
revenue from ticket sales with the increase of cruisers but a decrease in on board
spending. Due to this some of the cruise industries biggest companies such as
Carnival and the Royal Caribbean are building larger boats which have more
facilities available for customers to enjoy in the cost of the ticket, (Florida-Caribbean
Cruise Association,2011). 2012 has forecasted 20.3 million travellers with an
estimated $34.1 billion in revenue, (n.a, Travel Trade Magazine, 2011).
Cruising is done throughout the world with hot destinations such as the Caribbean,
Europe and Alaska being the main focus of cruisers. The disaster of the Costa
Concordia and the Costa Allegra of the Carnival Corporation has seen an increase in
customers venturing outbound to places such as Vancouver and Seattle in order to
cruise to Alaska. European prices being high have also contributed to the increase in
cruisers travelling to America and Canada for the cheaper deal for a cruise, (Stacy,
2012).
9
There are a number of cruises lines which operate in the Vancouver to Alaska
region. Larger boats from big companies Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess,
Celebrity and Disney offer 1000 to over 3000 passengers an experience
emphasizing activities on board the ship such as the Disney ships offering a theme
park-like experience on board. The smaller ships from companies such as Oceania,
Silversea and Regent have from under 100 to 700 passengers on board emphasizing
luxury and relaxation on board as well as an intimate look at what Alaska has to
offer, (Garrison, 2012).
There are many segments within the cruise industry. There are a lot of boats which
offer family experiences with emphasis in on board activities as well as the few
shore activities when stopping at ports. Larger boats target families and younger
people to enjoy their time on board. The more upper class experiences are on boats
which offer a more luxurious experience with more intimacy on board. There are
river cruises and small cruises which offer from 12 passengers to 100 passengers an
intimate experience at a higher cost. These generally have older people on them and
fill up quickly, (Garrison, 2012).
Numerous factors can affect the cruise industry. They can range from political to
environmental. Political factors can include exchange rates, recession and
instability. For example Greece and Europe have increase costs and prices due to
their global debt and recession. Therefore customers are coming to North America
in order to cruise. An environmental impact is the increase to global climate change
which has seen the polar ice caps melting away. This has caused Alaskan cruises to
increase in numbers as it becomes a part of the places to visit before they disappear
list, (100 Places to Remember before They Disappear, 2012). Turmoil in countries
which provide petrol increases the prices of petrol for cruise ships, it is due to this
that there is an increase to ticket prices. There is now an increase into
environmentally friendly ships which try to produce the least amount of emissions
and make sure they care for the environment. Other factors may include cruise ship
disasters such as Carnivals Costa Concordia sinking off the coast of Italy and then
their Costa Allegra losing power. Incidents such as these can have a negative effect
on cruise companies but they can also be a positive thing for other cruise
companies. More customers are venturing to other places such as Vancouver to go
cruising, (Stacy, 2012).
Celebration Cruises is in the growth stage of the product lifecycle being a new boat
working out of Vancouver and venturing to Alaska. The cruise industry up to Alaska
has an array of cruise boats which venture throughout the North in the summer
region. There is an array of boats from small to large boats which offer a vast
amount of differences in terms of activities, prices and overall experience.
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Celebration Cruises offers families and extended families the opportunity to
celebrate milestone events all together on an affordable cruise. Emphasizing being
an events boat helps us enter the market with offers for parties and major events
aboard us.
MAJOR COMPETITOR
Our competitors are an assortment of cruise lines which venture up to Alaska at the
same time we do. There are various larger cruises from Carnival, Holland America,
Princess and Disney which offer customers a cheaper price with more facilities on
board. Smaller cruises such as the Oceania, Regent and Silversea offer a more
intimate and luxurious cruise for customers at a higher cost.
Our Major competitor is Carnival Corporation. Carnival is the largest cruise
company in the world it has been operating since 1972 and has close to 100 ships
under numerous affiliate companies such as Holland America, Princess, and Seaborn
which operate in North America. Carnival has over 40000 employees with 4000
shore-side and 39000 shipboard crew members. Carnival see over 4.1 million
cruisers annually on the many boats they have, (Carnival, 2012).
Carnivals 2011 revenue topped $15 793 million with an increase annually of about
5%. Carnival succeeds in the market due to its advancements in cruise ships and
catering to the needs of cruisers. Due to the decrease in on board purchasing
carnival is looking to increase the size and number of facilities and activities on
board its ships on order to provide for customers that wish to not spend a lot on
board, (Carnival Corporation, 2012).
Carnival markets through television print media, (n.a, Marketing Teacher, 2012),
viral videos as well as social media. They use the tagline “Fun for All, All for Fun” to
emphasize the main objective in Carnivals advertising which is to attract people to
their boats for “fun”. Carnival has released a new add for the 2012 wave season
calling it the Land versus Sea series. Carnival was the first cruise company to
surpass 1 million followers on Facebook, being on Facebook since 2007. Carnival
uses Facebook as a major attractor to cruisers with competitions, quizzes, and crew
blogs (n.a, Banyan Branch, 2011). They keep up to date with cruisers and
incorporate them in new ships designs quizzing those on Facebook what they would
want for a cruise. The latest is the 5D Challenge: The Trivial Pursuit Challenge which
is for the new Carnival Breeze cruise line which will feature the new Thrill 5D
Theatre on board, (Carnival, 2012). In 2010 alone Carnival spent over $60 million
on advertising alone, (Newman, 2011). Carnival has a heavy involvement with
bands using them to help promote the embankment of a new boat. For example they
had Maroon 5 on board the Carnival Magic for its launch, (Carnival, 2012).
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Carnival is involved in many programs which benefit their loyal customers as well
as communities close to their headquarters which is situated in Miami. They are
involved with St Jude Children’s Research Hospital in which on board the ships the
cruisers partake in games and activities such as bear cuddling workshops and towel
creation sales to raise money for the hospital. So far they have raised over $1.5
million. Carnival has a connection with MasterCard with the Carnival MasterCard.
Using the card will give you points towards a cruise and various other things.
Carnival makes sure that its crewmembers partake in volunteering programs, the
“Friends Uniting Neighbours, F.U.N”, throughout the Florida region. They have
participated in activities for the American Red Cross, Volunteer Florida Foundation,
the Big Brothers and Sisters program and many more, (Carnival, 2012).
Due to the disasters in the beginning of 2012 with the sinking of the Costa Concordia
and the Costa Allegra Carnival has reduced their marketing activities but are still
heavily engaged in their social networking sites on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
They have been heavily blogging and reporting about safety on board Carnival
cruises with blogs from some of the Captains, entertainment directors and various
other crew members, (Schaal, 2012).
DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY AND ACTIONS
LOCATION:
Celebration Cruises headquarters will be located in Vancouver as this is where the
company will be located. However, seven day cruises will operate during the
summer from Vancouver up to Skagway and returning back to Vancouver, the
season will run between May to September.
There will be two intermediaries available for customers to purchase tickets; firstly
customers will be able to purchase tickets through travel agents where title transfer
will occur once the full ticket price has been paid commonly via cash or card. The
customer will then receive a receipt indicating they have paid for the ticket which
they will be issued before boarding the cruise or they will receive the ticket directly
from the travel agent. Secondly, customers may choose to purchase their tickets on
the company website, title transfer will occur once the balance has been paid. The
buyer will receive a confirmation email and either has their ticket emailed to them
or available to print off when they are ready.
INTERMEDIARY GROUPS:
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Travel agents, concierges at local hotels as well as the company website will be used
to bring consumers to the cruise. These intermediary groups will promote the
cruise and entice potential customers to purchase tickets to the cruise. Travel
agents may also suggest and organise flights or other means of transport to and
from the cruise port. The company website will suggest a variety of transport
options available for customers travelling to and from the port, however buyers will
not be able to organise or book through the website. Buyers also have the option of
self-organising their own transport to and from the cruise. Travel agents and the
company website will also advertise and promote the cruise to ensure that the
largest customer base is being reached. Concierges at local hotels will also be used
to promote the cruise to their customer base, this is expected to increase cruise
numbers significantly throughout the season.
There will be a number of ways in which these intermediaries are supported by the
cruise company; firstly travel agents and concierges will be given the offer to tour
the ship before the beginning of each season. This will ensure that they have the
most recent information and understanding of the ship before they begin promoting
the cruise and selling tickets, in the case of travel agents. Travel agent will receive a
standard commission on all cruise tickets sold, this equates to roughly 15% of the
ticket price (Brewster Vacations Canada, 2012). Incentives will also be used to
entice travel agents and concierges to promote ‘Celebration Cruises’ to potential
customers. These incentives will include reduced ticket prices to travel on the
cruise or a financial bonus for the number of passengers who travel on the cruise as
a result of an agent or concierges suggestion.
Travel agents will assist with positioning our cruise as family cruise as well as an
events cruise; they will provide customers with the information necessary to ensure
that Celebration Cruises is their first choice. The company website will ensure that
Celebration Cruises appeals to family and events markets throughout the cruise
season. The website allows the company to be positioned exactly how we want to
be perceived by our customer and potential customer base.
These intermediary choices will be evaluated based on the amount of business
revenue they produce for the company, compared to the amount spent on their
commissions and incentives. If the intermediaries are proving to be too expensive
and unsuccessful they will be considered ineffective and other options will be
researched and implemented.
CO-MARKETING ARRANGEMENT POSSIBILITIES:
Celebration Cruises will co-market with large travel agencies such as Flight Centre,
through promotional and advertising efforts. This will benefit both the cruise
13
company and travel agency as customer awareness grows for each company.
Celebration Cruises will also co-market with local events coordinators to assist with
raising customer awareness, with regard to the onboard events that will be
celebrated on board the cruise.
SWOT ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS:
Niche market- While the family oriented market is quite large, there are very few companies
offering cruises oriented towards families with kids.
Spectacular location- The British Columbia-Alaska coast is one of the most spectacular
natural settings in the world, in addition to being one of the least travelled.
Growing cruise market- Cruise ship travel in BC is on the rise with and increase from 1.2
million cruise passengers in 2001 to 1.4 million in 2009 (Stroomer, 2010)
Accesibility to Asian markets- Vancouver is well positioned to receive international travels
from emerging Asian Markets as it is one of the major port cities on the Eastern Pacific Rim.
This is indicated by the large increase in visits to BC from Asain countries such as Japan
(visits up 19.5%), South Korea (visits up 20%), China (visits up 21.2%) and India (visits up
16.6%) (CTC 2010)
WEAKNESSES:
New company- It will be difficult to convince families to try something new. Families tend to
go for safe, well respected destinations.
Operating out of Vancouver- Operating from Vancouver is considerably more expensive
than operating out of a lot of the small tropical countries where our competitors operate.
Well established family oriented destinations to compete with- Destinations such as Disney
and Carnival Cruises are a much more certain choice when families are choosing where to
go on vacation because they have been around for much longer, and have a well established
reputation.
OPPORTUNITIES:
Baby Boom echo echo- The baby boomer’s children are entering the average age for having
kids, and there is a corresponding increase in the 0-14 year old age group which in 2009
posted the first increase in size since 1998 (BC Stats, 2011)
Strong Canadian economy- Compared to many countries in the world, Canada has a very
strong economy. This means Canadian families will be more willing to spend their extra
money.
Well trained tourism workforce- B.C. has a strong tourism industry, and consequently there
are lots of workers with good training in the industry that our company can draw from.
Growing Asian economies- Many Asian countries are experiencing growth right now, and
Vancouver is well positioned to receive travels from Asian countries, and has already seen
an increase of close to 20% in visitations from Japan, South Korea, China, and India (CTC
2010)
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Costa Concordia Scare- The recent stranding of the Costa Concordia could provide an
opportunity for us to attract some customers who would otherwise be using that company.
To do this we must differentiate ourselves from that company and make sure we have a
very good atmosphere of safety aboard our ship.
THREATS:
Weak global economy, especially US- 74.1% of BC tourist visits are from the United States,
and if the US economy is not doing well, there will be less people who have the money to
spend on a cruise. This is indicated by an increase of 0.7% in the number of visits from US
tourists, compared to around 20% from major Asian countries (CTC 2010)
Enbridge Pipeline- The oil pipeline going into Kitimat on BC’s north coast means that there
could soon be large numbers of Oil tankers plying the BC coastal waters. Increased traffic in
the remote waterways will decrease the appeal, and there is the possibility of oil spills and
the catastrophic environmental damage that could cause.
Weather- The latitudes where these cruises are going to take place are susceptible to rough
seas and stormy, rainy weather even in the summer. This could degrade guests’ experience.
Cost Concordia Scare- While this was not our company, the fact that such a large ship
stranded, and the subsequent loss of life, is likely to make customers more cautious when
considering a cruise, especially if their children are involved.
The southern North American Pacific region cruise traffic has dropped in the past several
years due to increases in crime and violence against tourists in Mexico.
15
CONSUMER AND CHANNEL ANALYSIS
MARKET CHARACTERISTICS:
Tourism BC forecasted 20.3 million cruises worldwide, with North America
comprising the largest portion of the cruise market. Vancouver’s cruise market
hosts approximately 850,000 people every year (Stroomer, 2010). The cruise
market has seen a 5.6% growth from 2011 to 2012 (Travel Trade magazine, 2011)
2011 had a total of 17 million people travel on cruises worldwide, this was a 7%
increase from 2010 (Travel Trade magazine, 2011). Factors that may mitigate
travel numbers for Celebration Cruises include: safety and threats within British
Columbia and along the Alaskan coastline, global finances and economic stability as
well as negative or positives perceptions of the cruise industry in general will
impact the growth or decline of the market.
TARGET MARKET:
Celebration Cruises will primarily target middle class to upper class families looking
for a getaway.
SECONDARY MARKETS:
Celebration Cruises will also target family events such as: reunions, milestones,
second marriages and business conferences including spouses and children.
MARKET SIZE:
The target market chosen are relatively financially stable and are likely to be willing
to spend the money necessary to have an experience on Celebration Cruises. It is
predicted that the majority of customers will travel on the cruise once, however
promotional efforts will be employed with the aim of retaining a 30% return rate
over the next ten years. It has been estimated that four tickets will be purchased per
trip as the average family consists of two adults and two children.
COMPETITORS FOR THIS SEGMENT:
Disney and Carnival Cruises offer larger ships and more facilities to their customers
however neither company target the events market in the way that Celebration
Cruises does (Carnival.com, 2012; Disney Cruise Line, 2012). Where Disney Cruises
are considerably more expensive, Carnival Cruises are slightly more reasonably
priced. Cruises such as Regatta Cruises and Regent Seven Seas are considerably
16
more intimate however they do not offer the facilities available on the larger cruises
and are significantly more expensive (Regent Cruises, 2011; Jones, 2012).
COMPETITION INTENSITY:
The competition is relatively intense however Celebration Cruises is more
affordable than other boats that are of the same size and offer the same intimate
atmosphere. Whilst Celebration cruises offers more facilities than the smaller
cruises, we do not offer the large array of facilities that are found on larger cruises
such as Disney and Carnival Cruises as we are much smaller in size (Disney Cruise
Line, 2012). Also due to the intimate experience that Celebration Cruises offers we
are slightly more expensive than Carnival Cruise options (Carnival.com, 2012).
Celebration Cruises offers a middle ground between the two extremes of the
competition, we offer the facilities and reasonably priced experience available on a
larger cruise in an intimate atmosphere.
WHAT IS THE SEGMENT LOOKING FOR?
The segment is looking for benefits such as reasonable rates, offers, discounts, and
an intimate venue which provides good service. Quality service is expected from
onboard personnel including room service, food preparation, safety and security.
They are looking for a variety of product characteristics such as: a kids club, various
dining, entertainment, fitness, as well as room size and price options.
SEASONAL AND CYCLICAL SEGMENT FACTORS:
The target market is expected to travel during the summer when Celebration
Cruises is in operation, as this is the largest school break. Hence, children have the
time available to travel and be away from class, this time is also the prime time to
visit the sights offered and visited on the route taken by Celebration Cruises.;
SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING THE TARGET
MARKET:
Social issues such as the perceptions of cruising within the broader community
could impact the travel propensity of our target market. Political unrest may also
influence the travel tendencies of potential customers, the customers environmental
location may impact their access to the cruise.
SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING THE COMPANY’S
ABILITY TO SERVE CUSTOMERS:
Social factors that must be considered are the trends of customers, trends are
consistently changing hence the cruise must continue to provide for the most recent
17
dietary, fitness and technological needs and trends. This will ensure that
Celebration Cruises is providing the highest level of service for their customers. If
political unrest occurs or regulations and policies are enforced to change the way
that cruises operate, then it is likely that the level of service given to customers will
be affected and altered. Severe weather conditions may impact the service provided
during the cruise and the overall experience of passengers. However, this is out of
the crew’s control they are only able to minimise the impacts on customers and
comfort and assist passengers in all ways possible.
BUYER CHARACTERISTICS:
GEOGRAPHIC’S, DEMOGRAPHICS AND PSYCHOGRAPHICS:
The majority of the target market is expected to be situated within British Columbia
however we do expect international travellers and customers from Canada’s east
coast. Celebration Cruises targets families therefore we expect the average age of
travellers to be between 4 to 12 and 30 to 50, however as we offer family events
there will be a diverse range of age groups present on the cruise. Customers are
motivated by the need to getaway or celebrate family events therefore Celebration
Cruises will be perceived as the perfect cruising option. Buyers are expected to have
a reasonable level of knowledge regarding Celebration Cruises as there will be
numerous promotional and advertising campaigns. A positive attitude of
Celebration Cruises is expected to be held by customers as the cruise industry is
growing industry in North America (Travel Trade magazine, 2011).
BEHAVIOURS:
Celebration Cruises will be enjoyed by passengers between May and September and
will travel along the Canadian and Alaskan coastline. Currently there are no product
users as we are opening in May of 2012, as previously mentioned we expect the
cruise to have a customer base of families and those looking to host family events. It
is assumed that there will be minimal use by couples, youth groups and the elderly.
One deeper psychological factor that will influence consumers to purchase a
Celebration Cruise over competitors is that we will employ a memorable
promotional campaign it is expected that consumers will feel drawn and a
connection to the experience available on Celebration Cruises.
THE BUYER DECISION PROCESS:
NEED RECOGNITION:
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Buyers will recognise a need to travel when they are looking to experience a
getaway or celebrate an important event in a new and exciting setting. The need to
travel will become increasingly prevalent as summer approaches.
INFORMATION SEARCH:
Potential customers will have two main methods of searching for information they
can investigate the company website or they can speak to a local travel agent about
cruise types. The buyer may also gain information through word of mouth and
reading travel reviews. The search will be deemed efficient when the potential
customer feels that they have a number of viable options to evaluate.
EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES:
The potential customer will have criteria that must be met before they decide upon
a cruise; these criteria must include the need for a fun and exciting experience in an
intimate setting, if the buyer is to choose Celebration Cruises. However, the main
criterion that must be met is whether the buyer feels that they are receiving value
for money.
PURCHASE:
The buyer will purchase the cruise through one of two intermediaries, either
through the company website or through a travel agent.
POST-PURCHASE:
It is expected that Celebration Cruises will mostly be a one off experience for
passengers however it is hoped that many will choose to have repeat visits. Repeats
visits may be motivated through promotional efforts, the enjoyment and positive
experience of the first cruise us hoped to stimulate revisits.
BUYING UNIT:
INITIATOR:
The initiator could be any member of the family or it may be an outside source such
as an extended family member or event’s organiser who suggests that the family
should go on a cruise.
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INFLUENCER:
The influencer will be the member/s of the family who are most interested in
travelling on the cruise; it may also be an outside source such as an extended family
member of events organiser.
DECIDER:
The decider is the person who makes the final choice of whether the family will go
on the cruise and researches the best cruise option for the family; this is likely to be
either the mother or father.
BUYER:
The buyer purchases the tickets for the cruise; this will also be either the mother or
father.
USER:
The user/s are the family members who will partake in the cruise.
CHANNEL ANALYSIS:
FOOD, BEVERAGE AND GOODS SUPPLIERS:
Suppliers are a major channel as they are required multiple times during the week
to restock and refuel the ships supplies. Suppliers will provide the food, beverages,
goods and fuel needed to ensure that cruise operates faultlessly and provides the
best quality to their customers. Suppliers will be financially compensated for their
services. Celebration Cruises will maintain close relationships with suppliers year
round however they will only use the services of the suppliers between the months
of May and September when the cruise is in operation.
EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES:
Employment agencies will be used in conjunction with job advertisements on the
company therefore they do not play as much of an integral role for running of the
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cruise. This channel provides staff for the ship including administration, wait staff
and other general positions on board. Celebration Cruises will utilise Cast-A-Way
hiring agency to fulfil these positions as they employ an intense screening process
for all job applicants (Cast-A-Way, 2012). Cast-A-Way hiring agency will be paid by
Celebration Cruises for this service and will maintain a relationship year round to
ensure that we have the best staff and that all positions are filled.
TRAVEL AGENTS:
Travel agents are a major channel for Celebration Cruises in general it is known that
approximately 74% of all cruise passengers book one or more cruises through a
travel agent (Cruise Industry Overview, 2011). Travel agents provide services to
customers through informing, organising and booking their cruises, whilst they also
provide services to Celebration Cruises through ensuring a flow of customers as
they engaging in marketing and promotional efforts. Celebration cruises will
maintain a year round connection with all travel agents as customers may wish to
purchase in the off season to ensure that they have a room on the ship during the
summer. Travel agents will also inform and ensure that customers are issued with
the relevant information with regard to travel visa’s, insurance and transportation
options.
COMPANY WEBSITE:
The Celebration Cruises website is a major channel and is expected to produce the
most revenue for the company. The website will provide the customers by
informing, organising and booking their cruises, the website will also inform
customers of travel visas, transportation options and insurance. As this is the
company website it will remain in operation year round and provide the most up to
date and quality information.
PRICING STRATEGY AND ACTIONS
COSTS
A. STARTUP COSTS
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This Celebrations Cruise departing out of Vancouver en route to Alaska is under
management and does not pay the initial startup cost of the cruise boat (generally $500
million or more). With a large boat there will also be an expensive insurance cost.
B. LAUNCH COSTS
Launching costs for the cruise ship would include liquor and gambling and casino licenses,
business operation license, medical license, and training costs for employees.
C. OPERATING COSTS AND OVERHEADS
There are costs for fuel to operate the ship on a daily basis, employee wages, meals,
accommodation, salaries (that will vary from $1800 to $7000 a month depending on
position and experience), and benefits, the cost of food, and a cost for the electricity and
power used on the ship. The boat is designed to be environmentally friendly and green to
minimize the amount of energy used and reduce the cost of operations.
Our pricing will be similarly and strategically set in comparison to our competitors. Cruise
lines have been around for many years and the prices set by the company’s generate enough
profit for the company’s to thrive and survive, so we will continue along a similar pattern
but have an attractable price for the experience and service we offer.
COMPETITIVE PRICING ANALYSIS
Our major competitor in pricing is Carnival Cruises because of the experience Carnival
offers, but with a larger boat size. Our cruise is family oriented in a small, intimate setting.
However, we do take into consideration Regatta Cruises planning and boat services. Regatta
is a luxury cruises which caters to a different niche market than our intention but to be
competitive with a cruise line of similar size, we offer more of the similar services (and the
ones not offered) and at a lower price for families.
On a seven-day Carnival Cruise to Alaska from Seattle with five ports of calls, prices range
from $789 to $1454 depending on the four room accommodations of interior, ocean view,
balcony, and suites.
Early Bird
Price
Last-Minute
Cruise Sale
Room
Per Adult Price
Per Child Price
(under 12)
(child/adult, 10-12
months advance
purchase)
(child/adult, month or
less to sailing date)
Interior
Ocean View
Balcony
Suite
$799
$849
$929
$1039
$699
$749
$829
$899
$689
$729
$799
$909
$589
$629
$699
$849
(13+)
Children’s pricing is an attractive promotional price for families with younger children who
may not eat as much or use as many of the activities as an older child would, this offering a
discount as a regular price.
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ROOMS
Interior rooms do not have windows but offer two sets of bunk-beds, a bathroom, open
closet, and two chairs. Ocean View rooms offer a window with view, a queen bed and three
pullout single beds (single beds that are attached to wall but can be unlocked and pulled out
from the wall individually as needed, creating space and more beds), a bathroom, open
closet, and two chairs. The Balcony rooms offer a floor to ceiling window with balcony, two
queens or one queen and three pullout single beds, a bathroom, open closet and two chairs.
The Suites offer a king and two twin beds, or two queens, a small living area including a
pullout double couch, a bathroom, two closets, and a balcony.
Celebrations Cruises pricing is price at an attractable number ending in 99 that pleases the
consumers’ eye. Last-minute cruise sales are to ensure that every room on our boat is sold
out. It is important that we fill the boat.
SEASONALITY
To begin our cruise business, Celebrations only has one season, which is mid-April to midOctober. The prices increase by $100 each for the months of July and August because of a
larger demand in the summer.
DISCOUNTS
Senior discounts are 20% the regular adult price and there is no early bird or last-minute
sales for seniors because the 20% discount is the average of the two promotions. Seniors
are 60+. Most seniors will plan their cruise trips in advance so the discount is on the regular
price.
Loyalty members to not receive immediate discounts but they will gain points that can earn
them a large discount in the future.
CHANNEL PRICING
Our niche market is for family-oriented cruise passengers in an intimate setting at an
affordable price. Our main intermediary is travel agents because many cruise vacations are
booked through travel agents. Travel agents will receive a commission of 20% and
occasionally offered specials of 50% to experience the cruise and service to sell to future
consumers.
Cruises over the holidays (Easter, Victoria Day weekend, Labour Day weekend, and
Thanksgiving) will have special promotions four to six months in advance that will be
contests through our social media pages and sale promotions of up to 25% off each person.
This will generate “buzz” of our company, our service, and our cruise and hopefully interest
and excite guests.
METHODS OF PAYMENT:
23
The methods of payment are any major credit cards (VISA, American Express, Discover, and
MasterCard) for ticket purchase by phone, travel agent, or online. On the boat, Celebrations
accept all major credit cards (VISA, American Express, Discover, and MasterCard),
debit/interact cards, cash, or Celebrations Cruise Cards. Cruise cards are basically cruise
credit cards only for Celebrations cruises. Guests can register there cards to be connected to
their room and any additional costs at the end of their vacation can be settled by a credit
card, debit or cash. Cards that are connected to the guests’ rooms must have a credit card
number on the room before it is activated to ensure the purchases will be paid. Cards
require the guests’ room number or name (not visible on the card but only to the
Celebrations staff via computer) and password for each purchase to ensure privacy for each
guests and no stolen property. The other option for method of payment for the Celebrations
Cruise Cards is for guests to set up a balance on the card that can be added to at any time of
the stay. This will be connected to a credit card as well and already paid. Any remaining
balance can be used towards another cruise or returned at the end of the trip. The purpose
of Celebrations Cruise Cards is to limit the amount of cash on the cruise, to allow children to
buy products on board the ship without having cash, their parents and their parents’ credit
cards. It is convenient and optional.
CONSUMER PRICING AND PROMOTIONAL PRICING
PACKAGES AND BUNDLES INCLUDE :
“Sea Wedding” for the bride and groom getting married on the cruise. They will receive a
discount of 50% off regular price on their accommodation and a complimentary turndown
service and a bottle of wine each night or choice of two desserts.
“Family Reunion” for families who book four or more rooms, all guests will receive a 25%
discount off regular price. We hope to encourage many family reunions because this
guarantees a lot of rooms sold and many bodies on the ship using our services and the
possibility of becoming loyalty members for future reunions.
“More the Merrier” package is for groups who book ten or more rooms will all receive a
35% off the regular price. This is a beneficial package for families or wedding groups.
LOYALTY PROGRAMS:
Loyalty Members will receive 1000 points for every $1000 spent. And for every 10,000
points they will receive a 35% discount off regular price.
ADDITIONAL COSTS
Additional costs on the boat include any alcoholic drinks, casino slots or tables, any
additional food or drinks bought outside of meal times, personal babysitting, and banquet
hall reservations or wedding ceremonies and receptions. Services included in the pricing
are three meals per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner), services (fitness centre, activities,
swimming pool, hot tub, kids games, arcade, fitness classes, Wi-Fi internet, cruise
entertainment: shows, dances, Captain’s Dinner.
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PRODUCT
THE CELEBRATION CRUISE SHIP DESIGN
Celebration Cruises provides over 700 cruisers with the opportunity to see the
beauty that is the west coast of British Columbia and Alaska as well as party and
celebrate with friends. The cruise ship is a smaller cruise than other cruises and
opts for people wanting a more family orientated cruise instead of a cruise on a
large ship where cruisers experience the “family cruise” individually with
everything on board.
Celebration’s boat is a re-designed small boat with a length of over 600 feet and
beam of 90 feet. The ship was purchased and renovated in order to cater to family
functions. The renovation took place in 2010, with ample time to get the company
up and running and for founder Serunato to organise financing.
The renovation saw the boat go through a change from an older style theme boat to
a contemporary/modern style boat. Colours throughout the public areas such as the
corridors and stairways feature a white/lemon colour and maroon carpet with local
art featured on the walls throughout the boat. Other public areas such as the dining
areas, concierge desk and entertainment facilities are decorated with different
colours to contribute to the atmosphere of the area and create an ideal setting for
various activities. These areas will also have floorboards in order to make cleaning
of the areas easier and have a nicer feel and ambience.
Rooms in the boat also have a contemporary feel to them with neutral colours and
local artwork and secular features towards the different rooms. We have 3 different
options for rooms. The balcony suites are on the 9th and 10th decks, window rooms
from the 5th to 10th decks and windowless, inside rooms throughout all decks. All up
there will be 350 rooms for cruisers to enjoy. All rooms have:

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







Double bed or Single bed options
Fold out bed, featured in the wall or the option of bunk beds
Shower
Toilet
Shelves and a small wardrobe
Lamps
Television
Supplied linens, pillows, towels
Mini-fridge
Cleaning Steward
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
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Single lounge seat and double in balcony suites
Small table
Safe
Wireless Internet- subject to availability of satellites
Telephone
Room Service
Adjoining room options
Customers will have the option of getting shampoo, conditioner, soap, hair dryer
and beach towels are also optional. The option for this extra is asked when tickets
are purchased so it is placed in the rooms before cruisers arrive. These services are
optional to enable reduced prices for the company and for the customer.
FACILITIES AND SERVICES ON BOARD
Celebration Cruises is a family events and functions orientated boat. We ensure our
customers can come on board and celebrate at ease milestones in their life with
family and as little planning as possible. Celebration cruises offer an array of
services on board. These services are:



















Gym and pool facilities
Buffet- breakfast, lunch
Family restaurant- breakfast, lunch and dinner, waiter provided
Fine dining restaurant- dinner times and by booking only, waiter provided
2 function rooms, 1 able to hold 75 people and the other 200 people. These
rooms can be divided and used for other events throughout the cruise.
On board cinema
Small casino
Bar facilities
Concierge
Minimal duty-free shops
Spas, adults only
Kosher meals
Wheelchair access
On board weddings
Self-serve laundry or laundry and dry cleaning
Show/Events room
4 elevators
Beauty salon
Kids club/ facilities/ pool
26
These facilities are provided throughout the cruise. Various rooms such as the
function, show and events room will hold various activities such as comedy nights,
trivia nights, discos, dress-up nights, weddings, family events, corporate functions,
arts and crafts for kids, yoga classes, and various kids’ activities throughout the day.
CRUISE ROUTE
Celebration cruises departs from Vancouver and travels the Inside Passageway
throughout the Alaskan coastline. The itinerary consists of:








Day 1- Depart Vancouver, embark at 6pm, boarding time from 2-5pm
Day 2- on board, Queen Charlotte Islands
Day 3- on board, Inside Passage
Day 4- Skagway, 8am-8pm
Day 5- Juneau, 7am-5pm
Day 6- Prince Rupert, 12pm-7pm
Day 7- At sea
Day 8- Vancouver, disembark from 7am-11am
Cruisers will get to enjoy various activities when visiting the islands participating in
tours provided by the company and local tourist guides. Shopping, dining and
enjoying the local areas and scenery on offer. Cruisers may opt to stay on board and
participate in various events but the choice is entirely up to them.
27
PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY AND ACTIONS
PRIMARY PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY
We will focus primarily on online promotions as these are very effective for the cost.
Additionally, with the customer profiling available online today, we can assure that our ads
are reaching our target audience. Viral videos will also be part of our promotional strategy;
Viral videos, while not a surefire method, are an extremely effective at spreading awareness
for a minimal cost. Our website will be our primary source of information for our
customers.
The cruise industry is a mature market, and is overall experiencing gradual growth. Global
economic conditions and recent events within the industry have been decreasing the
popularity of cruises in some locations around the globe. The popularity of cruises to the
Pacific Coast Region is one of the areas where there has been an increase in popularity.
The intangibility of service products is a constant challenge for operators and a risk for
consumers. In order to remove the uncertainty for our customers we will employ a number
of different strategies. On our website we will have a section where guests can do a virtual
tour of the ship. As part of the virtual tour, guests will be able to select the type of ticket
they are going to book, and as they go through the virtual tour, what is and is not included
will be highlighted, guests will be able to compare against other options. For example, the
price of a room for two will show in the corner of the screen along with the price of the
same room with 1 or 2 children as well. The website will also have a section where guests
can read reviews from previous customers, and can post a review after they have completed
their trip.
We will employ a number of strategies to ensure our ship is as full as possible. First off, we
will have early-bird discounts for customers willing to put down a deposit more than 8
months in advance. Deposits will be non-refundable within 30 days of the cruise departure
date. Last minute deals, within 30 minutes of departure date, will be discounted, and
discounted steeply within 20 days of departure date.
BUYER DECISION PROCESS
Decisions to purchase cruises are typically made well in advance. Our marketing will be
present throughout the buyer decision making process. Our advertisements on social
networking sites and viral marketing will put our name in their minds in the need
recognition stage. Parents will normally do an extensive info search well in advance, and
they are the ultimate decision maker and purchaser. Our virtual tour with its user friendly
comparison tool will assist potential buyers with their info search and comparison of
alternatives. Ensuring that the website is easy to use and that our competitive pricing is well
highlighted will help increase the number of people that choose our company. Children in
the family have a huge impact on the decision the parents will make for their vacation, so
effectively reaching children will be an important part of our promotional strategy. Reliably
reaching children is difficult, and marketing to children has its own set of risks; we will
28
reach children mostly through our online promotions on social networking sites that are
accessible to children. We will take advantage of the post-purchase behavior by offering a
customer feedback form as part of the departure package, and also notifying guests that
they can leave a review on our website. The departure package will also include a letter of
appreciation from the company signed by the captain of the ship (although these signatures
will actually be done by machine to save costs).
TARGET MARKETS:
Our primary target market is middle to upper middle income families. These will make up
the bulk of our individual bookings. Secondary markets include family oriented events, and
other group-based bookings.
For the events portion of our business we will promote to guests who have booked regular
cruises with us. As part of the departure package we will include a pamphlet with
information on all the different types of cruises and event bookings we offer. Using web
analytics, we will also be able to target ads featuring our cruise as a wedding destination to
young couples, and as a reunion or second wedding venue to older couples.
CHANNELS:
WEB ADVERTISING
Our company website will be the main portal through which customers access our
company. Our various forms of promotions and advertising will direct customers to the
website where they can take a virtual tour, view itineraries, compare different options, read
reviews from previous guests, and book a cruise. We will purchase ad space on sites such as
google, where we can have our ads viewed by users who use search terms such as “holiday”
“family” “cruise” “west coast”, etc.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Advertisements targeted to parents and children will be posted on social media websites
such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Myspace. We will take advantage of the customer
information these websites compile to ensure our ads are targeted to family members. We
will have ads tailored towards children so they can convince their parents that they want to
go on one of these cruises, and we will also have ads targeted towards parents that will aim
to attract the parents.
VIRAL MARKETING
As part of our promotional program we will develop several videos shot on our cruises.
These videos will not focus on the company or cruises, but rather on the experiences of
junior staff and guests. There will be a video featuring a staff member catching a salmon off
the balcony of one of the rooms while the ship is idling waiting for slack tide to pass through
Seymour Narrows. A video filmed from the perspective of a guest will show a father and son
getting a tour of the bridge from the captain with the kid getting to sound the ships whistle
and getting really excited.
29
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K, Westenberg, 2012, ‘Cruising in the wake of the Concordia disaster’, visited 27th
February 2012, site visited:
http://www.canada.com/travel/news/Cruising+wake+Concordia+disaster/
6144199/story.html
Mail Online, 2012, ‘Demand for cruising still strong despite Costa Concordia’, visited
27th February 2012, site visited: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article2091075/Costa-Concordia-Demand-cruising-strong-despite-cruise-shipdisaster.html
Newman, A, Andrew, December 20 2011. Carnival cruise company focuses on firsttimers. The New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/21/business/media/carnival-cruiselines-campaign-focuses-on-first-timers.html?_r=1
Oceania Cruises. (2012) Oceania Cruises: Search Results. Retrieved from
http://www.oceaniacruises.com/searchresults.aspx?available=0&regionid=alaska
&shipid=REG&days=8.10
Press and Media, 2012. Carnival. Retrieved from http://carnival-news.com/pressroom/
Regent Cruises, 2011, visited 26th March 2012, site visited:
http://regentcruises.com/?partner=ppcgoogle&src=goog&adv=ppc&v1=cl&v2=regent&gclid=CM3gocGspq8CFSc0Qg
odVmVswQ
Schaal, Dennis, January 31 2012. After Costa Concordia, Carnival reduces marketing
and expects no long-term impact. Tnooz. Retrieved from
http://www.tnooz.com/2012/01/31/news/after-costa-concordia-carnivalreduces-marketing-and-expects-no-long-term-impact/
Stacy, Mitch, March 3 2012. Alaska, river cruises hot trends in 2012 as industry moves
on from Concordia. Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved from
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/travel/alaska-river-cruises-hot-trendsin-2012-as-industry-moves-on-from-concordia-143879176.html
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Stoomer, C, 2010, ‘Special Focus: Cruising in BC’, BC Stats, Tourism Sector Monitor,
November 2010, visited: 26th March 2012.
Technical & Regulatory. (2010). Cruise Lines International Association. Retrieved
from http://www2.cruising.org/industry/tech-intro.cfm
Travel Mole, 15 March 2011, ‘Cruising popularity soars despite recession’, visited on:
28th February 2012 site visited:
http://www.travelmole.com/news_feature.php?news_id=1146804
WAGLE, 2012, visited on 27th February 2012, site visited:
http://www.wagle.com/furniture/eco-facts
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