Delivering Quality Service in the Cruise Industry: Challenges and Strategies

1. What unique aspects of the cruise industry make quality service more difficult to attain? What aspects help raise quality?

2. How does the cruise operation differ from that at a land-based hotel?

3. How could control charts, Pareto diagrams, and cause-and-effect diagrams be used to identify quality problems at Celebrity?

4. Suppose that on two successive cruises of the same ship, the cruise line receives NPS scores of: (Trip 1) 78% "advocates", 4% "neutrals", and 18% "detractors" and (Trip 2) 70% "advocates", 20% "neutrals", and 10% "detractors". Which would be preferable and why?

In the cruise industry, quality service can be more challenging to attain compared to other sectors due to the intangible nature of the product. Cruise companies like Celebrity Cruises must create an exceptional experience for guests, taking into account factors such as hospitality, entertainment, and overall guest satisfaction. However, Celebrity Cruises strives to achieve quality through several strategies. They invest in comprehensive employee training programs that emphasize formal interactions, dress codes, and specific phrases to enhance the guest experience.

Additionally, Celebrity Cruises actively seeks guest feedback through surveys, which serve as a quality feedback tool. The net provider score (NPS) is a key measure used to gauge guest satisfaction and loyalty. By analyzing NPS scores and other feedback, the company can identify areas for improvement and take appropriate actions. Celebrity Cruises also emphasizes the importance of food quality, preparing meals from scratch and leveraging historical data to forecast demand accurately.

Control charts, Pareto diagrams, and cause-and-effect diagrams can be utilized by Celebrity Cruises to identify quality problems. Control charts can track key performance indicators, Pareto diagrams can prioritize quality issues based on their impact, and cause-and-effect diagrams can identify potential causes of problems.

In terms of NPS scores, Trip 1 with 78% advocates, 4% neutrals, and 18% detractors would be preferable compared to Trip 2 with 70% advocates, 20% neutrals, and 10% detractors. A higher percentage of advocates indicates a higher level of customer satisfaction and loyalty. However, both trips would require further analysis to address areas of improvement and maintain a consistent focus on quality service.