Lesson 2-U6:

Operations and
Management
 Operations Management
The success of a cruise business, in terms of securing repeat
custom and capturing new business, is directly related to
reputation. In turn, past and present guests and their perception of
service and product quality directly inform that reputation.
It follows that cruise companies who focus their attention on
meeting and indeed exceeding guest expectations of service and
product quality will be in a stronger position to retain existing
guests and attract future guests. Companies invest time and money
in order to priorities their guest service programs so that both staff
and guests recognize the importance of getting guest service right.

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 Operations Management

The formula for a successful cruise is demanding. Getting

everything right and exceeding expectations means ensuring
officers, managers, crew and staff are trained, instinctively
guest-oriented, empowered to help guests if there is a problem,
aware of expected quality standards and capable of exceeding
those standards. All this has to be done consistently and to a
budget. A crew member who has been on board for a nine-
month contract has to be as fresh in their approach as an
employee who is newly arrived.

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 Operations Management
Guest services present serious challenges for managers at sea for
a number of reasons. Staffing ratios of crew to guests can be high
(almost 1:1 on luxury vessels), thus creating a requirement to
ensure all crew who are in contact with guests are suitably guest
focused. Guests on large vessels may well be diverse in terms of
country of origin, and this can mean that expectations of quality
in guest service will vary. Contemporary cruise guests are
demanding in part because we live in a media-rich society that
highlights consumer rights and advocates the benefits in
complaining.
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 Operations Management
However, it should also be recognized that being at sea can create
many positive guest service advantages. Staff are contracted to work
on board for a number of cruises. In this situation, the crew member
cannot easily withdraw employment, nor can their performance be
hidden from supervisors. The interaction on board a cruise ship is
complex. Guests and crew are together forming relationships for a
number of days. In this situation, guest service is ongoing and
cumulative, and there are likely to be many occasions when crew
members can provide moments of pleasure that may be important to
ensure an ordinary vacation becomes special.

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 Operations Management
Managing guest services
There are range of services that may be available on board a
typical cruise ship. It is presented in chronological order, as may
be experienced by a passenger on board.

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 Operations Management
Services on board : Accommodation services
Embarkation Butler service
Welcome on board Leisure services
Orientation and induction Sport and recreation
Safety and lifeboat drills Beauty and health treatments
Food and drink service Entertainments
Shops and boutiques Casino
Medical services Nightclub and disco
Port lecturer and information Shore excursion
services Disembarkation services

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 Operations Management
As cruising continues to grow, niche markets are targeted and
innovative products and services are introduced accordingly, so
this list is not exhaustive and is intended only as a guide. In any
vessel with a large number of guests on board, there is a need for
information to be communicated accurately, effectively and in a
timely fashion.

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 Operations Management
From a guest services perspective, there is much to be gained in
predicting guest needs and, while this approach is important
throughout the cruise, there is evidence to suggest that first and
last impressions are important in setting a template for service
perceptions and sealing that set of perceptions about service
experiences (Office of Quality Management, 2005).

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 Operations Management
Equally, such predictions can help to establish a planned set of
routines so that staffing levels at the reception desk, training of
staff to deal with embarkation queries and production of printed
material can be coordinated to best effect. The negative effect of
poor guest service in dealing with information can lead to
dissatisfaction, congestion and lines or queuing at information
points such as the reception desk, overload of telephone
enquiries creating non-response or late response to queries, and
a semblance of ineptitude or lack of both concern and
professionalism.
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