to cruise with a particular crew member , regardless of the ship or itinerary .
• THE PASSION While living and working together in close quarters presents many challenges , there is a common “ we are in this together ” connection and sense of mutual support amongst the crew . Importantly , many cruise lines focus substantial resources on creating an organizational culture through the adoption of a shared purpose , a mission , core values and similar concepts . Developing and embedding a positive culture of care , openness , respect and trust is critical to any organization as it provides a system of shared values , assumptions and beliefs that instruct and govern expected behaviors and desired outcomes . These principles will almost always include the concept of respecting and supporting the team . Because the crew also live where they work , the values become more integrated into everyday life .
Crew members often express how grateful and happy they are in their work and are generally very passionate and positive about their job . It is not uncommon for crew to have a very long tenure . Some have been with the same company for 20 , 30 even 40 years .
impression on the guests , both in terms of customer satisfaction scores and their propensity to return . Cruise lines consider the crew to be their most important asset – by far .
This is a simple formula : Guests enjoy interacting with happy and enthusiastic staff that have interesting and diverse backgrounds . These interactions enhance the vacation experience . When cared for and happy , staff become authentic and strong promoters of the brand . To many , this is well-trodden ground and obvious . But for some reason , the cruise lines seem to take these concepts to a higher level and capitalize on the results .
Can These Drivers Of Human Connection Be Applied To The Shoreside Experience ?
SETTING THE SCENE , OR . . . “ YOU ARE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE ” The feeling of being on vacation becomes obvious when boarding a ship or checking into a hotel . Meeting new , different and interesting people occurs organically as part of the cruise experience and strengthens these feelings . Landside establishments should consider whether it is maximizing the unique interactions their staff can provide their guests . Staff do not have to be from exotic places to be interesting – all people are unique . Shoreside establishments could create , for example , a program to elevate the staff by highlighting where they come from , their skills , talents , backgrounds , hobbies , travels , achievements , and other interesting facts about them . This can help create a refreshing and unfamiliar vacation atmosphere and a foundation for connecting with guests . Hiring interesting , outgoing and diverse groups of people that share a passion for serving guests increases the chances of guests connecting with the brand .
CREATE MEANINGFUL
For a combination of the above reasons , the crew become authentic ambassadors and strong advocates for the cruise brand . This makes a lasting
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