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Clia Conference 2018: Cruise lines ‘should look to Amazon’ to improve passenger experience

Cruise lines should adopt the “Amazon formula” to make going on holiday as frictionless as possible and appeal to land-based holidaymakers.

Rai Caluori, executive vice president of guest experience and product development at Princess Cruise Lines, said to attract new to cruise passengers the sector needed to make going on a cruise as “simple” and “easy” as possible.

When choosing to take a holiday on land, Caluori said he had been left disappointed 99% of the time.

He said: “Our role in the cruise industry is to deliver the most incredible holiday experiences. We do this by making things simpler, easier, better and faster.”

For the past few years, Princess Cruises’ aim has been to minimise friction, Caluori added.

He also said it was “inexcusable” to suffer questionable service.

“How can we eliminate friction? We increase personalisation. It is the Amazon formula. That delivers experience maximisation,” he said.

“We believe that the ultimate cruise holiday is one that requires nothing from the guest.”

He added that over time the “greater population” would realise a cruise holiday was “an incredible value proposition”.

Meanwhile, Caluori told delegates that the wearable Ocean Medallion technology, which Princess Cruises is currently developing, will be rolled out later this year.

“Our aim for Ocean Medallion is to have it functioning at 100% later this year,” he said.

Asked if the technology may prompt concerns from passengers that they are always being watched, Caluori said Ocean Medallion could be switched off.

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