Cruise Operations Management provides a comprehensive and contextualised overview of hospitality services for the cruise industry. As well as providing a background to the cruise industry, it also looks deeper into the management issues providing a practical guide for both students and professionals alike.
A user-friendly and practical guide it discusses issues such as:
· The history and image of cruising
· How to design a cruise and itinerary planning
· Roles and responsibilities on a cruise ship
· Customer service systems and passenger profiles
· Managing food and drink operations onboard
· Health, safety and security
Cruise Operations Management presents a range of contextualised facts illustrated by a number of case studies that encourage the reader to examine the often complex circumstances that surround problems or events associated to cruise operations. The case studies are contemporary and are constructed from first hand research with a number of international cruise companies providing a real world insight into this industry. Each case study is followed by questions that are intended to illuminate issues and stimulate discussion.
The structure of the book is designed so the reader can either build knowledge cumulatively for an in-depth knowledge of managerial practices and procedures onboard a cruise ship, or they can ‘dip in’ and make use of specific material and case studies for use within a more generic hospitality or tourism learning context.
Introduction to the book
Elements of cruising
A history of cruising
The image of cruising
The cruise market
2 Maritime issues and legislation
The development of the shipping industry.
Ships and shipping.
Commercial practices and the legal environment.
The role of international maritime organisations for cruise operations.
Cruise ship management and environmental issues.
3 Designing a cruise - itinerary planning.
Itinerary options.
Planning, forecasting and cruise development
Logistics, positioning and planning.
Shore excursions.
Port authorities.
4 Working onboard
The roles and responsibilities on a cruise ship
The purser and hotel services.
The shipboard culture.
Case study - cultural diversity onboard.
5 Passenger services
Operations and management.
The range of passenger services.
Internal and external factors that influence passenger services.
Customer service systems for cruise lines
Profiles of cruise passengers and specific needs.
6 Managing food and drink operations
An introduction to managing food and drink operations.
Supplies and services.
Food service delivery systems.
Organising people, products, processes, premises and plant.
Passenger/customer demands and operational capabilities.
Control actions for food and drink operations.
Licensing, food safety, health and safety and consumer protection
A case study: managing food and drink operations onboard.
7 Managing facilities
An introduction to managing facilities onboard
The facilities and amenities infrastructure
Use of resources to maximise potential in the facility
Methods used to support and control outcomes within the facility
Passengers and facilities
A case study related to managing facilities onboard.
8 Health, safety and security
Safety and security onboard
Passengers with special needs
Managing food hygiene
Destinations and health, safety and security issues.
Swimming pools, air quality and potable water.
Risk analysis, hazard analysis and critical control points
Port Health Authorities.
Two case studies: one related to the Norwalk virus and the other security
provisions onboard.
9 Training onboard
Situated learning
Learning cultures
Training needs, skills development and coaching skills
A case study relating to training onboard.
10 Managing integrated operations
Management functions onboard.
Administration; accounting; banking, finance and control.
Medical, counselling; health and safety.
Management strategies; customer service; service quality; total guest
satisfaction; balanced score card; critical success factors; empowerment.
Ship to shore – management interconnectivity and congruence
Contemporary cruising
Three case studies: one related to managing the introduction of a new vessel, the second related to provision of supplies and services for a cruise vessel and the third relating to the planning and provision of shore excursions.
References
Appendices
Biography
Philip Gibson
"I really liked this book. This student-centered text really engages the reader through its presentation and discussion of key concepts through examples, questions, stories and real-world case studies. The book is ideal for anyone wanting to learn more about or specializing in cruise operations management."
-- Brian Johnson, Fleet Training Manager, Princess Cruises
“This is a long awaited addition to the resource base for teaching a specialist tourism sector of Cruising. Dr. Philip Gibson has taken a novel approach that will be useful for students and practitioners alike.
An innovative and contemporary book on Cruise Operations Management, this text will be an invaluable source for hospitality, tourism, travel students and cruising practitioners as well as for more specialist target readers who require insights into maritime issues and legislation.
The integrated nature of the book is an ideal source for those studying not only for a career in Cruise Management but also for students studying specialist subjects at undergraduate and post graduate level in tourism and hospitality, services marketing, intermediary relationship marketing, geography of tourism and specific core operations management subjects such as facilities management, food and beverage management, destination cruising itinerary planning and customer service. The ‘people’ element of training is also addressed in a practical way. Case studies are featured in many chapters to consolidate the learning. The authors’ own personal experience in the cruising sector ‘adds value’ to the reading.
Any academic developing a specialist elective unit/module in cruise management will see the benefits of this as a core text in hospitality, travel and tourism studies. The applied and theoretical nature of the book is clearly an unique source and focuses both on strategic and tactical operational perspectives in a cruising context. The final chapter synthesises the integrated nature of Cruising Operations Management; leaving the reader in no doubt that the Cruise Operations manager of the future needs not only to have a technical core role but also needs to be multi-disciplined in managing cruise ships.
The book I believe has made a major contribution to the body of knowledge in the expanding tourism sector of global cruising. An asset on any academic book shelf and hospitality, tourism and travel students’ core reading list.“
-- Adrian S. Thomas, MSc, DMS, MCIM, Senior Lecturer in Services Marketing for the Hospitality and Tourism industries, The Manchester Metropolitan University
