TABLE OF CONTENTS By the end of the chapter the reader should be able to:
Reflect on the issues affecting management of accommodation on board
Discuss yield management in context
Examine the systems approach for managing accommodation
Understand factors affecting quality and operations
This chapter deals with the effective management of accommodation on board, including cabins, public areas, crew areas, and deck areas. In examining this department, a number of issues are considered, including administration, yield management, design aspects, routines and schedules, and environmental issues (Adamo, 1999). The constraints on planning accommodation that were discussed earlier, namely, the need to use space economically, the increasing demand for enhanced passenger facilities, and the current trend to ensure that cruise ships sail at full capacity, are all concerns for operational managers in this department.
When considering space management, problems can arise for this department, with passengers embarking with large quantities of luggage, moving the luggage from shore to ship to cabin and back again and storing personal belongings within the cabin. Passengers make comparisons regarding their cabin/stateroom accommodation on board and hotel accommodation ashore. There is an expectation that the look and feel of the accommodation will be appropriate for the style of cruise, the image presented by the brand, the price paid, the advertised product offer, and similar shore-based products. While passengers acknowledge the space constraint, as well as recognizing that the attractions on board mean that proportionately little time may be spent in the cabin/stateroom, the expectation regarding the accommodation can...
