Understanding the role of the service experience in the cruise industry

New marketing trends in the service context show that the physical environment is an important driver of how consumers of services (or products) are immersed in an overall consumption experience. Few studies, however, have focused on this issue in the tourist sector, and even fewer in the specific context of the cruise industry. The paper aims to deepen academic and managerial knowledge of tourist behaviour in cruise-related settings, by analysing the effects of the physical environment on the experience of a cruise. As cruise vacations are a prototypical experiential platform - an amalgam of tangible and intangible benefits, from the basic transportation, meals and entertainment, to some more hedonistic aspects with an emotional value (e.g., escape, relaxation, socialisation) - this study proposes a conceptual framework for researchers and practitioners, in the form of a strategic management tool based on experiential and holistic perspectives on cruises.