Cruising Routes and Differentiation

The problem of the research is to evaluate the impact properties of cruising routes to its differentiation, and thus competitiveness. Perceived characteristics of routes by the target clients are defining valuation of the service, and the resolving dilemma for prices. From the point of cruising itinerary route, this perception ultimately influences satisfaction and pleasure of the guests. The subject of this research is the evaluating determinants of the cruising route’s characteristics (functional, social, and emotional). It determines the formation of the guest’s value perceptions. Cruising product is no longer selected primarily for the cruising service, but for the content of cruising route. In this sense the approach called “the land sea cruising in product development” is increasingly becoming an area of interest. This is also a new area of research interest in marketing, which is aimed to evaluate the experiences, thoughts, and attitudes of the target clientele, but also to predict what impacts the decision making process of choosing the cruising product as well. In a conducted study the authors want to determine the affirmative characteristics that contribute the perception of cruising route of the target guests. Given the subject and the research problem, the main objectives of research were: Determining the direction and the intensity of the effects of the individual cruising route characteristics on service value’s perception; Providing an evaluation model of the route’s characteristics and thus explaining the cruising product value’s perception and indicating the most significance variables of attraction; Based on the goals of the research work, the following questions are offered to answer: What factors of cruising tourism are determining the value’s perception for a potential guest in the selection of cruising route? What are the determinants of cruising routes that prospective customers consider when assessing its value? How does each of the identified determinants affect the overall perceived value of the cruise route? How the overall perceived value of the cruise route affects customer behavior intentions in terms of seeking additional information, route selection, and positive word of mouth? Based on the research work, authors have offered a new evaluation model of the cruising route differentiation, which represents a fundamental contribution to the scientific research.