Like many families, we decided to go on holiday last summer, and for the first time, we went on a cruise of the Mediterranean on a ship called The Gem.

Previously, I wrote about my holiday experience at Disney Florida (check out the blog here) with the overall aim of exploring how the sports world can learn from other industries. So, in keeping with this thought, I have decided to write this blog based on my experience on the cruise ship.

Here goes…

1. Excellent Revenue Generation Strategies:

The first thing that struck me was how the Norwegian Cruise Line knows how to make money! Apart from the standard price, several upselling strategies were employed before and during the cruise, all aimed at extracting more money from the customer. This included:

• Purchasing drinks and WiFi packages before the holiday started.
• Generating revenue each evening from the onboard casino.
• Purchasing professional photos taken on the ship during the 9 days.
• Purchasing tours at each port.
• Purchasing products in the onboard shops.
• Selling bingo and game show tickets such as ‘Deal or No Deal.’
• Purchasing transfers from the ship to the airport at the end of the cruise.

As the cruise progressed, there was a notable increased effort to ‘sell, sell, sell.’

What can sport learn?

Sports organizations mostly sell additional products or services at the venue, but this is often limited to raffles, halftime draws, merchandise, and food and beverage sales. The sports industry can learn from the cruise industry regarding selling a wider range of products and/or services, along with the proactive approach to selling by the staff at venues. On a side note, it was frustrating that so many extras were pushed rather than being part of the initial package/price and this did start to annoy me.

It is interesting to note the Savannah Bananas approach where everything is sold in one package or price – your ticket, food and beverage, and live entertainment!

2. Entertaining the Guest:

I noted that the cruise company referred to customers as ‘guests’—something I agree with and have written about previously. Throughout the 9-day cruise, there was a wide range of entertainment on offer for a variety of ages. The entertainment included:

• Live music shows by professional musicians at various locations around the ship.
• Daily shows by a professional production crew, which were of a high entertainment quality.
• Live shows that involved guest participation, such as dancing lessons, art classes, and singing competitions.

What can sport learn?

Providing quality entertainment outside of the game is something many sports are adopting already. However, sport must continue to ‘raise the bar’ on providing quality entertainment for all ages, ensuring the entertainment is interactive, and the quality of staff at the venue is exceptional—from the entertainers to the stewards to those in ticketing and the merchandise shop.

3. Great Food:

Throughout the cruise, we were served great food. Not only was the food of a high standard, but there was also a wide range on offer to suit everyone. This included Italian food, Asian food, fast food, healthy options, vegetarian options, etc.

What can sport learn?

This is a bugbear of mine. We seem to think it is OK to serve average food at games along with a limited range on offer. This is something we need to change and push suppliers to be better at—consistently!

4. The Room:

Apart from the food, staff, entertainment, and locations we visited, one key area that can be overlooked is the quality of sleep. This was one thing they got right. Extremely comfortable beds and very clean and compact rooms.

What can sport learn?

Make sure the venue and seats are clean and comfortable. This should be extended to the toilets and concourse areas of the venue.

5. Friendly Staff:

The staff on board the ship—cleaners, servers, entertainers, etc.—were very friendly and helpful. They never went by without saying hello and always engaged in conversation.

What can sport learn?

Continue to employ great people (either full-time, part-time, or volunteers) who can display your values as a sports organization and who make the fans feel welcome and special.  It is vital that the sports organisation provides regular and adequate training for their staff and volunteers.

6. Great Processes:

How the company managed exit and entry into the ship when at port was excellent. The cruise staff organized people in groups when leaving the ship, which meant no bottlenecks and a smooth exit. Upon entry to the ship, staff erected shelters and soft drinks for returning guests.

What can sport learn?

Sports organizations should ensure the entry and exit to our venues are smooth and employ better use of queue management to ensure a great experience.

7. CRM, Marketing, and Communication:

Before embarking on our travels, the company exchanged numerous emails and also encouraged us to download their app. All this kept us informed but had an additional benefit of capturing key data for the company.

Upon checking in at the port terminal, each guest was given a guest card which doubled as the room key as well as being able to make purchases on the ship throughout the cruise. No doubt this transactional data is helping the company make vital information based on everyone’s purchase history.

Regular communication through a daily newsletter, which outlined what’s on around the ship each day, provided all the guests with the necessary information on the entertainment or location visited during the cruise.

What can sport learn?

Direct and regular communication is so important and something which some sports organizations need to improve. Sports organizations must communicate with their fans not only on social media but through personalized direct communications that are relevant to the fan.

Areas for Improvement:

With all the positive areas outlined above, were there any areas of improvement during my cruise that the sports industry can learn from? The short answer is yes!

1. During the cruise, a small issue arose, and it took 5 days for them to properly sort this problem. From a sports industry point of view, any issues must be dealt with quickly. The longer it goes unresolved, the more chance it will take away from any positive experiences generated on game day.

2. The sports court on the ship closed at 5 pm each day. This was very strange. Each day I went past the court, it was full of kids enjoying and playing football and basketball. The overall point is, if you are going to put in place a rule, make sure it is a sensible one!

3. As part of the data and drinks package, only 150 minutes of data were included in the first bundle. The 150 minutes were meant to be done for 9 days in total!!! The overall point is if you are creating packages for fans, make sure the benefits are sensible and of real value.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, we had an amazing experience together as a family, and we came home with fantastic memories and a holiday that we would go back to. Surely, that’s the goal of a sports organization: for fans to go away happy, to have an amazing experience, and to return regularly.

About Geoff Wilson

Geoff runs his own consultancy business, with a focus primarily on sport.  Previously Head of Marketing and Communications at the Irish FA,  Geoff now consultants to a wide range of global sports organisations on areas such as strategic planning, marketing and communications, digital, fans engagement, public affairs, women’s football, league development, club development and knowledge sharing / capacity building programmes.  Geoff has created numerous academic models for the sports industry.  Geoff is on the Advisory Panel at the English Football League and Chair of the Sports Council Trust Company (Sport England organisation)