The Manufacture of Teen Space on Cruise Ships: An Environment of Autonomous, Aspirational Consumption
Cruise ships are cathedrals of consumption in which consumer activity is controlled and encouraged by the enchanting environment constructed (Ritzer, 7). Through an atmosphere of spectacle and grandiosity cruise ships entice spending from passengers. This effect continues throughout all areas of the ship, including space specifically designed for young travelers. Capitalism’s construction of the child as a consumer is reified in these isolated and purified kids-only areas. By creating age specific “kidspaces”, cruise-ship companies effectively encourage the Kids Getting Older Younger (KGOY) phenomenon and the growing anti-adultism mentality, by granting tweens and teens an effective façade of independence that allows them to enact their power of consumer choice. Spaces geared for ages 12-17 will be explored on three major cruise lines; Carnival, Disney, and Royal Caribbean, in order to better understand the effects of these environments on young consumers. In order to decipher the ways each cruise line hails the youth audience, this essay will look at the construction of “kidspace” as well as the language used to describe each environment.
As mentioned above, cruise ships are in fact consumer spaces. These massive ships encompass so many facets of contemporary capitalist society. Restaurants, hotels, shopping malls, amusement parks, spas and nightclubs, are just a start to
In today’s media obsessed society, youth is greatly influenced by advertising. For example, Marketing to kids gets more savvy with technologies is how they ,“Online games like Webkinz show ads on the site draw youth to buy the product or just to look at it for ‘money’”. Because this tactic works, the ads are an excellent at make youth to talk about this and be annoyed. In Facts about Marketing to Children, it says, “Children pack 8.5 hours of media a day’, is what the Facts about Marketing to Children says.” Because children are on the media so much it is easy for marketers to advertise and get children to buy the product. “ Anne Lappe says that when her daughter grows up, and goes to a movie, the character might have a soda or fast food.”
Every kid wants to be cool, and advertisers know that. This is the main idea explored by Juliet Schor in her article “Selling to Children: The Marketing of Cool”. This article originally appeared in Schor’s 2004 book Born to Buy: The Commercialized Child and the New Consumer. The author is an expert on the topic of behavior in humans and the economy, as she has taught sociology and economics at multiple universities. In her article, Schor explains to the reader how companies market to children, specifically through the lens of cool. Marketers achieve “cool” by various means, three of which are examined by Schor. In her article, Schor examines the ideas of street-culture, an anti-adult bias, and age compression and how they are perceived as cool in the world of advertising to children.
Summary: The cruise line industry has been experiencing a period of massive expansion over the last decade thus heightening the competitive profile for the industry in terms of market share and competitive rivalry. Now cruise industry is one of the most competitive across all.
In Sarah Banet-Weiser’s “Kid’s Rule!: Nickelodeon and Consumer Citizenship”, she analyzes and dissects how Nickelodeon became a dominating media empire among children. In the early stages of television and media, the child demographic was often overlooked and viewed as powerless agents in relation to the media, as they failed to have direct purchasing power. What many media companies failed to realize was that children can influence their parents into purchasing products, making children have a prominent indirect purchasing power. Nickelodeon was one of the first media channels that designed a network entirely for children, promoting childlike ideologies, values, and providing entertainment all day long.
Carnival is “The World’s Most Popular Cruise Line” with 24 “Fun Ships” operating voyages ranging from three to 16 days in length to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Europe, and Bermuda. Carnival’s success is attributed to its marketing program directed towards
The cruise line company also makes the reader feel emotions through the images of the specific locations that the reader can choose
Sustainability is a huge problem in the cruising industry. Cruise ships emit three times as much carbon dioxide as airplanes. Cruise ships
The cruise industry provides an increase of tourism industry within the ports and its country. For example, restaurants, hotels, taxis, theme parks, museums, shops, taxi drivers and travel guides are all positively affected as it will increase local employment within the city and its ports. Anyhow, cruise industry will brings large sums of revenues to the local city and governments. That is why, I think this enhances the relationship with cruise companies and Politicians will be efficient both sides.
Cruise lines have been classified into three separate entities, luxury, premium, and contemporary. The three classification allow for choices on what kind of
Carnival is a leader in the cruise industry and it’s highly likely that the consumers would select this company; as it is also a branded company recognizable on the market it allow the process of word of mouth that lessen the power of the consumers from their self.
There are nine main cruise line, these include Ambassador International, Carnival Corporation, Crystal Cruises, Disney Cruise Lines, Louis Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Silversea Cruises and Star Cruises (Cruising). The major cruises out of these are Royal Caribbean and Carnival Corporation. These cruises line are known for using their popularity to their advantage by raising their prices at any given time. But on the other hand, all the ships are comparable. All passage can anticipate the equivalent experience on board. In addition Rivalry is at a peek because getting rid of a cruise industry cost more than to just keep into development.
The cruise-line industry has changed drastically over the past several years. What was once thought of as a luxury to most people, is now affordable and convenient. The industry now focuses on targeting the working middle class, as well as the upper class. One cruise-line in particular, Carnival, has mastered the informal cruise for the mass market. Carnival offers numerous cruises that are inexpensive and exciting. Nevertheless, Carnival operates internationally with shipyards and ports all over the world. Being an international business, Carnival is affected by many global forces, both controllable and uncontrollable. In order to maintain the corporation’s success, Carnival must be aware of all global forces while
In 1972, Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) was found by entrepreneur Ted Arison. Mr. Arison’s vision involved making cruising, a vacation experience once reserved for the rich, available to the all individuals. Carinal Cruise Lines achieved the ability to carry more passengers than any other cruise line, which lead to Carnival becoming the largest cruise line in the world. By 1987, Carnival Cruise Lines earned the distinction, “The Most Popular Cruise Line in the World.”
During the recent economic contraction, the cruise industry has been continually changing with more carriers purchasing larger ships. This is part of an effort to offer better amenities when attracting upscale cliental. However, the industry has become more competitive and the total number of players has increased exponentially.
The luxury and destinations segments are similar in that both of them target the upper class or those with healthy disposable incomes including retirees that are at a stage in their lifecycle allowing them to take longer, exclusive cruises often. People on these cruises demand the finest quality in all respects. A formal atmosphere with refined white glove service, along with personalized service accounts for value and satisfaction. Psychologically, these users are above all and deserve the best of the best. Therefore, their lifestyles allow them to be regular and heavy users of cruise vacations. Based on their preference, it can be assumed that these segments are hard core or split loyal to the brands they choose because their attitudes are very enthusiastic towards the type of experience they expect and may be hostile towards anything less. The type of ship is small for both segments, representing the small percentage of the market occupied. Therefore, little priority should be placed on targeting these segments. Users that decide to buy this cruise package will be for the sole psychographic reason of social status to