Belly full, purse closed : Cruise line passengers' expenditures

Few studies have compared cruise passengers to other tourists in terms of various behavioral variables. The present study focuses on cruise passengers' expenditures while visiting a harbor. As part of three larger studies, cruise passengers and other tourists were interviewed about their expenditures while visiting western Norway. Study 1 was performed during the summer of 2010 (N = 1891 tourists of whom 9% (165) were cruise passengers). Respondents were asked about their estimated total expenditures on the day they were interviewed. Study 2 was performed during the summer season of 2011 (N = 2478, of whom 388 (15.8%) were cruise passengers). Respondents were interviewed about their expenditures (total amount today), and about how they spend their money while visiting the current destination “today”. The data for Study 3 were collected during the summer of 2012 in a study of 4002 respondents of whom 18.9% (756) were cruise tourists, basically addressing the same issues. Results indicate that cruise passengers spend significantly less at their destinations than other tourists. In addition, the data indicate that cruise tourists overestimate their expenditure to a higher degree than other tourists. Some possible implications are indicated.

► Cruise passengers expenditures are lower than the expenditures of other tourists.
► Few high spenders and more low spenders among cruise tourists.
► Cruise tourists spend less on almost every category of consumption.
► Cruise tourists over estimate their expenditures more than other tourists.