Enhancing User Experience on Cruise Ships through Wayfinding Improvements
Project: Master Thesis
Thesis supervisor: Jung-Joo Lee
Thesis instructor: Markus Ahola
Sponsor: FIMECC I&N program
Aalto University, 2014
Read Master Thesis “Lost on Board”
Cruise ship vacations have become one of the most popular forms of leisure travel. However, despite the experiences offered and the popularity engendered by cruise vacations, passengers still encounter significant problems while on board: they are readily prone to losing their way. This thesis aims to enhance user experiences on cruise ships by identifying the reasons for wayfinding difficulties and the consequences of passenger disorientation, and offer design-based solutions.
The final design concept proposes an implementation strategy in two levels: 1) color improvements and 2) personalization through the usage of current technologies.
As one of the main features, the concepts indicate that every hallway on one deck should have a different theme, which would be intuitively recognized. The user experience can be positively affected by having completely different decor for the long and narrow hallways, which could foster an impression that the transition of passengers on board is as equally important in every part of the ship. This could be accomplished by decor that reminds passengers of nature, sand and a relaxed environment, or even a quaint old street in Santorini, Greece. If providing multiple themes for one deck is a challenging task for a single company, another possible solution is the option of renting or selling hallways. For example, one artist could decorate one hallway according to his/her vision, or different companies could do the same.
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