Cruise ship safety measures and their influence on passenger sense of security and purchase intention

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate whether customers perceive current cruise ship safety measures provided as meeting a sense of security and their influence on purchase intention. Three types of potential risks associated with cruise lines evaluated were external/internal attacks, malfunctions/accidents and onboard medical/health issues. Design/methodology/approach A survey used 12 safety measures questions to examine how cruise ships handle the above three risks, three questions to measure a sense of security and three questions to measure purchase intention. A seven-point Likert scale was applied. Convenience sampling was used. There were 163 valid responses collected. Findings All three safety measures evaluated in this study had a direct and positive effect on passengers' Sense of Security. Also, Safety Measure (SM) 2 and Sense of Security had direct and positive effects on purchase intention. Finally, SM1 and SM3 have only indirect impacts on Purchase Intentions via Sense of Security. Research limitations/implications Because of the small sample size and the convenience sampling method, the results of this study may lack generalizability. Practical implications Cruise managers should be aware that merely providing safety measures that are regulated by guidelines is not sufficient, and passengers must personally see and experience safety measures. Originality/value This study evaluated not only customers’ perceptions of safety measures on a cruise ship but also their impact on a sense of security and how that played a moderating role in purchase intention.