Consumer Behavior in the Cruise Industry: A Qualitative Perspective on First-Time and Repeat Cruisers in the Romanian Market

This paper explores consumer behavior in the cruise industry, focusing on the behavioral differences between first-time and repeat passengers in the Romanian market - an emerging market rarely addressed in existing international literature. Cruising is a complex leisure product that integrates accommodation, transportation, dining, entertainment, and destination experiences into a single bundled offering. Such complexity leads to longer decision journeys and a strong reliance on travel advisors, particularly among first-time cruisers. In Romania, cruises compete directly with well-established land-based substitutes such as all-inclusive vacations. However, industry evidence confirms that cruises continue to generate some of the highest levels of satisfaction and loyalty in the leisure sector. The research applied a qualitative design, analyzing 47 narrative responses to a semi-structured questionnaire (24 first-time, 23 repeat cruisers) and complementary influencer content through thematic content analysis. As an exploratory qualitative study, it examines whether globally established patterns of cruise consumer behavior also apply to Romania’s emerging market, seeking depth of understanding rather than statistical generalization. Findings reveal distinct behavioral patterns: first-time cruisers prioritize price, safety, and informational clarity, whereas repeat passengers emphasize brand loyalty, service quality, and itinerary depth. Both groups view travel advisors as key mediators of trust and experience personalization. Post-cruise advocacy and emotional attachment further transform initial skepticism into long-term loyalty, illustrating the consumer lifecycle specific to cruise tourism. The study contributes theoretically by extending segmentation insights to an underexplored Eastern European market and practically by guiding travel advisors and cruise operators toward differentiated onboarding and retention strategies. While limited by its qualitative scope, the research provides grounded insights and outlines directions for future quantitative and cross-cultural validation.