1. Educational Dimensions of Arctic Expedition Cruising and Post-Cruise Environmental Attitudes
Brittany Manley Statia Elliot & Shoshanah Jacobs
RESULTS
INTRODUCTION
Cruising, as a segment of tourism, is increasing at a faster rate than other forms of leisure travel, especially in the Arctic. Due to milder weather conditions in recent years, ships have been able to access more regions during a longer operating season. In addition, “last chance tourism” is confirmed to cause a further increase in visitors. The educational impact of expedition cruising has been researched in Antarctica. However, in the 30 years that expedition cruising has occurred in Canada’s Arctic, little research has focused on the immediate influence of these immersive tourism experiences on cruisers.
Arctic cruise lines have developed a range of educational programs that address the presumed need of cruisers for an educational experience. Pre-embarkation packages might include a variety of resources, from company-specific handbooks to suggested reading lists. Field staff may present specialized lectures on destination-specific topics during time at sea, as well as lead excursions on shore.
The survey response rates for pre-cruise and post-cruise were 37.6% and 33.8% respectively.
Passenger Quotations: “The landscape was a motivation of mine to go to the Arctic and certainly to have a connection with nature while I was up there.” “I felt this trip is going to be the best type of opportunity because you have knowledgeable people going with you, they are interacting with you on the ship and on the land. You are going to have a variety of experiences of all the different aspects of the Arctic… spending time with nature, spending time at historical sites like Fort Ross and the Franklin Graves. There was a mix of history, culture, science and the chance to see the environment, that made me want to take the cruise.” “I really enjoyed the zodiac cruises, I felt that was a really unique experience to see the wildlife while still respecting their space and seeing them in their natural habitat.” “I thought Icy Arm Fiord was an amazing place. To have the polar bear and cubs appear was extra special. But the mountain backdrop in the fiord, the lighting, the snow, the magnitude/scale when you see a zodiac in relation to the glaciers or the mountains – incredible.” “First hand experiences are always the best, and they are always different and enhance your understanding of the place.” “I loved the lectures, they were great. I’m particularly interested in the animals and history, going out to these new places to me is so educational.” “Going ashore and the fact that there were resource people there to interpret, that is what made the trip really interesting. I don’t know if we would have visited those places on their own, I know it would not have had the same impact.”
Q. Please indicate how important the following possible reasons are for participating in this cruise.
Seeing a beautiful landscape
Seeing unique wildlife
Exploring new places
Learning about the natural history of the Arctic
Learning about the human history of the Arctic
Adventuring in the wilderness
Learning about environmental issues & conservation
RESEARCH METHODS
Seeing the Arctic before it melts away
RESEARCH OVERVIEW
Capturing photographs
During an Arctic cruise expedition, a pre-cruise survey was provided to passengers on the charter flight prior to boarding the ship. This survey established a baseline descriptor of passengers’ motivations, general knowledge, and opinions on the natural environment. Four months later, a post-cruise survey was sent to participants. We assessed whether there were any changes in knowledge of the Arctic environment, attitudes towards environmental management and associated behaviours.
Fourteen passenger interviews were conducted to support the survey question and allow for any novel themes to emerge that were not initially identified by the researchers. Eight interviews of the lecturers/guides were conducted to assess the level of education and experience that each lecture guide has in his/her area of specialization, and to evaluate lecture content and delivery.
Experiencing a connection with nature
The aim of this research was to investigate the relationship between the cruise passenger and the educational program. A quantitative and case study approach was used to explore the educational dimensions of expedition cruising in three parts, using the following research questions.
Cruiser motivations and expectations Q1. Are motivational factors for engaging in Arctic expedition cruising different from other cruising motivations? Assessment of educational programming Q2. What on-ship cruising activities is the expedition company offering to meet cruisers’ educational expectations? Q3. Do on-ship cruising activities for passengers correspond to pre-cruise motivations? Effectiveness of Knowledge Transfer
Q4. What is the impact of the educational experiences on attitudes post-cruise?
Following in the footsteps of the great explorers
Relaxing & escaping from everyday life
Socializing with family & friends
Q. Please indicate the amount of knowledge you have retained from your expedition regarding the following topics:
General awareness of the natural environment Natural history Environmental conservation Marine biology & oceanography Ornithology (bird biology)
Q. Please indicate the likelihood that you will:
Recommend this destination to others
Share your experiences and information gained from your trip
Further your knowledge on the Arctic
CONCLUSIONS
Will return to the Arctic region
Take another expedition cruise
Study results indicate that expedition cruisers are interested in learning. They are motivated to seek and gain a deeper understanding of the unique landscape and wildlife found in the Arctic. Passengers are seeking the novelty of visiting the Arctic, and have different motivations compared to those that travel on a mainstream cruise line to Caribbean-type destinations. Learning opportunities are an important component of their cruise experience, which has potential to positively impact their attitudes and knowledge post-cruise.
On board, expedition cruisers connect with nature, appreciate knowledgeable resource staff, seek unique experiences, and engage in lectures and other educational experiences. Post-cruise they feel more knowledgeable about the environment, natural history and conservation. Notably, they are highly likely to further their knowledge of the Arctic.
These findings should encourage cruise companies to improve their educational offerings (i.e. preparedness, program quality, level of engagement) to meet the expectations of their clientele, thereby transferring critical knowledge of environmental stewardship.
TO LEARN MORE
REFERENCES CLIA (Cruise Line International Association) (2014). Issues & Facts, accessed 5 February Eijgelaar, E., Thaper, C., & Peeters, P. (2010). Antarctic cruise tourism: the paradoxes of ambassadorship, “last chance tourism” and greenhousegasemissions. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 18(3),
Hung, K., & Petrick, J. F. (2011). Why do you cruise? Exploring the motivations for taking cruise holidays, and the construction of a cruising motivation scale. Tourism Management, 32(2), Chicago
Lück, M. (2007). The cruise ship industry: curse or blessing?. Nautical tourism: concepts and issues, Lück, M., Maher, P. T., & Stewart, E. J. (Eds.). (2010). Cruise Tourism in Polar Regions: Promoting Environmental and Social Sustainability?. Earthscan.
Powell, R. B., Kellert, S. R., & Ham, S. H. (2008). Antarctic tourists: ambassadors or consumers?. Polar Record, 44(230), Walker, K., & Moscardo, G. (2006). The Impact of Interpretation on Passengers of Expedition Cruises. Cruise ship tourism, 105.
For more information visit
Britany Manley, Principal Investigator Dr. Statia Elliot, Dr. Shoshanah Jacobs,
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS With thanks to Adventure Canada, the operator with which we partnered, and the Canadian Polar Commission & The University of Guelph for financial support.