What do you think is one of the most critical issues or challenges for the future of the cruise business that has not already been addressed in this test?

School of Business and Tourism

The Cruise Business – 2020

ASSESSMENT 4 – TAKE-HOME TEST

Submit your typed answers as one single word document via the Turn-It-In “Assessment 4 Submission” portal in “Assessment Tasks and Submissions”.

INSTRUCTIONS for Long-answer Questions (two Questions worth 10 marks each – see Marking Criteria Table at end of Instructions)

You are required to answer both of the 2 Long-answer Questions.
Each answer should be between 500 to 550 words in length (anything beyond 550 words will not be included in the marking).

It is expected you will source your information from the Text book (which may include more chapters than those specifically listed for the topic of the questions), relevant Readings, academic sources and industry examples, reports or statistics as appropriate.

A Reference List is required for each Long-answer Question, indicating the sources of the information used in your answer. HOWEVER, in-text referencing is not expected, i.e. you need to knowledgably discuss your answers based on these information sources, and possibly enhanced by discussion in class or in the lectures or Study guide, but you do not need to make specific reference to these sources in-text. But ensure your reference list is correctly referenced as per Harvard style and the text book chapters used are referenced as per an edited book (refer to the SCU Library Harvard Referencing Guide for assistance if required).

NOTE – any direct quoting (i.e. copying) of information from any source (or any student) will be considered to be plagiarism and will result in zero marks being awarded for that question, and may be reported for misconduct which could mean the whole assignment is eliminated from receiving any marks. (Note – the Turnitin report will indicate any copying from reference sources and other student assignments.)

Thus, paraphrase all your answers (i.e. write answers in your own words)

For each Long-answer question: within your answer clearly identify 1 or 2 critical issues/important considerations relevant to the question topic involving the operational or managerial aspects related to the cruise business and cruise ships. Make your answers a critical discussion about the topic and issues identified.

Include at the end, or within the discussion of your answer, statement/s regarding the implications of these issues for contemporary or future cruise practice (as directed by the Question). Make these statements obvious to the marker by stating – “The implications for the cruise industry are…” or something similar.
INSTRUCTIONS for Short-answer Questions (10 Questions worth 1 mark each, with Questions grouped within 5 themes)

All of the short-answer Questions are part of this assessment.

Provide short, specific answers for each Question approximately 50 words long (maybe shorter for the identification of an issue, practices, trends or challenges), and up to, but no longer than 100 words maximum for explanations or discussions.

The inclusion of dot points in your answers is acceptable as long as they answer the question clearly (ie. dot points are often not appropriate on their own if you are asked to “explain” something).

When asked, list the bibliographic references you used to answer the questions, however in-text referencing is not required (but can also be included if desired as long as the word limit of 100 words maximum is still observed).

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR TEST

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS BY COPYING THE QUESTIONS INTO A WORD DOCUMENT AND TYPING THE ANSWERS UNDER EACH QUESTION.

SUBMIT ONLY ONE WORD DOCUMENT WITH ALL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TO THE TEST TURN-IT-IN PORTAL.

BE SURE TO ATTACH AN ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET (FILLED IN AND SIGNED).

NOTE – ANY PLAGIARISM OR COPYING THAT IS DETECTED WILL MEAN AUTOMATIC FAILURE OF THE QUESTION OR POSSIBLY THE ASSIGNMENT AND/OR REPORTING FOR ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT.

Assessment 4 – Marking Criteria: 30% for a Take Home/Open-book Test

Long-answer Question Marking Criteria (2 worth 10 marks each = 20 Total) Marks
Identification of critical issues to operational and management aspects 2
Critical discussion of relevant importance 5
Concluding statement/s regarding the implications and/or recommendations for the cruise business 2
Logic of answers 1
Total Marks for 1 Long-answer Question 10
Total Long-answer marks (ie 2 Long-answer Questions)
20
Short-answer Question Marking Criteria Marks
10 questions worth 1 mark each
10
Total Marks = 2x Long-answer Questions + 10x Short-answer questions 30

The Test Questions appear on the following 4 pages…

MNG10291 2019 ASSESSMENT 4 QUESTIONS

TWO Long-answer Questions – worth 10 marks each (answer both questions)

1) Describe how and why the cruise dining models have evolved rapidly from the two-sitting model to what is offered today. Provide descriptions and examples of traditional and contemporary models and trends in your answer. Identify some of the implications and/or unique problems for the cruise business arising from these trends in cruise ship catering.

2) “Even unprofitably low ticket prices have become economically acceptable, as long as the overall cruise ship economics, including the on board business, work out fine.”
(Vogel 2012, p. 144)

Vogel, M 2012, ‘Pricing and revenue management for cruises’, in M Vogel, A Papathanassis & B Wolber (eds) The Business and Management of Ocean Cruises, CABI, Wallingford, pp. 131-144

Explain this quote by discussing the significance and practice of on board revenue generation and management with regard to the contemporary cruise business. Discuss the implication/s of this trend for the industry, including the development of cruise ticket pricing models and include specific discussion about the “Dynamic pricing” model.

TEN Short-answer Questions – worth 1 mark each (answer all questions)

1.a/ The safety and security of all passengers and crew on board a cruise ship is a serious situation. Who has the ultimate authority, and is criminally liable regarding the actions of all on board a cruise ship?

A) the security company that provides the security on board the ship?
B) the cruise line or corporation the ship is owned by?
C) the nation the cruise ship is registered under?
D) the captain of the ship?

ANSWER: ______

1.b/ What are the author’s thoughts about the cruise industry’s safety and security situation in Reading 9.2, and how piracy and terrorism are becoming linked?

ANSWER (50 to 100 words maximum):

1.c/ Fill in the blanks in the two lists below: -one identifying the practices, procedures and/or security measures cruise lines and their ships currently employ or participate in to avoid piracy and prevent terrorism; and the other identifying what cruise lines could and perhaps should do, or have been recommended to do going into the future to prevent terrorism in particular.

ANSWER (fill in the blank rows in the table):

Current practices, procedures and/or security measures Future practices, procedures and/or security measures
e.g. security equipment used – explosive detectors, x-ray machines e.g. anti-aircraft and other weapons on board to repel pirates

* List the references you used to answer 1.b/ and 1.c/.

REFERENCES:

2/ What are the implications for cruise ship design regarding your discussion in Question 2 of the Long-answer Section?

ANSWER (50 to 100 words maximum):

3.a/ What do you think is one of the most significant contemporary trends in the cruise business?

ANSWER (short statement only required):

3.b/ Explain why.

ANSWER (50 to 100 words maximum):

* List the references you used to answer 3.a/ and 3.b/.

REFERENCES:

4.a/ What are the critical points of differentiation between the Departments of the Marine and Hotel Operations and their personnel?

ANSWER (fill in as many of the blank rows in the table as possible):

Marine Operations and Personnel Hotel Operations and Personnel

4.b/ How may these points of differentiation affect or impact the operational relationships between these two Departments?