CRUISE INDUSTRY AND SEA TRANSPORT - 2025/6

Module Overview

The cruise industry is a dynamic and evolving form of tourism. The market for cruises is complex and cruise companies have been inventive in designing products to attract different market segments. This module will examine the growing demand for cruise holidays and explore the supply-side of the market, which is characterised by the innovative development of a myriad of cruise ship designs. This module will also investigate other forms of sea transport, such as ferries, hydrofoils and catamarans, to enable students to gain a deep knowledge and understanding of the passenger elements of the international maritime industry.

Module provider

Surrey Hospitality & Tourism Management

Module Leader

KNOX Dan (SII DUFE)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

• Cruise destination impacts and sustainability

• The cruise product (accommodation, dining and bars, entertainment, shore excursions etc.)

• Itinerary planning

• Marketing and selling cruises

• Legal, taxation and environmental legislation affecting cruising

• Working on board cruise ships

• Local ferries and sea-going ferries

• Future of tourism and sea transport

• Maritime accidents

• Maritime pollution

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

In cases where the original group presentation is not suitable for re-assessment (e.g. only one student needs to retake the failed group project), an individual essay of 1,000 words will be assigned.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the cruise industry, and is designed to allow students to evidence their achievement of the learning outcomes. The assessment comprises of a group presentation and an individual assignment.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• A group presentation, in which students will work in small groups to research a relevant issue impacting the cruise industry.

• An individual assignment, in which students are examined on their ability to critically review academic literature, theories and industry reports related to the cruise industry.

Formative assessment

During the first seminar, the assessment and the feedback process is explained. Feedback is also provided during and after in-class discussions. Pre-assignment feedback sessions are an integral part of this module. During these sessions, students will work in groups on a task which reflects the requirements of each assignment and receive feedback on their work.

Feedback

When marking is completed, students are able to access a marking form online which contains detailed feedback, as well as a breakdown of marks. Students receive written feedback and the marking form outlines each student/group’s strengths, areas for improvement and suggestions on how to improve performance in future assignments.

Module aims

• To explore the growing demand for cruise tourism and the obstacles to further expansion
• To understand the competitive business environment in which cruise companies operate
• To analyse the impacts cruising itineraries have on tourism destinations
• To evaluate the drivers behind changes in the cruise ship labour market
• To investigate the role of ferries in transporting passengers and other modes of transport (cars, coaches, trains etc.)
• To examine the environmental impacts of cruise ships and ferries

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to enable students to develop a deep understanding of the cruise industry and sea transport. The use of lectures, seminars, case-study exercises, in-class group activities and industry guest speakers will provide students with the opportunity to meet the key learning outcomes of the module.

The formative and summative assessments will develop the students’ critical reasoning skills and will challenge them to apply academic theory to a dynamic commercial industry.

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Lectures and seminar, with a range of specialisms designed to provide a framework of knowledge

• In-class exercises, case studies and discussion topics will highlight contemporary issues and allow the students to form and challenge perspectives from the vested stakeholders

• Visiting speakers will ensure students appreciate the relevance of the material to the cruise industry and sea transport

 

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester. 

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: MAN2155

Other information

This module adopts the university curriculum framework which aims to develop learners with strong capabilities in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module contributes to the development of the following capabilities:

Global and cultural capabilities: The global perspective of tourism activities on the oceans is reflected in the content for this module. Students develop an understanding of the differing expectations of cruise products depending on the source market. The multicultural nature of cruise work is discussed. Students are encouraged to reflect on the benefits and challenges for employees and managers in such multicultural environments.  Students are introduced to labour challenges unique to tourism operations on the high seas, including concerns regarding ship registration. 

Digital Capabilities: This module requires students to engage with teaching and learning materials in a range of formats. Students are guided through weekly materials on the virtual learning environment (VLE), SurreyLearn. In-class activities also require students to conduct their own online searches and engage with different social media platforms. Students are also required to contribute to shared online portals in co-creating content for class.  

Employability: Real-life case examples are used throughout the module to demonstrate the applicability and importance of class content to the workforce. Students will gain an understanding of the employment structure of the cruise industry. Students will also be required to critically evaluate current policies that shape tourism on the oceans. Class activities are designed to help students develop strategies for the future of the industry. Skills gained throughout this module are transferrable to various situations in the workplace, including soft skills such as problem-solving and critical analysis. 

Sustainability: Sustainability is a key focus of this module. The impact of tourism activities on marine health and ocean wildlife is critically presented, and the viability of emerging green technologies are discussed. While maritime pollution is covered in detail, other elements of sustainability, including the cultural implications of sea transport, are also critically explored throughout the module. Case examples are utilised to encourage students to consider the destination impacts of cruise and sea transport. Class content is linked to the sustainable development goals, including life below water, and responsible consumption and production. 

Resourcefulness and Resilience: The assessment strategy comprises two stages – formative assessment and summative assessment. Assessment is designed to empower students and foster self-evaluation through the process. The second assessment item for this module also facilitates the development of students’ independent critical thinking skills. Students are encouraged to make informed decisions from a range of options as to which aspect of their work they would like to request feedback. The critical nature of the in-class discussion will help foster openness by encouraging students to understand and discuss contrasting perspectives. 

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.