Cruise tourism and organizational culture: the case for occupational communities

Abstract

Using a sociological perspective, this chapter introduces a cultural framework for identifying and understanding the attitudes and behaviour of 'hospitality workers' on cruise ships. The overall proposition is that cruise hospitality workers may form themselves into an 'Occupational Community', understood as a specific type of organizational culture. The chapter reviews the organizational structure and characteristics of cruise ships, and identifies parallels between working conditions on cruise ships and in onshore hotels.