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This study examines the relations ships between the perceived service quality and satisfaction on on-board spending and behavioral action, while it also explores differences in on-board spending. Survey data were collected from 649 cruise ship passengers. A partial least square structural equation modeling was used to test the conceptual model and analysis of variances to explore the influence of passengers' demographic characteristics. Results show a positive link between service quality and satisfaction, and satisfaction and behavioral actions. Spending behavior has a moderating effect on behavioral actions, and is influenced by gender and travel frequency. Investing in the quality of cruise ships is vital, as it influences satisfaction and positive word-of-mouth. How to increase on-board spending, is more complex. On the one hand, the findings show that increased customer satisfaction does not habitually mean increased revenue. On the other hand, the results imply that passengers' on-board spending varies across customer segments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article evaluates a conceptual model, drawn from the literature, of the quality of cruise experience based on hypothesised relationships between eight components; namely, employees, guests, service setting, and service quality as antecedents of cruise experiences, and emotions and their impact on satisfaction and future behaviour (consequences). Hypothesised relationships were further tested on the sample of 306 guests cruising on a contemporary cruise ship. The structural equation modelling was applied to verify the conceptual model and the results confirmed that employees, guests, service setting, and service quality are the antecedents of cruise experience and emotions; however, only emotions positively influenced satisfaction and future behaviour. The findings have valuable practical and theoretical contributions to the fast growing cruise tourism industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]