In 2018, Princess Cruises launched a new brand promise, “Come back new!”, and expanded to year-round sailings. The problem: the onboard experience hadn’t changed to match, the market was crowded, and passengers were hungry for something more meaningful than the standard cruise itinerary.
They engaged Curiosity Atlas to develop new passenger programs, define a service delivery strategy, and train staff through a summer pilot. Our solution was The Detourists: a scalable passenger experience built around connection, curiosity, and getting a little lost on purpose.
Research & Insights
New stuff is hard
In our research with passengers and crew, three things became clear early:
The most meaningful experiences happen off the beaten path, but it’s hard to know where to start.
Meeting new people was consistently a highlight. Getting there felt awkward.
Passengers were hungry for cultural, cerebral programming. What they were getting wasn’t it.
“Passengers want to get out of their comfort zone and try something new — they just need a little encouragement.” — Micca, Cruise Director
Design
Give them what they need, not what they want
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Synthesis revealed distinct modes passengers move through across their end-to-end cruise experience, starting before they ever board. While the brand promised transformation, little of the onboard experience helped passengers get there.
We developed a journey reflecting both those modes and the aspirational shifts passengers wanted to make, anchored by three strategic pillars: Connection, Energizing experiences, and New perspectives.
From there, we narrowed based on the realities of delivering an experience across a boat and multiple ports. The final design was a mix of facilitated workshops, DIY activities, and events spread throughout the week, each targeting a different passenger mode, each drawing on behavior change theory to help people experiment just outside their comfort zones.
Facilitated workshops introduced skills for connecting more meaningfully with local cultures and people.
DIY activities created low-stakes opportunities to practice those skills while meeting fellow passengers.
Events helped passengers reflect on what they’d experienced and celebrate the risks they’d taken.
Participants could find connection between activities or experience them à la carte.
Delivery
A rally point
Cruises are packed with activities. Slipping a new journey arc into the daily calendar wasn’t going to be enough. We needed a through-line, something that made the experience distinct and findable amid the noise.
The answer was a sub-brand: The Detourists.
A new kind of un-tourism for proactive types who crave offbeat, connection-oriented experiences when they move about the world.
The brand gave passengers a common touchpoint; an identity for program elements, staff, and soon-to-be friends throughout the cruise. The collateral was designed to invite curiosity rather than signal exclusivity.
The Pilot
Discovering comfort zones
Delivering a new way of cruising meant crew needed new roles. Entertainment staff, accustomed to pointing passengers toward resources, became Detourist Guides: connectors who evolved their service stance as passengers moved through their week.
We developed a training program, playbooks, and in-person sessions to help the crew internalize the shifts they’d be facilitating. The Detourists ran as a pilot on a 7-day Caribbean cruise over three months.
Voices from the voyage
“Our week’s motto became ‘Dare to Dare!’ Thank you Jase, Kelly, and Princess for the vacation of a decade!”
— Daphne, passenger
“I want to express my gratitude for the impact that these activities have had on my cruise, and, I believe, my life after the cruise.”
— Kaya, passenger
“I feel like it really has changed me, the way I travel, the way I cruise, and possibly the way I live.”
— Jen, passenger
Findings
What we learned
Less is more
Shallower engagements with more variety outperformed deep dives. Lowering the facilitation barrier would have helped; turning entertainment staff into facilitators was a bigger jump than anticipated.
Design for those who serve
Co-creating with cruise staff earlier would have built ownership faster. Culture change needs room to breathe.
Know where innovation lives
Princess had no internal innovation infrastructure to sustain what we built. Without internal ownership, even a well-received program struggles to survive a reorg.
Full speed ahead… or not
The pilot generated strong passenger response and genuine press. Then Princess came under new leadership, the org reshuffled, and The Detourists quietly disembarked for the last time. It’s the kind of ending that stings a little, and also teaches a lot. The work was good. The timing wasn’t.