Messages in the Bottle: Customers' Reactions to Expertise, Blame, and Compensation After a Severe Cruising Crisis

This study experimentally examined the effects of expertness, source of accident, and compensation on the ratings of a cruise line's brand image and potential cruisers' intentions to purchase. Participants (n=213) were randomly assigned to one of eight experimental conditions presented as written testimonies from cruise passengers recalling a severe crisis they experienced while at sea. The main effect for recovery was significant (p<0.05) in terms of both brand image and purchase intentions. There was also a significant interaction between the storytellers' expertise and blame attribution (p<0.05) in terms of both purchase intentions and brand image. Results offer both theoretical and practical insights in terms of advertising strategies and crisis management for cruise lines.