Mix situation
Place
Kimberley region, which is located in Western Australia, is different from other areas. It offered people the origins of the Australian continent, which included the oldest rock formed some 2000 million years ago and almost all the rocks in this area have the age over than 400 million years. Unlike other areas in the world, there are very little geological activities occurred; the last once can be dated back to 1700 million years ago (Room, A. 2006). This is the area that will be offered to the customers by Kimberley Discovery Cruises using the “Discovery One”, which is the main vessel during the sailing (“The Kimberley”).
Products
Unlike other agencies, there are only three routines provided by Kimberley discovery cruises, which includes 14days from Broom to Darwin and from Darwin to Broom, 10 days from Derby to Mitchell Plateau and from Mitchell Plateau to Derby, 10 days from Derby to Prince Regent River to Cape Leveque and from Cape Leveque to Prince Regent River to Derby Cruise. However, customers can have a unique Kimberley sightseeing cruise that allow them to absorb the beauty of the ever-changing landscape of the Kimberley coastal region. Not only the wildlife and wonderful nature views, but also the ancient art galleries customers can enjoy (“Cruise Dates & Prices” 2012).
Cruises travel is not just the scenery people viewed during the excursion; rather more, it is a lifestyle, the life experienced on the sea (Richard, A. 2008). So, Kimberley Discovery Cruises also offer meals, morning and afternoon tea, fishing equipment, reef walking and some other entertainment, and the vessel is also very luxury. It cannot be denied that almost every people are sick of being taken to buy something in the shop which has cooperation with the travel agent; however, Kimberley Discovery Cruises does not do something like this. Moreover, from the feedback of the customers it can be seen that crews on the vessel is really very good (“Kimberley Discovery” 2010).
In order to improve the benefits, the Kimberley Discovery Cruises can add some more products to attract more customers. For example, they can add some new routines for short-terms, which will attract the customers who do not have a very long-time-holiday. It can also add some other entertainments in the vessel such as little parties, dancing, internet café, or even some board games.
Pricing
To be honest, the price of a cruises travel in Kimberley Discovery Cruises is really not cheap, even the lowest is $5995. This can be attributed to the term of the trip, as mentioned above the shortest term is 10 days. Although the price is not cheap, many customers think it is very worth, because all the meals and entertainments provided on the vessel are free, even though the cost of those are very cheap. This is a kind of the so called ‘psychological -marketing’, which can make people think something with lower value become the thing with much value (Britt, S. d.n.). Another pricing strategy could be the price itself. From its price, it can be known that all the prices are end with a 5 dollars or 50 dollars, such as $5995, $7950. There are very little difference between $5995 and $6000, $7950 and $8000; however, people will think it is much cheaper, although the differences are only $5 and $50. This is just because the initial price is 5 and 7, not 6 and 8; this is also a kind of psychological-marketing, and it is widely used by sellers, for example, a CD is selling as $29 instead of $30. All in all, the prices provided by the Kimberley Discovery Cruises are very high.
The high price can be an advantage for the Kimberley Discovery Cruises, on the other words it can also be a disadvantage for it. Since, not every people can afford the ticket with such a high price. There are, in fact, many customers cancel their cruise trip plan with ‘Discovery’. However, it seems like that the company does not care about that, because almost all cabins for this whole year