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Carnival Corporation & PLC recently announced the launch of a new app called OceanView Mobile. The app is the first streaming platform from a travel company. Currently available in the Apple App Store and Google Play, it is the first travel content app from a travel provider. In late October, OceanView will also be available on the company’s Ocean.com website.
Through the app, viewers can select from an array of more than 150 full episodes of “Ocean Original” shows like “The Voyager” with Josh Garcia (airs weekly on NBC), “Ocean Treks” with Jeff Corwin, and “Vacation Creation” with Tommy Davidson and Andrea Feczko (both air weekly on ABC). The app also includes the show “Good Spirits”, as well as 30 short-form episodes of two original series, “Go” and “Local Eyes”.
The app will also allow viewers to watch a collection of videos from the corporation’s cruise brands. These videos include: new-ship christening ceremonies featuring royalty and celebrities, the mesmerizing process of ship design and construction, elegant culinary creations from world-renowned chefs, and ship attractions.
Carnival Corporation starting it’s own video-streaming platform is a risky move, but is also an innovative idea. At Abelow PR, a luxury lifestyle and travel PR agency, we have also worked with business and technology within the travel industry. we believe this idea is out of the box and innovative. This idea can be very beneficial to the brand, but it could also backfire and not help the brand. Below are some pros and cons of OceanView Mobile.
Pros:
- Great way to grow connection with existing Carnival customers
- Great way to foster new relationship with non-Carnival customers
- Gives viewers a behind the scenes look of the cruise ship industry
- Expands viewers knowledge of cruise ship and travel industry
- Watching the programs can inspire viewers to plan a cruise in the future
Cons:
- Consumers might become oversaturated with cruise content and might not want to experience cruises first hand
- May only attract one type of audience: cruise enthusiasts
John Padgett, chief experience and innovation officer for Carnival Corporation, states, “Our ‘Ocean Originals’ already are the most popular travel series in the U.S., and now travel fans around the world can watch their favorite shows anytime they want, from wherever they are.” Padgett then elaborates on the project. “Our ability to extend consumer brand engagement from broadcast TV to all major video-on-demand platforms, all major over-the-top platforms, and all major mobile platforms is unprecedented in the travel industry. This allows us to showcase the extraordinary experiences available on cruise vacations to millions of potential guests, and to help them get excited about where they’ll go next, whenever they prefer.”
Carnival Corporation’s creation and strategic distribution of captivating and authentic content is part of the company’s larger strategy to increase awareness and demand for cruise vacations. The three network shows (stated above) consistently rank as number one or number two in their time slots. With cruise vacations growing 20 percent faster than land-based vacations, and with more people than ever taking cruise vacations in 2018, the strong ratings are further evidence that global interest in cruise vacations is becoming more popular.