What a Cruise Taught Me About UX Research

Date: 2024, Skills: research planning, user interviews, research analysis

Stepping Into the Field (and Onto a Ship)

In November 2024, I had a chance to travel on a cruise ship for my very first UX research field study. I was joining a team of 13 people from product and design, and we were about to spend several days at sea, getting to know each other after several month working only remotly, talking to customers, and running workshops.

Until then, most of my research experience had been remote or desk-based. This was different. It was immersive, real-time, and personal. And it gave me something that no slide deck or interview transcript ever could – context.

Preparations

Before I even stepped my foot on the ship, I was part of the planning process, which meant I had a hand in crafting the questions, thinking through the goals, and collaborating with colleagues on logistics. We had to make sure we had enough interviewers to run the session smoothly and make our participants feel relaxed. After all, it was their time to enjoy the holidays. We didn’t want to make them feel pressured.

Part of the preparation was also connecting with the cruise crew, way before we started our journey, who helped us to recruit participants and organize a place where we could run the study.

Talking to Real People, In Their World

Our team interviewed 20 cruise guests, most of whom were older adults with years of cruising experience. Many had been on many trips, and some had incredibly thoughtful feedback about what makes a cruise great – and what doesn’t.

Talking with the loyal customers made me realize how generous people are when you’re genuinely curious. I saw how powerful it is to speak to people in the moment, in the environment where they actually use the product.

What struck me the most was how much of their decision-making is still grounded in trust and human interaction. That was especially visible listening about their research and booking process.

It was clear, that once on board, the digital experience was tightly woven into their physical journey, and that even small friction points could leave a big impression.

Seeing the Gaps Up Close

Two moments during the trip really stuck with me. One was a technical glitch in the app that caused confusion, and the other was a service-related issue due to miscommunication that we might have missed if we had only taken in-app feedback.

Seeing these issues unfold in real time, once again, made me realize that being a product designer is not only about pain points that happen inside the app, but creating a tool that becomes a travel companion along the whole customer journey.

It also made me think differently about accessibility. Most of the guests we spoke to were older and not always confident using technology. Therefore, they appreciated simplicity, clarity, and reassurance.

Growing as a Researcher

For me personally, this trip was a crash course in applied research. It was a great practice in interviewing with confidence, looking for patterns, and holding space for unexpected insights. Not to mention being able to collaborate with colleagues on improving the experience for our users.

It was a great chance to get more practice in synthesizing insights and prioritizing findings, which, I must admit, are probably my favorite part of the research process.

But more than that, I got to experience the full arc of the research process – from preparation to fieldwork to analysis and ideation. It was incredibly energizing.

One of Those Rare, Transformative Experiences

Outside of the research itself, the trip gave me a rare peek into the behind-the-scenes world of cruise operations. I spoke to crew members, saw how departments collaborate, and began to understand just how complex – and human – the travel industry really is. It added so much nuance to my work that, at that time, was strongly related to cruises.

It was also a deeply bonding experience. Sharing this journey with teammates from different countries and backgrounds brought us closer together.

What I Took Home

This trip reminded me that research isn’t just about collecting data – it’s about understanding people. It’s about stepping into their world, seeing what they see, and asking better questions. And when we do that, we don’t just improve the product – we grow as designers, too.

It also showed me, once again, that all we need to know to make our users happy is to listen to them.