Wanted - 288,000 cruisers with an iPhone. That is the estimated number of annual cruise passengers who currently own an iPhone. How do we get there? First, let me state 100% market share is unreasonable - even being the first in a niche and having a really cool product.
There will be 16 million cruisers in 2009, so lets assume 90% own cell phone and 2% have an iPhone or iTouch1. The maximum total market potential in 2009 is 288,000 or about 24,000 per month. Assuming 10% success that is 28,800 user sign-ups per year. FYI smartphones are growing at an annual rate of 21%.
What is the marketing plan?
a) Talk about the app to everyone I can at Seatrade (Cruise Shipping Miami) conference
b) Develop social media relationships using Twitter, Facebook etc,
c) Drop the low $1.99 cent price point for version 1.0 for travel agents who are participating in the Cruise Pulse Survey Panel and bloggers interested in reviewing the iPhone application.2 All version 1.0 users will receive free upgrade to version 2.0 which will have more sophisticated "who's cruising" features and launch about two weeks later.
What exactly does this thing do? Not ready to reveal, but I welcome your guesses in the comments field below. The app will be submitted to Apple store soon. You can pre-register now to be notified when we make the app live. We will also provide a flash demo at www.alwaysbecruising.com when launched.
Stay tuned; I’ll be posting progress reports and user numbers here.
1Estimated number of iPhones and iTouches at end of 2009, 60 million, about 2% of cell phone market. (1)
2Hello bloggers! Are you interested in reviewing the Always Be Cruising iPhone application?
www.cruisemarketwatch.com, teamed up with Mplugged.com to develop the world's first iPhone application for cruisers. We're looking for a few good bloggers who would like to receive it free (only an iPhone required). All we ask is that you use it and review it.
What does it do? You will have to try it to see. If this sounds like fun, go to www.alwaysbecruising.com and enter your name and email address. (We'll never use your information in any way other than to get the iPhone application to you). One confession, these pennies come out of our pockets and we just can't afford to give the app away to everyone. But if you are a blogger with an iPhone and the cruise bug, expect your notice to download the app in you email first part of June.
A new iPod/iPad app for cruise information is PortPal (www.portpal.net).
It provides ship itineraries, port information, weather, maps, and guides (restaurants, hotels,etc.).
List Cunard ships currently (Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria).
Adding more ships and ports soon.
I am a travel agent and would love to have this App.
If you are a Celebrity Cruises fan try our deck plan app. It allows you to view deck plans offline for all celebrity ships.
Search for “Celebrity Cruises” on app store.
Cool George thanks for the info!
Ok we are starting August here…is the app available? Not sure what exactly your app is offering, but I’m planning a 20th Anniversary cruise for wife and I. And we cruise regularly. So I can think of a bunch of things an app could help you with.
I do blog and I’m a travel agent, I have an iPod Touch, and I love to cruise! Really looking forward to this app!!
I write the What a Trip blog and am currently writing this e-mail while on board the Carnival Splendor sailing out of the San Francisco bay area.
Keep me posted. Thanks for following me on Twitter @Nancydbrown
I am a tour director on cruise ships all over the world and have had the pleasure of more than 130 cruises so far, on all seven seas.
would love to get your app soonest
and if I can help promoting, tell me how
willi
Hi,
I am not a blogger but I do cruise and have an iphone (which I adore). Please let me know when this app becomes available.
Thanks
Will most certainly do. Thanks for getting onboard.