Carnival Cruise UX Design

Carnival Cruise Line Booking eCommerce UX Design (2013)

Carnival Cruise Line is a US-based international cruise line and the largest subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc, the world's largest leisure travel company. Their online cruise booking process was complex, requiring passengers to configure multiple variables — passengers, cabins, cabin grades, dining preferences, flights, and hotel packages — across a multi-step journey. The existing flow needed a UX redesign to reduce drop-off and improve conversion.

Challenge

• Complex multi-step booking process covering passengers, cabin selection, dining, flights, hotels, and payment caused high drop-off rates.

• Cabin selection was particularly complex with multiple grades (Suite, Balcony, Outside, Inside), deck positions, room numbers, and bed configurations.

• Add-on packages (pre/post cruise hotels, flights, dining upgrades) needed clear presentation without overwhelming the user.

• Goal: Simplify the booking journey to reduce steps and improve conversion.

Solution

• Explored multiple user journey variations through hand-drawn sketches, testing different step sequences and where to surface pricing to optimise conversion.

• Designed a 4-step wireframed booking flow: Step 1 (party details, URN for returning customers, passenger ages), Step 2 (cabin selection with grade filtering, room imagery, floor plans, deck plans, and bed configuration), Step 3 (packages & benefits including flights, pre/post cruise hotels with room allocation), Step 4 (dining preferences with Club Dining and Freedom Dining options, seating times, and table size).

• Created a persistent booking summary header showing cruise details, ship, dates, party size, cabin selections, and running price total across all steps.

Results

• Delivered a streamlined booking UX from sketches through to production wireframes.

• Simplified a complex multi-variable booking process into a clear 4-step journey.

• Improved cabin selection experience with visual browsing, grade filtering, and inline configuration.