Help Center

Overview

There are many questions that people have when booking and going on a cruise vacation. The NCL website contains a plethora of information for customers regarding booking a cruise, ship details, pricing, safety measures, and a lot more. Many of their questions can be answered easily from the website. However since the information is not organized and accessible, users call the toll free 1-800 number which is costly for NCL to run.

The Challenge

Create an easy to use help center on the site that users can visit to get answers for questions they have at any point of their NCL experience. Users finding the answers themselves will lead to a reduction of customer service calls.

My Role

My What if there was an effective digital method of coping with mental health?

Role
UX Designer

Length
4 Sprints over 4 months

Team
Business Analyst, Strategist, Copywriter, Visual Designer, Third Party Testing Company

Platform
Responsive Desktop and Mobile

Discovery

User Research

The majority of cruise passengers are 50+ years old, particularly retirees with disposable income and flexible schedules. However, there is growing interest among millennials (25-40) and families, drawn to adventure-focused and budget-friendly options. Cruisers fall into two main groups: repeat travelers (70-80%), who seek loyalty perks and premium experiences, and first-timers (20-30%), who are often younger and budget-conscious. Income typically ranges from $75K-$150K, with mainstream cruise lines appealing to cost-conscious travelers and luxury lines attracting wealthier guests. Over half of bookings are made online, with younger travelers favoring smartphone apps, while many older passengers prefer booking through travel agents or phone representatives for a more personalized experience.

Cruise Help Search Habits

Cruise Line’s Website

Most travelers, especially repeat cruisers, rely on the cruise line’s website and FAQs for quick, official information. However, key details are often buried or lack depth, forcing users to contact customer support for more complex inquiries.
Live Support Options

First-time cruisers and older passengers prefer calling customer service, while younger, tech-savvy travelers are turning to live chat. Speaking with a representative allows for personalized support, but common frustrations include long wait times and limited call/chat hours.
Social Media Forums

Many travelers seek real passenger insights on Facebook groups, Reddit, and cruise forums, where they find honest, unfiltered opinions. While these sources provide valuable firsthand experiences, the information isn’t official, requiring users to practice discernment before trusting advice.

Define

User Goal

There are many questions that people have when booking and going on a cruise vacation.

Business Goal

The NCL website contains a plethora of information for customers regarding booking a cruise, ship details, pricing, safety measures, and a lot more.

By doing an audit of NCL’s current website, creating a competitive analysis, and taking into consideration the market insights, we were able to come up with changes to address user needs.

Create a centralized Help Center hub 
There are multiple forms of content where users can get answers to their questions such as an FAQs page, blog articles, traveler guides, and a search bar dedicated for help. Creating a designated page to contain the help content along with the contact phone number ensures users can quickly find answers without frustration.
Make the Content Contextual 
Since the user may be logged into the NCL website when accessing the Help page, why not display the most pertinent information according where they are in their travel journey?
Reorganize the FAQs into easy to understand Categories 
An easy way to help users find the question they are asking is to group them into easy to understand buckets, while making sure the language is understandable to both experienced and first-time cruisers.
Highlight Ask a Guest 
While NCL has a separate forum dedicated for guests to ask and answer each other’s questions, it is hidden away. Highlighting this forum on the Help Center hub gives it more accessibility and empowers the existing cruise community.

How might we empower our users to get the help they are searching for?

Solution

Introduce your brand

There are many questions that people have when booking and going on a cruise vacation. The NCL website contains a plethora of information for customers regarding booking a cruise, ship details, pricing, safety measures, and a lot more.

Centralized Help Center Hub

There are many questions that people have when booking and going on a cruise vacation. The NCL website contains a plethora of information for customers regarding booking a cruise, ship details, pricing, safety measures, and a lot more. Many of their questions can be answered easily from the website. However since the information is not organized and accessible, users call the toll free 1-800 number which is costly for NCL to run.

Help Page Contextual Content

The redesigned Help page delivers a personalized experience by dynamically adjusting content based on the user’s booking status. When logged in, users will see contextually relevant links and information tailored to their journey whether they are exploring options pre-booking, planning excursions post-booking, or preparing for departure. This ensures that the most important resources are easily accessible, reducing search time and improving the overall support experience.

Streamlined & Easy to Navigate FAQs

The new FAQ page ensures users can quickly find answers without feeling overwhelmed. By implementing clear, intuitive categories and strategically using design patterns like accordions, the page maintains a clean, organized layout that presents the breadth of information efficiently. This approach enhances readability, reduces cognitive load, and makes self service support more user friendly.

Ask a Guest: Community Powered Answers

With the Ask a Guest section, users gain access to real world insights from experienced travelers when their questions go beyond the official FAQs. This feature leverages user generated content to provide practical advice, strengthen the cruise community, and enhance the overall support experience

Takeaways

Key Learnings

This project provided valuable insights into cruise culture and the power of community-driven knowledge in creating a more effective Help Center.

Cruisers Are a Connected Community