Okura Cruise
The Okura Cruise website delivers an immersive user experience for a luxury dining cruise on the Chao Phraya River, showcasing its identity, cuisine packages, and stunning visuals to engage users and drive bookings.
Role
Visual & UX Designer
Client
Okura Cruise
Industry
Hospitality and Tourism
Year
2024
Challenge
The main challenge was the tight timeline set by the stakeholder. This required the team to move quickly and strategically, guided by user research and business goals, the team prioritized key features like responsive design, clear package details, and a smooth navigation, ensuring the site launched on time while remaining intuitive, visually engaging, and high-quality.
Challenge
The main challenge was the tight timeline set by the stakeholder. This required the team to move quickly and strategically, guided by user research and business goals, the team prioritized key features like responsive design, clear package details, and a smooth navigation, ensuring the site launched on time while remaining intuitive, visually engaging, and high-quality.
Challenge
The main challenge was the tight timeline set by the stakeholder. This required the team to move quickly and strategically, guided by user research and business goals, the team prioritized key features like responsive design, clear package details, and a smooth navigation, ensuring the site launched on time while remaining intuitive, visually engaging, and high-quality.
Stakeholder & Internal Alignment
We kicked off the project with a focused meeting involving stakeholders and the internal team to clarify business goals, brand direction, and the desired user experience. This session also helped define the primary target users (e.g. Bangkok-based customers seeking luxury dining experiences) and key success metrics for the launch.
Stakeholder & Internal Alignment
We kicked off the project with a focused meeting involving stakeholders and the internal team to clarify business goals, brand direction, and the desired user experience. This session also helped define the primary target users (e.g. Bangkok-based customers seeking luxury dining experiences) and key success metrics for the launch.
Stakeholder & Internal Alignment
We kicked off the project with a focused meeting involving stakeholders and the internal team to clarify business goals, brand direction, and the desired user experience. This session also helped define the primary target users (e.g. Bangkok-based customers seeking luxury dining experiences) and key success metrics for the launch.
Rapid User Research
Given the project's tight timeline, we found that conducting an online survey was the most efficient way to collect user insights quickly and at scale. It allowed us to reach a broad audience and identify key user segments, such as local professionals, occasion-based diners, and tourists. The results provided a strong foundation for data-driven design decisions and persona creation.
Rapid User Research
Given the project's tight timeline, we found that conducting an online survey was the most efficient way to collect user insights quickly and at scale. It allowed us to reach a broad audience and identify key user segments, such as local professionals, occasion-based diners, and tourists. The results provided a strong foundation for data-driven design decisions and persona creation.
Rapid User Research
Given the project's tight timeline, we found that conducting an online survey was the most efficient way to collect user insights quickly and at scale. It allowed us to reach a broad audience and identify key user segments, such as local professionals, occasion-based diners, and tourists. The results provided a strong foundation for data-driven design decisions and persona creation.
What We Learned
68% of participants book dinner cruises for special occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries, making it important to design the experience around moments worth celebrating.
68% of participants book dinner cruises for special occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries, making it important to design the experience around moments worth celebrating.
Clear pricing and visual presentation are top priorities—users want to understand what’s included and be visually impressed before making a decision.
Clear pricing and visual presentation are top priorities—users want to understand what’s included and be visually impressed before making a decision.
Trust and clarity are major barriers to booking, especially when the booking process or package information feels vague or incomplete.
Trust and clarity are major barriers to booking, especially when the booking process or package information feels vague or incomplete.
Mobile websites (44%) and social media apps (40%) are the most common booking channels, emphasizing the need for a mobile-first design with seamless social integration.
Mobile websites (44%) and social media apps (40%) are the most common booking channels, emphasizing the need for a mobile-first design with seamless social integration.
Information Architecture
The information architecture was defined before design and iteration to ensure a well-structured website. It guides users through the experience intuitively, reducing friction and supporting a smooth, goal-driven journey that contributes to increased bookings.
Information Architecture
The information architecture was defined before design and iteration to ensure a well-structured website. It guides users through the experience intuitively, reducing friction and supporting a smooth, goal-driven journey that contributes to increased bookings.
Information Architecture
The information architecture was defined before design and iteration to ensure a well-structured website. It guides users through the experience intuitively, reducing friction and supporting a smooth, goal-driven journey that contributes to increased bookings.
Mobile-First Approach
Using insights from research, we began designing with a mobile-first mindset, starting with sketched ideas and wireframes to explore layout and flow. This approach ensured responsiveness and accessibility from the ground up. The team worked in focused sprints to deliver high-impact components—prioritizing key flows like homepage navigation, package browsing, and booking.
Mobile-First Approach
Using insights from research, we began designing with a mobile-first mindset, starting with sketched ideas and wireframes to explore layout and flow. This approach ensured responsiveness and accessibility from the ground up. The team worked in focused sprints to deliver high-impact components—prioritizing key flows like homepage navigation, package browsing, and booking.
Mobile-First Approach
Using insights from research, we began designing with a mobile-first mindset, starting with sketched ideas and wireframes to explore layout and flow. This approach ensured responsiveness and accessibility from the ground up. The team worked in focused sprints to deliver high-impact components—prioritizing key flows like homepage navigation, package browsing, and booking.
High-fidelity Prototype
We created a high-fidelity prototype to validate key user flows, focusing on mobile and desktop usability. Quick testing with internal users and target audience reps helped us identify pain points and refine the experience. Feedback was applied immediately, ensuring a smooth, user-friendly journey before final development—without delaying the timeline.
High-fidelity Prototype
We created a high-fidelity prototype to validate key user flows, focusing on mobile and desktop usability. Quick testing with internal users and target audience reps helped us identify pain points and refine the experience. Feedback was applied immediately, ensuring a smooth, user-friendly journey before final development—without delaying the timeline.
High-fidelity Prototype
We created a high-fidelity prototype to validate key user flows, focusing on mobile and desktop usability. Quick testing with internal users and target audience reps helped us identify pain points and refine the experience. Feedback was applied immediately, ensuring a smooth, user-friendly journey before final development—without delaying the timeline.
Design System
The design system—consisting of colors, typography, buttons, and logos—ensures visual consistency and brand recognition across every touchpoint. It allows the team to create new pages or components efficiently while maintaining a cohesive look and feel. This consistency not only enhances user trust but also reinforces the cruise’s luxury identity in every interaction.
Design System
The design system—consisting of colors, typography, buttons, and logos—ensures visual consistency and brand recognition across every touchpoint. It allows the team to create new pages or components efficiently while maintaining a cohesive look and feel. This consistency not only enhances user trust but also reinforces the cruise’s luxury identity in every interaction.
Design System
The design system—consisting of colors, typography, buttons, and logos—ensures visual consistency and brand recognition across every touchpoint. It allows the team to create new pages or components efficiently while maintaining a cohesive look and feel. This consistency not only enhances user trust but also reinforces the cruise’s luxury identity in every interaction.
Final Website Design
All design decisions from the user-focused information architecture to the cohesive, brand-aligned design system came together to deliver a mobile-first experience, followed by a fully responsive website that adapts seamlessly across devices. By prioritizing usability, clarity, and visual impact, the final product meets user expectations, strengthens trust, and reflects Okura Cruise’s premium positioning, ultimately driving engagement and action.
Final Website Design
All design decisions from the user-focused information architecture to the cohesive, brand-aligned design system came together to deliver a mobile-first experience, followed by a fully responsive website that adapts seamlessly across devices. By prioritizing usability, clarity, and visual impact, the final product meets user expectations, strengthens trust, and reflects Okura Cruise’s premium positioning, ultimately driving engagement and action.
Final Website Design
All design decisions from the user-focused information architecture to the cohesive, brand-aligned design system came together to deliver a mobile-first experience, followed by a fully responsive website that adapts seamlessly across devices. By prioritizing usability, clarity, and visual impact, the final product meets user expectations, strengthens trust, and reflects Okura Cruise’s premium positioning, ultimately driving engagement and action.
Key Takeaways
This project successfully delivered a responsive, user-focused website that reflects the premium identity of Okura Cruise and meets business goals by increasing user engagement and driving bookings. The main challenge was the tight timeline, which required us to move quickly through each phase while still maintaining the quality and structure of a thoughtful design process. Rapid decision-making, clear priorities, and strong team collaboration were essential to keeping pace.
For future projects, starting user testing earlier and incorporating real-time analytics would allow for more data-informed refinements and further optimize the overall user experience.
Key Takeaways
This project successfully delivered a responsive, user-focused website that reflects the premium identity of Okura Cruise and meets business goals by increasing user engagement and driving bookings. The main challenge was the tight timeline, which required us to move quickly through each phase while still maintaining the quality and structure of a thoughtful design process. Rapid decision-making, clear priorities, and strong team collaboration were essential to keeping pace.
For future projects, starting user testing earlier and incorporating real-time analytics would allow for more data-informed refinements and further optimize the overall user experience.
Key Takeaways
This project successfully delivered a responsive, user-focused website that reflects the premium identity of Okura Cruise and meets business goals by increasing user engagement and driving bookings. The main challenge was the tight timeline, which required us to move quickly through each phase while still maintaining the quality and structure of a thoughtful design process. Rapid decision-making, clear priorities, and strong team collaboration were essential to keeping pace.
For future projects, starting user testing earlier and incorporating real-time analytics would allow for more data-informed refinements and further optimize the overall user experience.
