By Alec Wood, PhD
Think about your last flying experience
If you flew Cathay Pacific, you may have taken a breather from the airport’s hubbub in your airline’s lounge, where elegant and calming music put you at ease. Then you boarded the plane and are settled yourself to the sound of music that reminded you of the comfort of the lounge, a sonic background palette evoking feelings of security.
As you got situated and prepared for takeoff, the screen in front of you began playing a video, something about buckling up, accompanied by a related musical composition reminding you of the airline’s core values. And when you landed, and the now familiar musical landscape returns once more.
Many airlines have been catching on to how sonic design can help shape brand identity across touchpoints and also make travelling feel safer, relaxing, and more luxurious. Some—such as, of course, Cathay, and Etihad have adopted comprehensive sonic branding strategies integrating all the above touchpoints into a coherent brand narrative and luxury travel experience.
A customer experience that flows from zone to zone
Cruises, like flights, are more than travel experiences they deliver brand worlds, moving passengers through different spaces, moods and destinations. They may be luxury experiences where attention to detail is paramount and where all elements of the journey must be carefully integrated.
But cruise lines have been slow to harness the special affective and branding powers of sound. There are isolated efforts to curate the soundscapes of these maritime odysseys, but few have taken the leap to develop a comprehensive sonic identity and strategy.
This involves thinking holistically about the soundscape of the experience as a whole, the sonic identity of the brand, and how these two things interface. From gangplank (or jetway) to announcement signals, it involves using sound and music to both inspire memorability and emotional connection and to make the journeys feel more relaxing, unique, and crafted.
Let’s take a look at how Cathay Pacific and Etihad have exploited the power of sound and then reflect on what cruise lines stand to gain from a coherent sonic strategy.
Cathay Pacific: A Seamless Sonic Journey
Cathay Pacific, the official airline of Hong Kong centered the sound of its traveler touchpoints in an original composition called “Song of Cathay”〈國泰躍韻〉.
The song’s airy pentatonic melody conveys a sentiment of lightness and flight, capturing the airline’s “Move Beyond” Spirit. Sixième Son’s composers also flew to Hong Kong to capture the sounds of the city, recording everywhere from the steps of the Big Buddha to the bustling bird market, incorporating into the music echoes of Hong Kong’s vibrant soundscape, of the airline’s home. Variations of the tune replete with strings, piano, harp, and drums were produced and played across airport lounges, aircraft, the Cathay Shop at Cityplaza, mobile apps, and global contact center hotlines, inspiring emotional connection at every stage of the customer journey.
Onboard, extended musical variations adapt to the time of day: more rhythmic arrangements during daytime flights, and softer, more atmospheric versions at night.
In Cathay’s lounges, curated soundscapes reflect the purpose of each space, from elegant dining areas to more serene wellbeing zones. Each atmosphere is distinct, yet connected through a consistent musical identity
Etihad: Sonic Consistency from Ground to Air
The luxury Emirati airline Etihad implemented a comprehensive sonic identity featuring music across boarding and landing (that varies according not only to time, but destination as well), hold lines, radio, digital, and brand films. They created 50 adaptions for different destinations (India, Morocco), partnerships (F1, Manchester), and national highlights (Eid, Ramadan).
The music—blending traditional Emirati and digital instruments—is inspired by al Sadu, a traditional Emirati weaving method known for its exquisite geometrical designs and artisanship. Their sonic identity indelibly weaves together brand values, cultural heritage, and the special ability of sound to calm the nerves and inspire safety, to render their flights all the more serene, unique, and luxurious.
Beyond Airlines: Venice Simplon-Orient Express sounds Luxury in Motion
While not an airline, Belmond’s Venice Simpon-Orient-Express is another illustrative example of how sound can round out a multisensory travel and hospitality experience. In 2022, Sixième Son curated the music playlists and soundscapes for the lavish, history-infused train rides that the VSOE takes passengers on between Paris, Venice, Istanbul, and various other European destinations. The goal of the music and sound was to evoke a feeling of “contemporary nostalgia,” filling sumptuous, century-old train cars with novel sounds. Pianists were also curated to give passengers a varied live musical experience. From start to finish, sound plays a central role in producing unforgettable, irreplicable memories and bringing VSOE’s synesthetic opulence fully to life.
How Cruise Lines Have Deployed Sonic—And How They Can Improve
Cruise lines have begun exploring the potential of sonic branding, although many initiatives remain focused on individual touchpoints rather than a comprehensive strategy. Research on the cruise experience has shown how the onboard environment can influence passengers’ emotions and perceptions (Kwortnik, 2008). Recent initiatives suggest a growing awareness of the role of sound in shaping the travel experience.
For example, Norwegian Cruise Line created the “Free the Beat” program, commissioning songwriters to compose material inspired by the voyages and destinations they offer, then using it in guest-facing channels and destination-specific onboard playlists. Disney Cruise Line has also explored how music can extend the cruise experience beyond the ship itself.
Alongside the music for several campaigns across TV, digital and cinema, Sixième Son worked with Disney Cruise Line on immersive brand activations at Singapore’s Changi Airport.
At Jewel, around the Rain Vortex, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, Sixième Son created the music for “The Magic of Adventure” light and music show, bringing to life characters from the Disney Adventure’s seven themed areas.
At Terminal 2’s Wonderfall, familiar Disney melodies were reimagined to extend those same worlds, building anticipation for the journey before passengers even set sail.
These examples show how sound can enhance the cruise experience at different stages of the journey. But there is still room to go further, connecting these moments through a cohesive sonic branding strategy. How can cruise lines enjoy the same sonic benefits airlines have been enjoying?
Think first about the music for embarkation and disembarkation, just as airlines do. These can often be stressful moments for passengers waiting in long lines. Sound can intervene here to inspire a feeling of anticipation. Immersive soundscapes can be produced that vary depending on the destination, the stage of the journey, or the season the cruise is undergone. And even depending on the time of day: “circadian soundscapes” of this sort have already been effectively applied across other forms of luxury hospitality.
Just like Cathay features different music and soundscapes across thematic zones in its lounges, different areas of the cruise ship can be framed with different soundscapes—the Lido Deck more lively, the Spa more serene. Cohesive UI sounds could be used across apps, elevators, websites, in-cabin devices, and on-board announcements, while the same sonic identity could extend to TV commercials, digital advertising, social media campaigns, and promotional videos.
A proprietary Sonic DNA serves as the palette for music and sounds across all these touchpoints, integrating them into a cohesive whole and give the entire trip a distinctive feel or tenor.
And when the cruise is over, hearing that same musical identity in an advertisement or video can bring memories of the journey flooding back, strengthening the emotional connection with the brand and inspiring the next voyage.
