Cruise & Ferry Review - Autumn/Winter 2021

1 3 2 Hotel operations teams set impeccable standards across every onboard public area. Richard Humphreys asks some of the key players from the supplier community about the products and services that enable onboard teams to improve the guest experience Hotel operations FEATURE Daniel Lockyer, Head of Interiors Darren Smith, Head of Business Development at The SMS Group ”During the pause in cruise operations, we conducted a review of the company’s supply chain with regards to the gold standard of sustainability, carbon neutrality, and antimicrobial materials and lighting. Taking the lead from the end user – the paying passenger – it became apparent that cruise operators are facing an increasing number of queries about their green credentials. Social and environmental responsibility is definitely becoming important to the average consumer. Our entire supply chain now replicates the best-in-class carbon-neutral credentials and antimicrobial materials. We’re comfortably ahead of the game, we’ve considered the owners’ challenging budgets, and we look forward to passing our innovations and endeavours to the hotel operation teams within our core customer base as economically as possible.” “Cashless technology is transforming the cruise industry. Intercard, a pioneer in the field with over 30 years of innovation experience, has always been at the forefront of the cashless evolution. We have brought our proven, cashless technology onboard digitally connected cruise and ro-pax vessels, allowing passengers to spend more time enjoying the onboard experiences and less time paying for them. Intercard’s cashless technology lets guests use one card for all ancillary services including arcades, laundry service, attractions and dining. Our systems integrate with leading management systems, and we have developed integrations for Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises. Recently, we have also integrated with cruise line property management system provider OTALIO for the launch of MSC Virtuosa. Our system can control multiple global sites from a central office or allow for offline operations.” Alex Orban, Global Business Development Manager at Intercard