1 4 0 INTERV IEW Enabling at-sea communication Cruise lines must diversify their onboard communication offerings to meet the connectivity needs of multiple passenger demographics. Pramod Arora of Wireless Maritime Services tells Elly Yates-Roberts why The cruise industry is diversifying. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the cruising had grown significantly in popularity, with operators carrying 29.7 million passengers in 2019 compared with just over 17 million in 2009, according to research from Cruise Market Watch. The demographics associated with cruising have also changed to include people of all ages and backgrounds, and with this, so have the connectivity needs of passengers. “There is now a broad spectrum of people using onboard communication,” says Pramod Arora, president and CEO of Wireless Maritime Services (WMS). “At one end of the spectrum are occasional users, who may only make and receive a few calls and texts while at sea, or check their emails infrequently. For those passengers, pay-as-you-go pricing would be appropriate as it gives them control and bills them only for the small amount of service they use. “At the other end of the spectrum are heavy streamers, who may make Zoom calls, play online games, watch online videos or frequently use video-centric social media applications. Many cruise lines offer streaming wi-fi packages that cater to these passengers’ needs.” According to Arora, cruise lines should create a passenger-focused product and communication ecosystem that enables people to choose the right package for their connectivity needs. “To maximise guest satisfaction and revenue, it’s important for cruise operators to understand that one type of onboard communication offering will not fit all passengers; rather they must provide a wide spectrum of several services like cellular and wi-fi,” says Arora. “Instead of forcing passengers to make a choice between one or the other, cruise lines should create a user-friendly ecosystem that lets the passenger pick what fits them best. “If the passenger needs to be reachable at sea but uses small amounts of data, then a cellular package could be a perfect choice for them, but it is not ideal for streaming a movie on Netflix. A corporate user, on the other hand, might value seamlessness and security of cellular connectivity. The use cases are diverse and keep evolving, and so do the products and technologies. Helping passengers understand these services “ It ’s important to understand that one type of onboard communication offering will not fit all”
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