151 standards and regulations, whereas others want to go far beyond that to track the sustainability credentials of all the materials and products we use for the interiors. Generally, European clients are much further ahead in their sustainability journey than those from the USA but it’s vital to invest in this area because younger generations are especially conscious of their environmental footprints and they’re the passengers of the future. AS: Today, it’s very rare that we get a design brief where a client hasn’t mentioned sustainability, which is why we’ve dedicated a whole section of our reference library to environmentally friendly materials and products. However, we’re yet to find an elegant way of communicating the significant efforts they’re making to the guests. It’s easy to create a sustainability story around switching to a less polluting fuel, but how do shipowners convey to guests that the fabrics on the armchairs was the most eco-friendly option available? JW: To make sustainable interior design choices more visible to guests, we need to track sustainability at a granular level and demonstrate the full environmental impact of all the elements throughout every stage of their lifecycle. This information would include data on the impact of everything from sourcing the raw materials to manufacturing the products, shipping them to and installing them on the vessel, their daily use, and what happens when they reach the end of useful life. We’re already doing this for interior designs on land, so the passenger shipping industry is a little behind here. ROUNDTABLE “Sourcetoad’s OnDeck passenger app allows for guests to easily manage their own reservations, itineraries, folios and payments pre-cruise and while onboard their vessel. Meanwhile, crew can use the backend event management and notification systems to alert guests of delays, updates, or any other notifications. Having a pre-built mobile application has saved cruise lines millions of dollars in development and overhead costs. The customisations available allow cruise lines to provide a sophisticated and brand-appropriate experience for guests. The mobile app has had an 86 per cent penetration rate with passengers, making disruptive public announcements and long lines at guest services a thing of the past.” Greg Ross-Munro CEO, Sourcetoad “MXP365 is a new, feature-rich, cost-effective and cruise linebranded bring-your-own-device application that can be used by guests the moment they book a cruise. It uses the advanced capabilities of the MXP enterprise platform to enable guests to check in pre-cruise, update their preferences, purchase packages, log maintenance requests, track their luggage and book shore excursions, restaurants, onboard activities, spa and beauty treatments, fitness classes, and more. MXP has become the obvious choice for all cruise operators who are looking for more features in a fully integrated solution.” Going mobile for an enhanced experience MarineXChange and Sourcetoad highlight how their mobile applications are enabling guests to manage everything from check-in to payments and booking activities Hannes Lindthaler Managing Director, MarineXchange
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