This month includes the newest technology on cruise ships, Emirates airlines check-in terminals and Ocean 27, a women-only bridge.
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ICEbreaker
December 2019
This month’s articles include the analysis of the newest technology on cruise ships from champagne buttons to selfie check-ins, Emirates airlines shores Dubai’s position as a cruise destination with check-in terminals and Ocean 27, an historic women-only cruise with The Celebrity Edge.
A big highlight for us in November was Richie’s session at The International Cruise Summit on Data – the New Gold. Richie was moderating and was joined by Clare Ward from Fred Olsen Cruises, Luca Pronzati from MSC, Tony Roberts from Princess Cruises and Adam Sharp from Royal Caribbean. It was one of the best attended sessions of the day and a hot topic, there were so many audience questions we had to extend the session by 10 minutes. Thanks to everyone who came along and got involved.
We’re looking forward to the CLIA Executive Partner Summit in Miami from 11th December. Richie, wearing his CLIA Executive Partner Technology Initiative Chair hat, will be running a business session on customer data pre and on-board on Friday 13th at the Mandarin Oriental. See you then if not before.
Until then,
Ian Richardson (Richie) and Conor Byrne (ICE's founders)
Infographic of the month
Quote of the month
"We are increasingly seeing the Cyber Essentials scheme being used successful as a scaffold for the smallest of organisations to implement basic cyber security controls. The assessment questions are a way for small companies to become more educated and question their IT providers on security controls, helping to protect their business"
Dr Emma Philpott, MBE, CEO, The IASME Consortium Ltd
Number of the month
$61 billion
This is the amount airlines and airports will spend on IT in 2019, up from the $50bn spent the previous year.
Cruise ship technology has become a critical differentiator as cruise ships battle for better engagement with their customers. Three main trends include: wi-fi internet connection at sea (with Royal Caribbean claiming the fastest internet at sea at the moment; on-board apps to empower customers to book services and view room charges; and more secure on-board connections for passengers conducting their business at sea. More...
From selfie check-ins on The Celebrity Edge to a voice-activated system called Zoe who can answer over 800 questions for guests on MSC’s newest ships; the cruise industry is using apps and tech to make passengers feel at home at sea. Meanwhile, the Scarlet Lady, Virgin Voyages’ first cruise ship allows passengers to shake their phones to order champagne. More...
While women account for just 2% of the world’s mariners, the new $1bn Celebrity Edge will make history on International Women’s Day as the first ever cruise ship to sail with an entirely female bridge and officer team, numbering 27 women. More...
Emirates airlines is opening its first check-in terminal counters for cruise passengers at Port Rashid. The airline said the new terminal will enhance Dubai’s position as a premier international cruise destination. In the next six months, 198 cruise ships are expected to dock at Port Rashid where approximately 280,000 passengers will have onward Emirates flights. More...
Three travel-induced dangers to look out for. One – time zone disruption can lead to lethargy and gastrointestinal issues. Avoid it by setting your watch to the time of your destination. Two – dehydration can impede function of cells and organs. Avoid by drinking lots of water and avoiding alcohol and salty snacks. Three – poor blood flow can lead to severe conditions like DVT. Avoid by staying active and elevating feet. Stay healthy travellers…More...
An examination of the privacy policies of Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, Apple and Amazon reveals how much these tech giants know about you. Facebook is especially data-hungry, gathering information on work, income level, race, religion, political views, and the ads you click as well as your phone number, email address, location, and the type of devices you use. More...
Google Maps has introduced a new translation functionality from Google Translate that helps users navigate a place by speaking the destination’s name and address aloud in the local language. There will be support for 50 languages in the first instance. More...
A new tech, called Artificial Leaf, that mimics the way plants use photosynthesis, converts carbon dioxide into liquid fuel using sunlight. Research scientists are hoping the breakthrough will be embraced by oil, steel and automotive companies to reduce their carbon emissions. More...
A production company plans to bring James Dean back from the dead digitally using full-body CGI, alongside existing footage and photos. The Rebel without a Cause actor will become the second lead in a Vietnamese war film called Finding Jack. Dean won’t be the last actor to be raised from the dead…A licensing firm announced it holds the rights to 400 dead celebrities. More...
We are Ian RichardsonandConor Byrne, the founders ofICE, an IT consultancy that specializes in the travel industry. We're sending you our monthly newsletter ICEbreaker because we already work for you, or because we'd love to have a conversation with you. Please email us if you'd like to get in touch.
Ian Richardson
Conor Bryne
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