Today we’re looking at innovative cruise technology and in particular at one of our own creations. Developing cutting-edge solutions is no easy feat but thankfully, the cruise industry is replete with innovators. On theICEway, our core values incorporate innovation and as such, we’re constantly striving to go above and beyond. With tzChromar, we believe we have done just that. Read on to find out more about this IT solution for cruise, plus some others we feel have been ‘game changers’.
TzChromar: The Right Time For Cruise
Cruise lines have historically struggled to keep devices on vessels to the relevant ship time / time zone. When sailing, on-board IT management have traditionally adopted one of two methods for changing the time zone aboard a ship. One is to change the ship’s master clock and the other is to manually set the time zone within PMS and POS applications. These are very manual processes which are vitally important to the cruise experience as they allow crew members and guests to have an accurate ship time. Without this, there would be much confusion; for example, when should the crew start their shift? When would a cruise guest get ready to go on an excursion?
tzChromar was designed to make tackling the time zone management issue far easier. With just a couple of button clicks, seamless synchronised time zone updates of all onboard devices are achieved. This unique IT solution for cruise plots the vessel’s current position and then allows for time zone changes to be scheduled or applied instantly. The tzChromar portal and device client product actually enables cruise lines to have a fleet-wide overview of their ships. It also includes 24/7 service desk support and branded application.
TheICEway: Helping With Onboard Device Time Zone Management
When you adopt the tzChromar solution, our team will be on hand to offer advice and support throughout. You can expect full assistance during implementation and then time zone reporting thereafter. The solution has been built to help everyone involved in the time / time zone change process, from ship to shore administrators. We have made it as flexible as possible, with either a cloud-based or individual ship service available. This means that it can be installed on a system as a virtual machine for ships with irregular connectivity. Whilst it will be more beneficial to ships crossing multiple time zones, the feedback we have received suggests that the industry as a whole will benefit. Ultimately, it is the people onboard that we want to help. More specifically, the guests who spend their hard-earned money on cruise holidays.
“The passenger experience is everything... tzChromar can help to make that an even more seamless one.”
– David Tibbles, Product Manager for theICEway
Read FAQs and more about tzChromar, plus watch the explainer video.
Other Great IT Solutions For Cruise
It would be remiss of us not to mention some of the other fantastic solutions out there. After all, innovation is a core value here on theICEway. We love cutting-edge tech, especially when it combats long-standing issues. Here then are three of our favourite solutions which have had a positive impact on the cruise industry:
- Wearable technology (i.e., Royal Caribbean, MSC and Disney’s RFID bracelets which can open cabin doors, make purchases and act as track and trace systems)- Cruise line apps (i.e., Celebrity Cruises have an app for their Edge-class ships that can lock cabin doors, close the curtains, dim the lights and turn on the television)
- Hurtigruten’s battery-hybrid powered ships (these can sail with electric propulsion for 15-30 minutes, helping to reduce fuel consumption and CO2-emissions by up to 20%)
Innovative cruise technology has always been used to augment the overall cruise experience. As we head towards the future, maximising that experience remains an important objective. However, it is also now joined by the increased need to embrace sustainability. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is no longer a mere ‘buzzword’. It is here to stay and very much represents the way of the future.
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