World Cruise & Ferry Innovations

E L P M A S InnovationsOfTheWorld.com

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TOURISM & SIGHTSEEING

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RIVER CRUISE INOVATIONS

CRUISE LINE INNOVATIONS

TECHNOLOGY

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

DESIGN, INTERIORS AND MANUFACTURING

International Group Publisher

Sven Boermeester

VP Innovation

Callie Van Graan

Associate Publisher

Brahm Glickman

Project Manager and Production

Gia Bischofberger

GVPedia Communications

Art Direction and Design

Deep Fried Designs

Global Village CMO

Belinda Van Graan

Web Development Partner

R Griggs

Email: info@globalvillage.world www.GlobalVillage.world www.InnovationsOfTheWorld.com Copyright © Global Village Partnerships ISBN: 978-1-949677-03-4

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WORLD CRUISE AND FERRY INNOVATION VOL.1 SVEN BOERMEESTER - FOUNDER/CEO, INTERNATIONAL GROUP PUBLISHER

World Cruise and Ferry Innovation Vol.1 is a special study and showcase of the best of the Cruise and Ferry innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Embedded in its pages you will find augmented reality videos. By using the free GLOBAL VILLAGE AR app the world of the future will open up before your very eyes.

“World Cruise and Ferry Innovation Vol.1” is a multimedia experience centered around the deluxe hardcover coffee table book you are now holding, along with embedded Augmented Reality video, online web platform, and multilevel social media networking. Online, the full e-book and each story in blog format will be viewed in the millions through the www.Innovationsoftheworld.com online library.

This publication is not just aimed at those involved in the Cruise and Ferry ecosystem, it is meant for all business leaders and decision-makers who can effect change in their industries throughout the world. World Cruise and Ferry Innovation is for open-minded folk who want to know more about the exciting changes that have recently transpired in the this ecosystem, and play an active role in its growth and development.

This inaugural edition of World Cruise and Ferry Innovation Vol.1 is part of a global industry and city series of innovation ecosystem books.

By experiencing World Cruise and Ferry Innovation Vol.1, we are happy to have you as part of our Global Village network. I trust you will join us.

Sven Boermeester Founder / International Group Publisher

Sven Boermeester International Group Publisher

Brahm Glickman Associate Publisher

Gia Bischofberger Project Manager and Production

Callie Van Graan VP Innovations

Belinda van Graan Chief Marketing Officer

IT’S A KIND OF MAGIC...

DOWNLOAD THE GLOBAL VILLAGE AR APP TO VIEW 100 AUGMENTED REALITY VIDEOS IN THIS BOOK! To experience the future of print, download the Global Village AR App from the IOS or Android App stores. Open the App and hold it about 30cm above any page that contains an image with the “play” Icon.

Make sure your back camera is pointing at the page. Click the Play button that appears onscreen and immerse yourself in the latest updated content with reference to that page.

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of the information in The ‘World Cruise and Ferry Innovation’. Neither ‘World Cruise and Ferry Innovation’, nor Global Village World assume any responsibility for errors, omissions or submissions by participants. All rights reserved: No part of this publication shall be reproduced, copied, transmitted, adapted or modified in any form or by any means. This publication shall not be stored in whole or in part in any form in any retrieval system.

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CHAPTER ONE

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CRUISE LINE INNOVATIONS 6

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OCEANWIDE EXPEDITIONS Few industries are more conceptually linked with the idea of innovation than the travel industry. By its very nature, travel is based on the notion of always moving forward, reaching outward, exploring the world around us in different, sometimes daring ways. And few markets within the travel industry represent the outer limits of earthly exploration more than the polar expedition market. In this regard, Oceanwide Expeditions has been a pioneer since its foundation in 1993.

Formed out of a Dutch scientific research program in the University of Groningen, Oceanwide spent its early years building a solid reputation for small-scale, activity-based, highly dynamic voyages that focus on maximum shore time and utmost contact with the exotic polar wildlife.

This was achieved by, among other things, amassing a tough fleet of immaculately renovated, thoroughly ice-strengthened ex-research vessels, all of which are reliably staffed by stellar crews and seasoned expedition guides selected from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities.

But Oceanwide’s innovative spirit is evident in other aspects as well, perhaps most notably its distinct passion for active, flexible, truly exploratory voyages. It is the Oceanwide Expeditions philosophy to get passengers off the ship and into the action as often and for as long as possible.

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All itineraries are not only designed to make the most of every landscape and animal sighting, but also to allow for efficient moment-by-moment route changes that respond to weather and wildlife opportunities the instant they occur.

It is this innovative outlook that still defines Oceanwide Expeditions. It spurred the company to be the first to offer expedition voyages to the Arctic island of Spitsbergen, to form the uniquely multi-activity and immensely popular Basecamp Antarctica voyages, and to successfully execute two consecutive groups of helicopter landings at the seldom-seen Snow Hill emperor penguin colony in 2017 and 2018. Oceanwide makes similarly innovative helicopter voyages around the Ross Sea, among the least-visited locations in Antarctica.

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In other words, Oceanwide Expeditions innovation has both defined the company’s vision and informed its specific and far-ranging achievements in the field.

Oceanwide’s desire to always keep improving is also witnessed in its nautical innovations. In May 2019, the forerunning cruise operator added the world’s first registered Polar Class 6 expedition cruise ship to its fleet: m/v Hondius represents one of the most structurally fortified, technologically advanced tourism vessels on the polar seas.

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Designed from the ground up for expedition-based Arctic and Antarctic voyages, Hondius holds fewer than 200 passengers, retaining the small-scale approach Oceanwide passengers have come to expect and love with its other ships.

This also means Hondius is capable of venturing into every fjord, bay, and waterway available on all Oceanwide Expeditions routes, granting passengers access to the best polar experiences while also offering expanded on-board workshops that fully immerse them in the fascinating, otherworldly environment.

Hondius accomplishes all of this while holding true to the essential Oceanwide mission to provide shore-based, wildlifecentered, activity-oriented trips that keep sailing legs to the absolute minimum.

The reaction to Hondius has been so overwhelmingly positive, in fact, that Oceanwide Expeditions has already commissioned another similar vessel to be built: m/v Janssonius, named after a Dutch cartographer in the style of most Oceanwide ships, will be the next addition to the company’s rapidly growing nautical family. Like Hondius, Janssonius will embark on voyages in both the Arctic and Antarctica, host a wide selection of engaging and interactive workshops, and offer the core Oceanwide Expeditions activities of kayaking, hiking, mountaineering, camping, scuba diving, and much more.

For this reason and many others, Oceanwide Expeditions leads the pack in polar travel innovation. Always forging ahead, always looking beyond the horizon like the concept of travel itself, Oceanwide is and will continue to be the world’s premiere polar expedition provider, pioneering the future of Arctic and Antarctic travel one innovation at a time.

Phone: +1 800 453 7245 OceanwideExpeditions oceanwide-expeditions.com

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LUXURY, SMALL-SHIP CRUISING IN TAHITI, FRENCH POLYNESIA, FIJI, AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC

with Paul Gauguin Cruises

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& the Society Islands; 7-night Society Islands & Tahiti Iti; 10-night Society Islands & Tuamotus; 11-night Cook Islands & Society Islands; and 14-night Marquesas, Tuamotus & Society Islands. The tropical wonderland of Fiji is offered on two voyages in 2019 that also feature Tonga, the Cook Islands, and the Society Islands.

Enriching and inspiring explorations of the world’s most enchanting destinations in the South Seas can be had on a voyage with Paul Gauguin Cruises. The line offers luxurious, small ship cruising in Tahiti, French Polynesia, Fiji and the South Pacific.

The award-winning m/s Paul Gauguin is the longest continually sailing cruise ship in this destination and offers 7- to 14-night voyages year round. Designed specifically to sail the pristine lagoons of these islands, The Gauguin provides an up-close, authentic experience of Polynesia. Aboard each sailing, the welcoming, hospitable spirit of French Polynesia is infused with a number of South Seas exclusives.

In 2020, Paul Gauguin Cruises voyages feature popular favorites along with an exotic 16-night Fiji to Bali itinerary, and 12- and 13-night Fiji, Tonga, Cook & Society Islands sailings.

The Gauguin boasts spacious oceanview suites and staterooms with nearly 70% of them featuring private balconies; gourmet dining in all venues including menu specialties designed by celebrity chef Jean-Pierre Vigato; complimentary beverages including select wines and spirits, soft drinks, and hot beverages served throughout the ship; an in-cabin refrigerator replenished daily with soft drinks, beer and bottled water; shipboard entertainment; and all onboard gratuities included. In select ports, the ship’s watersports marina is available to launch a kayak or paddle board from and an optional PADI certification scuba diving program is also offered.

Paul Gauguin Cruises was created to provide enjoyable and meaningful travel experiences with the communities, cultures, and natural wonders that make Tahiti, French Polynesia, and the South Pacific so alluring. The cruise line is committed to the responsible exploration and protection of the natural and cultural heritage of our unique part of the planet for future generations.

Participating directly in French Polynesia’s many rich traditions leads to deeper, more meaningful connections, and Paul Gauguin Cruises strives to infuse the Polynesian spirit into everything they do. Cultural experts share their knowledge onboard through dynamic and entertaining lectures and presentations, and the ship’s troupe of cultural ambassadors, Les Gauguines and Les Gauguins, welcome guests to experience the local way of life.

The line offers complimentary and exclusive access to Motu Mahana, a private islet off the coast of Taha’a in French Polynesia, where guests can enjoy sunbathing, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, Polynesian activities, a full-service bar, a floating lagoon bar, and a delicious barbecue. Complimentary access is also offered at a private beach on a motu with views of Mt. Otemanu in Bora Bora for guests to enjoy for the day.

The Gauguin’s 2019 sailing schedule features signature voyages, which showcase a host of exquisite islands with white-sand beaches, aqua lagoons, mist-laden mountains, and warm Polynesian culture. Itineraries include: 7-night Tahiti

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Experts in the fields of art, the culinary arts, music, magic, Polynesian life and culture, wine and the wonders of the deep offer insights, lectures, performances, demonstrations, and workshops on select voyages of The Gauguin.

The Moana Explorer program, offered in partnership with Te mana o te moana, a South Pacific marine education and conservation foundation, invites families to discover and value the natural wonders of this breathtaking part of the world through hands-on, interactive learning.

While it is designed for children and teens ages 7-15, all family members are welcome to participate.

Every day of the voyage, there is a combination of naturalist-led island and/or beach excursions, science activities, crafts, games, and other adventures.

Depending on the itinerary, children and teens might explore underwater life, conduct water experiments, create natural jewelry, go on a treasure hunt, learn about Tahitian culture, discover island legends and geology, design a Polynesian tattoo, and more.

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Couples sailing on The Gauguin can celebrate their love in a romantic setting amid the turquoise lagoons and exotic islands of French Polynesia.

Paul Gauguin Cruises offers wedding ceremony and renewal of vows packages at Motu Mahana, the cruise line’s private islet off the coast of Taha’a, or in the glass-bottom overwater chapel at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa. Paul Gauguin Cruises has also been recognized recently by notable publications in travel and lifestyle and was voted “#1 Midsize-Ship Ocean Cruise Line” by readers in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2019. The line was also recognized as one of the “Top Small Cruise Lines” in the Condé Nast Traveler 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards and is honored on the publication’s 2018 “Gold List.” Paul Gauguin Cruises was also selected as “Best Small-Ship Cruise Line” in Global Traveler’s Leisure Lifestyle Awards for the last four years, and has received top honors in BRIDES Magazine’s Honeymoon Awards for the past three years.

Paul Gauguin Cruises 11100 Main Street, Suite 300 Bellevue, WA 98004 800-848-6172 www.pgcruises.com 15

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THE FJORDS The Fjords operates nine tourist ships in the Western Norwegian fjords, opening up the wonders of this unique landscape to visitors from across the world, all year round.

With a commitment to safeguarding the environment it showcases, this forward thinking company is dedicated to launching a new breed of technologically advanced green vessels that provide unforgettable passenger experiences. This was demonstrated in 2016 with the launch of Vision of The Fjords, a breath-taking 42m long carbon fibre hybrid vessel that switches to electric propulsion in the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Nærøyfjord.

emissions to water either, with all grey and black water transferred to a floating storage unit rather than, as is the norm, discharged directly into the fjord. In addition, a specially designed hull minimises vessel wake to protect the fragile shoreline from erosion.

The carbon fibre hull reduces weight and optimises energy efficiency, ensuring savings in battery capacity.

In April 2018, The Fjords took the next, crucial step forward and launched Future of The Fjords.

Future of The Fjords is a vessel with a mission. Not only does it provide optimal passenger experiences - with panoramic windows, comfortable lounges and a design made to ensure all passengers, regardless of mobility, can ‘climb’ over it and experience the area’s natural beauty up close – but it also operates with zero emissions, of any kind.

With around 700 trips a year between Flåm and Gudvangen, Future of The Fjords offers its passengers (up to 400 at a time) a truly immersive experience that will leave indelible marks on their memories, while making only ripples in the crystal water of the local fjords.

With an all-electric propulsion unit of two 300kW motors, enabling cruising speeds of 16 knots, there’s no emissions to air and no noise. A radical charging solution designed specifically for this vessel ensures that there no

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That said, we believe this ship can make waves throughout the industry.

Future of The Fjords demonstrates that passenger and tourist vessels can be environmentally friendly, accessible, provide stunning experiences and, with a tailored power solution, relatively easy to introduce to remote areas with limited electric grid capacity. In this respect we see it as a viable model for the future development of this sector, worldwide.

The charging solution is a key facilitator. Based on an idea from The Fjords itself, Norwegian shipyard Brødrene Aa (which has also created the vessel) has developed a floating ‘power dock’ solution with a 2.4 MWh battery pack, allowing the vessel to fully charge in just 20 minutes. This simply ‘plugs in’ to the local grid network and charges throughout the day, gradually topping up energy capacity without any disruptive, and expensive, power surges. No extra network development is required and, if desired, the dock can simply be moved to new destinations to enable complete vessel flexibility. There is no need for costly, land-based infrastructure.

as well as storage room for on-board consumables, allowing the vessel itself to maximise passenger capacity. It also features a fuel tank for sister ship Vision of The Fjords.

This solution could enable the introduction of electric vessels in almost any location with a local grid. In addition, power docks could also be used to charge electric cars, buses and other transport modes – forming cost effective, efficient and easy to install local power hubs wherever there’s a need for electric ferries.

Passengers enjoy a once in a lifetime experience. The vessel is almost as stunning as its surroundings. Designed to mimic the zigzagging mountain paths it silently sails beside, Future of The Fjords allows passengers to walk over it and immerse their senses in a unique fjord experience, with 1m of railing per passenger on deck for a truly ‘front row’ vantage point.

Inside its (almost) as captivating as outside with floor to ceiling windows and comfortable lounges to sit back and lose yourself in the vistas that surround you. Prices are competitive to ensure everyone can have access to a premium fjord experience.

As previously mentioned the dock, constructed from glass fibre composite, boasts a 20m3 tank for receiving grey and black water,

The vessel will serve its local ports of call year round. The Fjords is the only operator in the area to provide this service – opening up the spellbinding beauty of the winter months to visitors, while ensuring tourist footfall revenues for local businesses. The quality, design and service provided by the vessel is also a tourist attraction in its own right.

With unparalleled efficiency, ‘straight from the grid’ low cost power supply, innovative solutions to eradicate emissions, a stunning passenger experience, and loading technology that can promote and enable the use of electricity to power transport in remote areas, we believe Future of The Fjords is an exceptional vessel capable of impacting far beyond its operating area.

The Fjords is dedicated to moving its passengers. Operating a fleet of nine tourism and transport vessels on the Western Norwegian fjords of Nærøyfjord, Geirangerfjord, Sognefjord, Hjørundfjord and Lysefjord, the company aims to connect customers not just to their destinations, but also to the unique natural beauty that surrounds them. The Fjords is co-owned 50/50 by Fjord1, Norway’s largest ferry company, and Flåm AS, which works to promote Flåm’s world-class tourism opportunities.

Phone: +47 57 63 14 00 www.visitFlam.com 17

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CORAL EXPEDITIONS AUSTRALIA’S PIONEERING CRUISE LINE Coral Expeditions are pioneering operators of the expedition cruise sector in Australasia.

Xplorer Tenders and Trademark Hydraulic Lowering System

ELEVATOR PITCH

The Xplorer tenders set Coral Expeditions apart when delivering an expedition. The aluminium safari-style boats can take all passengers on a shore excursion in one go and are powered by twin 300HP outboard engines with a cruising speed of up to 40 knots and a long range allowing for exploration of river systems’ upper reaches and into shallow lagoons.

The Xplorers sit on the aft of the ships on a heavy-duty hydraulic platform that is easily lowered into and lifted from the waterline, enabling guests to easily transfer from main deck to tenders. This means no clambering or wet feet - guests can take in the views and enjoy the ride in comfort with padded seating, overhead canopy, onboard commentary facilities and a toilet for convenience.

Coral Expeditions are pioneering operators of the expedition cruise sector in Australasia. The company pioneered small ship expedition-style cruising in Australia’s Kimberley region when they became the first cruise operator the explore the rugged coastline across initial routes through uncharted waters.

OUR STORY

Creative enabling connection For more than 24 years, Coral Expeditions have hosted over 45,000 guests in the Kimberley, refining knowledge, improving the itinerary, and adding to an accumulated understanding of the climatic, geographic and marine conditions of the region. A genuine curiosity for exploring uncharted waters meant lead to Coral Expeditions being the first to pioneer expedition voyages to the Great Barrier Reef, Tasmania and Papua New Guinea. Many of the company’s developments during this period were innovative in the cruise industry, including the use of interpretive guides and the build and launch of Coral Discoverer, a landmark shallow-draft vessel with global ocean capabilities built to the highest Australian standards. The Coral Discoverer remains one of only two Australian-flagged passenger vessel operating unrestricted international voyages.

Coral Expeditions’ use of illustrative maps to connect with explorers is a creative innovation drawing on the company’s pioneering past. Creative mapmaking has been embraced by Coral Expeditions to share stories of the remote coastline’s vessels visit.

In 2019, Australian viewers experienced and explored the breathtaking Kimberley Coast as seen aboard flagship vessel in a unique and distinct

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come a long way in 35 years. To celebrate this milestone, a series of circumnavigation voyages was created. Reflecting the personal, intimate and immersive nature of Coral Expeditions, these special expeditions explore history, culture, wildlife and adventure in true Coral Expeditions style marking three significant Australian maritime celebrations. It is the 250th anniversary of Captain James Cook’s Australian landing, the 200th anniversary of Admiral Philip Parker King’s coastal explorations as well as marking the 35th anniversary of Coral Expeditions.

Coral Discoverer’s circumnavigation of Tasmania showcases the best of the remote parks, islands and harbours of this pristine island at the edge of the world. Highlights of the voyage include a special Winemaker’s Dinner in the Tamar region, hiking through the Strzelecki National Park on Flinders Island, a gourmet lunch and dairy tour on King Island, and two days exploring the rarely visited World Heritage wilderness of Port Davey.

State-of-the-art Coral Adventurer embarks on a 60-day Australian circumnavigation exploring key historical sites that have shaped the Great Southern Land.

Also announced was the circumnavigation of Papua New Guinea aboard Coral Adventurer. Guests will experience many diverse cultures from the Spice Islands to the Sepik River, marvel at untouched landscapes, explore the wonders of Raja Ampat and be immersed in one of the world’s last frontiers.

If you are curious about the world around you, and freedom from the crowds is your idea of luxury, Coral Expeditions is your cruise line. For 34 years, we have taken like-minded guests to remote cultures and nature, with personal service and warm Australian hospitality.

broadcast style when The Kimberley Cruise was featured on Slow TV. The footage captured and highlighted the best of the Kimberley expedition from hungry crocodiles to frolicking humpbacks and rushing tides, to reefs emerging from the sea, the film makers captured a unique insight into life in the Kimberley. Described as a mesmerising escape from the busy pace of modern life, the groundbreaking forum of Slow TV is a perfect fit for Coral Expeditions’ ethos and approach to destination travel; go slow, immerse yourself and take the time to explore the lesser known parts of Australia.

Open Bridge A much-loved feature on all their ships is the open bridge.. Guests can enjoy a friendly chat with the captain and crew as they observe them going about their daily routines of ship operations. Not only does this enrich their guests’ experience, it also offers a quiet space to sit back watch the ever-changing landscape go by.

Unique expeditions and circumnavigations From humble beginnings on the Great Barrier Reef to planning an expeditionary crossing of the Indian Ocean, Coral Expeditions has

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CHAPTER TWO

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AmaMagna, Passau, Germany

“AMA” MEANS LOVE And love is at the heart of everything they do. Familyowned and -operated, they pride themselves on their passion for river cruising, unparalleled service, exquisite dining and innovations. Since 2002, AmaWaterways has offered unforgettable river cruises aboard award-winning ships sailing legendary rivers through the heart of Europe, Southeast Asia and Africa. They do what they love every day, treating guests to journeys of a lifetime.

Captain’s Welcome Reception

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Points of Distinction • Signature Twin-Balcony Staterooms & Suites – Always innovating, AmaWaterways designed the first-ever signature twin-balcony staterooms and suites, featuring both a French balcony and a full outside balcony, to maximize the views of the everchanging scenery.

• Exquisite Dining – As a member of the prestigious international culinary society La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, AmaWaterways serves exquisite locally-sourced cuisine paired with complimentary wines with lunch and dinner. A highlight of the AmaWaterways experience, The Chef’s Table specialty restaurant offers a multi-course tasting menu paired with hand-selected wines – included in the price of the cruise.

• Small-Group Excursions + A Variety of Choices – AmaWaterways’ deep knowledge and strong relationships nurtured over the years have given them special access to off-the-beaten-path destinations and immersive, enriching experiences exclusive to the company. A variety of included small-group excursions are available in every port, from tours of must-see landmarks to immersive Special Interest Tours like cooking demonstrations and tastings.

Biking along the Moselle River, Germany

• Fleetwide Wellness Activities + Biking & Hiking Adventures – AmaWaterways strives to provide guests with every opportunity to enhance their best selves while cruising. From guided biking and hiking adventures to soothing onboard massages to invigorating fitness classes led by a professionally trained Wellness Host, guests have everything they need to nurture their mind, body and soul.

• Enticing Wine Cruises – AmaWaterways offers more than 60 wine-themed cruises throughout Europe’s iconic wine regions, from France’s celebrated Bordeaux region to Austria’s UNESCO-designated Wachau Valley and beyond, adding a unique epicurean spin to already enticing itineraries—at no additional charge.

Accompanied by a dedicated Wine Host, guests participate in tastings at historic vineyards and cellars, indulge in a special food and wine pairing dinner and more.

Wine tasting, Rüdesheim, Germany

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With AmaWaterways, It’s Personal AmaWaterways takes a personal approach to ensuring guests are well taken care of by hiring the very best team of professionals in the industry, continuously training them to exceed expectations. From the Cruise Manager who drove a beloved teddy bear to the airport to meet his grateful young owner to the Hotel Receptionist who biked into town to retrieve a cherished purchase left behind, AmaWaterways’ crew is more than just highly trained – they “sparkle.”

“AmaWaterways employs the type of people that, as a parent, you hope your kids will turn out to be.” – Steve L., Travel Advisor Guests with Cruise Manager in the Main Lounge

The Chef’s Table

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Hands-on cooking demonstration

Guest-Focused Innovation AmaWaterways has been at the cutting-edge of river cruise innovation from the very beginning, always keeping their guests’ experience at the forefront. They read every guest survey and take their feedback to heart, which is why they are continuously evolving and enhancing their awardwinning ships, rich amenities and authentic excursions to ensure that every mile traveled with AmaWaterways becomes another memory.

Motivated by Guest Satisfaction Throughout the years, AmaWaterways has been honored with a number of awards. Among their most recent industry accolades are five 2019 Gold Travvy Awards, including “Best River Cruise Line,” and four 2019 TravelAge West WAVE Awards, including “River Cruise Line with the Highest Guest Satisfaction.” In 2018, AmaWaterways’ guests also voted them the “Best River Cruise Line” in the USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice and AFAR Travelers’ Choice Awards. And they have been consistently recognized

by Berlitz as having the highest rated river cruise ships in Europe.

From Left: Gary Murphy, Co-Owner and Senior Vice President, Sales; Kristin Karst, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President; the late Jimmy Murphy, CoFounder; and Rudi Schreiner, Co-Founder and President.

“AmaWaterways spends considerably more on high-quality food ingredients and wine and hotel crew service training than any other river cruise company.” – Douglas Ward, Berlitz River Cruising in Europe These and other distinguished honors motivate them to never rest on their laurels and continue to enhance their river cruise experience for their guests.

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MEYER WERFT Family business with tradition

OUR STORY MEYER WERFT GmbH & Co. KG was founded in 1795 and is based in Papenburg; Germany, and is owned by the Meyer family for the seventh generation; Bernard Meyer, Dr. Jan Meyer, Tim Meyer and Thomas Weigend.

The traditional company employs more than 3,450 people and is one of the largest employers in the region. The private family business trains around 250 apprentices in nine different occupations and the shipyard has employment with the construction of 11 major cruise ships until the year 2023.

With the extensive production program of MEYER WERFT covering a wide range of ship types, from cruise ships to gas tankers and research vessels to car and passenger ferries. To survive in global competition, the production facilities have been constantly improved and expanded.

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Today, MEYER WERFT has the most modern systems in shipbuilding.

Over the past decades, MEYER WERFT has earned an excellent reputation worldwide for the construction of specialised ships. The company is best known for the construction of large, modern and sophisticated cruise ships; to date, 46 luxury liners have been built in Papenburg for customers from all over the world. The latest highlight: the delivery of Spectrum of the Seas in April 2019.

MEYER WERFT offers its customers innovations and technologies: in addition to the cruise ships, car and passenger ferries as well as RoRo ships having been successfully manufactured in Papenburg for decades. The sister company of MEYER WERFT, the NEPTUN WERFT GmbH & Co. KG based in Rostock, builds river cruise ships and supplements their offerings. Finally, the construction of gas tankers and research vessels completes the portfolio.

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In 2002, MEYER WERFT made the largest investment in its history: a second building dock and prefabrication halls with laser welding facilities were built and in 2008, the new construction dock was extended by 120 meters and the laser center of the MEYER WERFT was extended in 2012 by another hall. This provides the prerequisites for efficiently building all common ship sizes.

HISTORY After the years of the wooden shipbuilding one showed pioneering spirit at an early stage, which was the basis for the steady development of the shipyard. The company began in 1872 with the construction of iron ships with steam engines and when Papenburg had about 20 yards in 1860 - only the MEYER WERFT survived until the 21st century and only up to 400 seagoing ships were registered in Papenburg in the 19th century.

Between the two world wars the yard built mainly fish steamer, pilot ships and lightships as well as passenger ships for the coastal drive. In 1960, the entry into the gas tanker construction and in 1964 was delivered with the MALMÖ the first RoRo ferry in Papenburg.

In the last decades of the 20th century, MEYER WERFT has earned an excellent international reputation for the construction of passenger and passenger ferries, ro-ro and passenger ships, gas tankers, animal transporters and, above all, luxury cruise liners.

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INNOVATIONS AND TECHNOLOGIES MEYER WERFT was the first compact shipyard in Europe and is today one of the most modern shipyards in the world. The two covered building docks as well as the modern production facilities and the concept of short distances make the shipyard successful. Innovations and the latest technologies characterize shipyard life.

All activities of the shipyard are equipped with state-of-theart computer technology - from design to construction to production. Construction plans are rarely found here. In their place are simulations, by means of which, for example, the outer skin of a ship is constructed.

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Almost the entire manufacturing process is digitized. This saves time and money at the same time: many projects can be planned and secured virtually and assembly processes can be tested. Since everything is supported by a 3D simulation, can be planned ahead. The product and the manufacturing process can be developed in parallel: this saves time and effort and leads to better efficiency in the yard.

The “digital factory” allows for particular foresight in planning and construction: Engineers at MEYER WERFT can already estimate in the planning phase which ideas can be implemented and which, for the time being, are not. So there are fewer surprises in the production process. The product can be produced faster and comes to market earlier. Errors can be avoided before they provoke unnecessary manufacturing costs.

Computer-aided logistics minimizes storage space and thus operating costs. The material flow control system TESS controls the entire material flow at the shipyard via radio data transmission. Every component is in the right place with the right man at the right time. Shortest transport routes, minimal empty runs and precise just-in-time supply are guaranteed.

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BLOHM+VOSS - MORE THAN JUST A SHIPYARD The Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg, which spans across over 450,000 square metres.

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Sailors recount stories, it is mentioned in songs and it is still the focus of practically every Hamburg postcard. Over the years in operation, it has forged shipbuilding history and set standards in technology and design. Today? More than ever, Blohm+Voss is one of the world’s leading providers of innovative solutions for repairs and refits for well-known giants of the seas.

OUR STORY Since it was founded in 1877, Hamburg’s largest and most famous shipyard has come to meet the ever-changing requirements of the industry and its customers with innovative ideas and to break new ground. In the early years, the shipbuilders from Hamburg, Hermann Blohm and Ernst Voss, already recognised the zeitgeist and it was the first shipyard outside of the United Kingdom to produce steamboats made of steel. The shipyard quickly gained notoriety for quality and punctuality.

With the creation of the Prinzessin Victoria Luise, Blohm+Voss launched the first passenger ship for the Hamburg America Line in 1900 and early on, a successful partnership was already established with the major cruise lines. Starting out with a relatively small area of 15,000 square metres and 250 metres of waterfront, the shipyard grew steadily and it currently dominates the Hamburg skyline with a massive area of 450,000 square metres and over 2,000 metres of waterfront.

Blohm+Voss now boasts seven docks at its site, two of which are covered for those customers who wish to keep repairs confidential. The shipyard continued to make waves in the cruise sector, building vessels for White Star Line and United States Lines in the late 1930s.

Building hundreds of vessels over the last century, Blohm+Voss has always been a respected name in marine construction. Now, as a member of the North German, family-owned company, LĂźrssen, another decidedly reputable name in the maritime world, Blohm+Voss specialises in highly complex repairs, conversions and maintenance of passenger ships. As such, it has established itself as a reliable contact for globally renowned cruise liners.

Not least, it has had and still has the ability to constantly adapt due to the experience gained over decades and to find innovative solutions for even the most demanding projects. This is what makes Blohm+Voss what it is today: a shipyard that finds drive and purpose in new challenges and has the passion to achieve the best possible result for, and together with, the customer.

Shipbuilding challenges were however never lacking for Blohm+Voss and complicated projects seemed to be its speciality. In particular, for instance, this can be said with regard to a specific, intricate conversion of a passenger vessel that was initially considered to be impossible. It was announced that the lengthening and refit of two cruise liners from the UK-based, Norwegian owned company, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines would need to be completed within a given timeframe of just a few weeks. As Blohm+Voss was characterised by its ability to complete unfathomable projects with minimal downtime, the Hamburg shipyard 35

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was chosen for the prodigious task. After being awarded the contract, the shipyard used its entire repertoire of experience, knowledge and expertise to convert the MS Norwegian Crown, built in 1988, and another ship, the Braemar, into 4-star luxury cruisers.

The first ship to undergo the extension would be the Norwegian Crown. In order to successfully meet the set timetable, Blohm+Voss prefabricated and partially outfitted numerous elements, including the new middle section that was to be inserted into the ship. Projects this tricky need meticulous planning and preparation. Therefore, when Norwegian Crown changed hands and was turned over to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines in New York, at that time around 100 shipyard employees boarded the vessel to get her ready for the shipyard stay in Hamburg during the Atlantic crossing. On the high seas, Blohmers tore apart the bulkheads and walls, severed pipes, and cut hundreds of cables. Upon arrival in Hamburg, nothing stood in the way of removing the midsection.

Within Dock Elbe 17, which is over 350 metres long and one of the largest graving docks in Europe, the middle section was already waiting. The dock width allowed Norwegian Crown to be moved in alongside and the dock emptied so that the vessel laid directly next to the new middle section.

Over the next five days, the ship was sliced in two amidships like a loaf of bread, and a total length of 1500 metres was cut. Subsequently, the 9000ton foredeck was heaved 40 metres forward to provide sufficient space to insert the new section. Only three days later, the millimetre-accurate assembly of all three parts of the ship took place. With the successful coalescence, the MS Balmoral was born.

Thanks to the new middle section, 186 new passenger cabins and 53 additional cabins for crewmembers were created. The vessel, at an original length of 187 metres, was extended to a monumental 217.91 metres. A masterpiece that could only be brought to fruition thanks to tenacious teamwork, the harmonious interplay of all trades and a little daring. Needless to say the second lengthening project on the Braemar was also efficiently and fluidly achieved, headache free. The projects laid the foundation for a successful cooperation with the customer that stays strong to this day.

The mighty Norwegian Crown having her new middle section inserted to become Balmoral as it is today.

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Another renowned visitor to Blohm+Voss, the Queen Mary 2.

With this and numerous other notable projects, Blohm+Voss has developed the reputation of a reliable and competent partner throughout the industry. Above all, customers appreciate the reliability of the Hamburg shipyard and the certainty of knowing that they have a flexible and accomplished partner at their side. The shipyard welcomes the opportunity to undertake problem-solving for cruise lines’ and to ease their repair troubles, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The shipyard’s repair portfolio for cruise and commercial ships also flanks the comprehensive refit activities of another type of vessel. With the takeover

by Lürssen, one of the world›s leading yacht builders, Blohm+Voss having considerable understanding after

the build of several extraordinary yachts itself, and its optimal location, is increasingly becoming a hot-spot for extensive conversions and upgrades of high-quality, luxury megayachts in northern Europe.

The product portfolio is then rounded off by the construction of extremely complex naval vessels. As part of the cohesive Lürssen team, Blohm+Voss is able to offer and provide almost any service for any vessel, all from one source. Each and every customer, no matter which arm of the business they want to engage services in, benefits from the same exact high standards of quality, efficiency and reliability from their shipyard partner - a claim that Blohm+Voss has been living up to for more than 140 years.

Blohm+Voss B.V. & Co. KG Hermann-Blohm-Str. 3 · 20457 Hamburg · Germany Phone: +49 40 3119-0 Fax: +49 40 3119-3333 E-mail: info@blohmvoss.com www.blohmvoss.com 37

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“In my opinion, the future of mobile is the future of everything.”

– MATT GALLIGAN, CO-FOUNDER OF CIRCA

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ORACLE HOSPITALITY

Helps Cruise Operators Create a Frictionless Passenger Experience

ELEVATOR PITCH Digital technology has changed almost everything in the world of hospitality; most notably, guest expectations. Thanks to mobile devices, guests expect fast and hassle-free service as well as highly customized travel experiences. For cruise lines, this means delivering seamless service throughout an often lengthy and multifaceted guest lifecycle — from online reservations to debarkation.

Now, more than ever, cruise lines need integrated technology solutions that work together to ensure efficiency and expediency at every touchpoint in the guest journey. A seamless experience requires real-time sharing of guest information across all platforms to create one version of the truth that enables easy modifications and is accessible to all the ship’s departments.

Oracle Hospitality Cruise offers a wide-ranging suite of fully integrated solutions — shipboard property management, fleet management, point-of-sale, kitchen management, dining management, analytics, mobile applications and more — that boost operational efficiency and staff performance while providing frictionless service for guests. The company’s solutions manage 11 million annual cruise passenger reservations, 6 million table reservations, 13 million annual excursions and more than $4 billion in onboard revenue.

Ingo Soerensen, Area Vice President, Global Cruise Sales at Oracle 41

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passengers. Simphony allows such freedom because it works in tandem with powerful, portable hardware such as Oracle MICROS Compact 310 Workstation - a smaller POS unit that is perfect for tight quarters and can be easily moved onboard to meet demand wherever it surfaces. To the delight of guests, it’s designed for “line-busting” and the Oracle MICROS Tablet 700 Series, with a lightweight, slim line, 7-inch design, this rugged, mobile POS is designed to engage guests, regardless of their location. It goes beyond accelerating service to enhance it by allowing greater one-on-one interaction.

The bottom line is that technology should always enhance the passenger experience. There’s nothing more important to the cruise industry. Contact Oracle Hospitality today and we can help you create a frictionless passenger experience.

Cruising Toward Smarter Ships – Our Take As the needs of consumers continue to evolve, so must the cruise industry, namely its customer service. Technology plays a crucial role in enabling cruise operators to deliver premium service to passengers anywhere at any time.

Oracle’s comprehensive shipboard property management system provides cruise operators with scope to handle individual guests, groups traveling together, temporary visitors and the ship’s crew and staff. Beginning at check-in, the solution simplifies passenger and crew handling procedures by managing all relevant information — such as food preferences, folio accounting, emergency contact details, cabin numbers, complaints and comments — in a central database. More than a dozen optional modules streamline operations and maximize revenue generation.

Cruise operators are looking at technology solutions that not only help improve the on board experience, but anticipate guests’ needs before their arrival – whether it’s scheduling spa bookings and dining reservations or on-shore excursions.

Here are some trends we notice emerging throughout the cruise industry:

Cruise operators can conduct comprehensive, multidimensional, cruise-fleet revenue analysis by accessing information in Oracle’s fleet management system. Onboard transactions are logged in real time ensuring that consolidated, accurate data is automatically transferred to shoreside operations. This visibility enables management to have real-time tracking of profit and loss performance – giving them the intelligence they need to fine-tune cruise schedules and maximize revenue generation.

• Integration of technology solutions that provide complete flexibility for (pre-) check in and check out, detailed reporting, and enhanced food and beverage operations at every location on a vessel.

• Utilization of mobile solutions not only enable better guest experiences, but increase onboard revenue opportunities. Today’s passengers expect self-service solutions; they’re experienced at using them at shoreside restaurants and want their convenience and benefits on board as well – from ordering at a kiosk to placing a drink order with a mobile device.

• Implementation of streamlined processes for check-in and check-out.

Passengers don’t want to sit at a pier waiting to board. Many ships are leveraging technology to support passenger check-in pre-arrival to eliminate waiting.

• Adoption of mobile devices for crew can enhance the guest experience by making work easier for the crew. Such apps are so intuitive that they hardly require any training to use.

Oracle’s Simphony point-of-sale system is fully integrated with the shipboard property management system, so that food and beverage transactions are automatically included in the general ledger and readily accessible to staff.

Everything from pool drinks to evening dinners are charged directly via the ID card to the passenger’s cruise portfolio.

For the cruise operator, mobility is all about providing service anytime, anywhere. Crew members need to be untethered so they can keep pace with

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SOURCETOAD Sourcetoad is a technology and innovation company that specializes in delivering software and development services for the cruise industry. Sourcetoad’s flagship product is Cruise Director, a platform for synchronizing and managing guest and crew systems.

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Software Development for the Cruise Industry Designing software for cruise lines can be tricky. Cruise ships are strange beasts. They all have the amenities and systems you would expect to find in high-end hotels, as well as those you would find in restaurants, amusement parks, performing arts centers, casinos, and shopping malls. On top of that, they are built to withstand the trails of intercontinental ocean travel and even arctic exploration.

Most software developers have never written code for such a broad, and yet specific use case. Designing a calendar system for reservations is not a difficult task for most programmers. However, designing a calendar system for reservations where the time zone can change up to three times a day is a different matter. Add in the fact that ship time isn’t actually related directly to a time zone, and most developers would throw their hands up.

This is where Sourcetoad comes in. “We’re nerds, and that’s the kind of engineering challenge that’s really fun for us, is rewarding, and keeps us engaged,” says Greg Ross-Munro, founder and CEO of Sourcetoad. “We work best as small teams in a startup-like environment to deliver on projects that really have a massive reach.

We’re working on solutions that are out on display for the world to see and to enjoy on their next cruise.”

Time zones are not the only challenge in developing solutions for seafaring vessels. “Cruise ships are extremely complex floating cities, without the usual crutch of a constant Internet connection,” says Justin Weber, CTO. “If you want to build a basic app for passengers, you need to talk to restaurant booking databases, weather systems, GPS trackers, Wi-Fi portals, and guest services.

On one ship alone, we pull and push data to over 20 subsystems and make the whole experience seamless, even when there isn’t a stable web connection.”

Once all the data from disparate systems is streamlined through Sourcetoad’s Cruise Director system, the company then helps its clients use it in powering other applications.

“The most exciting aspect of Cruise Director for me is that we can add custom modules to it,” says Debbie Williams, Director of Business Development. “We’ve built modules to allow our clients to run their event booking, digital signage systems, interactive TV interfaces, and mobile apps. With everything streamlined, we can build apps that would have normally taken a year to make and launched them in three months.”

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CRUISE DIRECTOR A Digital Fleet Management Suite Cruise Director is a platform for managing the most common tasks found in the digital systems running in a cruise line. It manages data availability, synchronization, permissions, analytics, and IoT systems. The system also contains a number of useful modules and the ability to customize more modules specifically for your needs. Cruise Director was built to provide cruise lines freedom from vendor lock-in, rapid development, and shoreside management, which all creates long-term return on investment.

Vendor Freedom Cruise Director frees companies from vendor lock-in by providing integrations with the most common onboard systems types and then giving the keys over to the cruise line. Their unique licensing model means that the cruise lines own the entire system, including the code, which means that even Sourcetoad can be fired.

Rapid Development of New Onboard Capabilities Cruise Director gives cruise lines a set of shared services and APIs to quickly build guest-facing, crew-facing, and operations-facing applications. New onboard systems can be rapidly prototyped and supported without retraining onboard staff. This allows cruise lines to free up time to innovate.

Shoreside Management Cruise Director’s synchronization engine is the solution to fleetwide, digital asset management. Syncing can be set up per ship, group of ships, or for the entire fleet. The less time onboard staff have to spend managing onboard systems, the better it is for everyone.

Long-Term ROI Too often new and modern systems are deployed to ships, only to see them depreciated in three years. Cruise Director was designed so that most of the heavy lifting of applications can be handled behind the scenes. This means that new interfaces can be built every few years at significantly reduced costs.

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MEET SOURCETOAD

Greg Ross-Munro Founder and Chief Executive Officer Greg has helped cruise lines elevate their shipboard experience to the next level by delivering innovative technology solutions while protecting legacy investments. His 27 years of experience in software development, his deep understanding of ocean and river cruising operational challenges, and his passion for solving technical problems are what have made him a sought-after consultant, facilitator, speaker, and mentor for attracting topshelf software engineering talent to the cruise industry.

Debbie Williams Director of Business Development Debbie has worked with cruise lines for the last 14 years as a trusted technology partner to personalize crew and guest services — whether building new applications, interfacing with legacy systems, or enhancing the performance of shipboard software. At Sourcetoad, she educates cruise lines about Sourcetoad’s clever options to enhance the digital guest experience without changing cruise lines’ current application portfolio.

Justin Weber Chief Technology Officer Justin has been CTO at Sourcetoad for over four years. During that time, he has been involved in all aspects of software development for the cruise industry, from backend business optimization projects to customer-facing applications. Prior to his work at Sourcetoad, Justin was Director of US Site Operations at a large online media company, which specialized in technology publishing.

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THALES MAKES WAVES WITH CRUISE LINES Whether sailing the high seas or just island-hoping, a cruise is meant to be a relaxing and enjoyable getaway. Each year, increasing numbers of travelers look forward to spectacular views, wonderful food, fun-in-the sun, and exotic ports.

virtual computing environments. This intelligent reader can also connect to mobile devices or a tablet, allowing for flexible deployment options.

What they don’t look forward to are long lines waiting to board the ship or disembark. Wait times can significantly affect the passenger experience.

Gemalto, a Thales company, offers solutions that help passengers and crew board more quickly and efficiently, while still complying with travel industry regulations.

Global cruise lines must comply with many varying local regulatory and security requirements, thus making the need for standardized solutions a must. Gemalto document readers are designed to meet those strict regulatory requirements. As proof, you will find the Gemalto document readers at border crossings around the world, as well as being highly regarded by government entities, such as customs and border patrol, homeland security and commercial airlines.

Regulation-compliant solution meets security requirements

Faster passenger processing for a hassle-free journey Boarding thousands of passengers in a couple of hours can be a daunting task and every second counts. Under normal circumstances, the boarding experience begins with validating and scanning a passenger’s passport. The Gemalto document readers, such as the AT9000MK2, or the new AT10K, captures the required details from the document and cuts down significantly on the review time. These document readers are designed to inspect and image travel documents, allowing for a comfortable, hassle-free boarding and disembarkation process.

With one of the fastest, most accurate read rates available, the Gemalto document readers already deployed by cruise lines, will read ICAO-compliant passports and RFID chips in e-passports, quickly and efficiently allowing both passengers and crew to spend less time processing and more time enjoying the cruise.

Customized authentication software speeds integration Gemalto utilizes a tailored authentication software which allows the passport scanning to integrate with and leverage the cruise lines’ existing infrastructure.

With the system in place, global cruise lines can expect a more efficient boarding process, creating a better passenger experience.

The new low-profile of the AT10K, along with its simple shape, is perfect for cruise terminals. The latest addition, the AT10Ki, has built-in highperformance processing and networking functionality. This intelligent “i” series reader can capture and authenticate quickly and reliably in cloud and

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Authenticating passenger identity with facial recognition

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Technology as powerful as facial recognition, can be used throughout the cruise ship. From restaurants to shops to casinos, in many different capacities, for a positive traveler experience.

Facial recognition solutions have become increasingly secure and reliable over recent years. Today, automated systems can identify individuals in just a few seconds based on their facial features, even in a crowd or in dynamic environments. Facial recognition technology can be integrated into the process to confirm that the passenger is indeed, the individual matching the photo on the passport being scanned.

How does it work?

Facial recognition technology, in collaboration with robust authentication software on a secure document reader, analyzes documents and compares the live person with the images printed on the document and the image stored on the embedded chip, to correctly cross reference and confirm a person’s identity. This one-to-one verification process securely authenticates the person and their personal data prior to boarding.

This highly rated facial recognition is being used across the globe in a number of applications, delivering greater accuracy and security to the user, as well as improving and expediting the travel process.

And with the recent advances in liveness detection technology, this one-toone verification process is nearly impossible to spoof.

Experience you can trust With over 20 years of experience in biometrics and document authentication, businesses and governments trust Gemalto to keep billions of digital interactions secure. We use the latest advancements in biometric technology to keep personal information private, perform with accuracy at unrivaled speeds, and offer flexible solutions to fit any security program.

To learn more about Gemalto’s Identity Authentication and Verification solutions, visit www.gemalto.com/govt/ document-readers/

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A new company based in Italy that develops amazing interactive software on multitouch screens for infotainment. Recent researches aim to powering all digital signage and interactive endpoints with AI digital Assistants and Cognitive capabilities in general.

Area8 is the result of thirty years’ IT experience of Mauden SpA and the innovative vision of Practix S.r.l. about and interactive systems and user experience design.

Mauden SpA deals with IT infrastructure, IT services and, in the last 5 years, artificial intelligence solutions.

Practix has a consolidated experience and expertise in advanced interactive systems, digital signage, multitouch applications and user experience design.

Infotainment aboard a cruise ship is one of the most important point of contact between shipowner and guests during the trip. Making messages unique to each point of contact is one of the most relevant communication and proposition goals. At the same time, implementing an efficient system of interaction and communication is a sensitive and high-level topic.

The main ways of interaction concern: • Entertainment: collaborative and competitive gaming applications • Assistance: Wayfinding systems or communication systems on-board services (i.e. bar, laundry ,etc) 50

• Information: information and exploration systems about the stages of the journey, news, weather, excursions, etc.

The true qualitative leap of the guest experience in the infotainment systems involves the launch of a new technology based on the use of Artificial Intelligence.

A virtual A.I. assistant could become a personal travel assistant for those who wish to interact at any time from any device. The conversational agent establishes a personal relationship with user, it knows and profile him in a friendly way and it purpose specific services to the guest.

The assistant can be indifferently consulted from either a personal device, touch tables, public displays or SmartTV in cabin.

Integrating with gaming and entertainment systems, the assistant becomes an intermediary agent who create relations between guest and the whole ship, but also between guests, potentially becoming the communication channel between them.

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The new IBM Watson technologies allow the installation of Artificial Intelligence systems on board the ship, coexisting with the technological infrastructure. The constant availability of cognitive services makes Artificial Intelligence solutions ever faster: all navigation systems can use the power of Artificial Intelligence without overloading the on-line connectivity, limiting the use of internet band, and without transferring data in the cloud.

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“I am very proud to be part of this new adventure”, says Daniel Tomasini, CTO and CIO of Area8. “When I founded Practix in the 2010, I was focusing on the frontiers of Interface design and innovative collaborative touch screens and tables with great results. Now upcoming cognitive services and AI on board are an incredible chance to provide next generation infotainment services. Area8 is going to take advantage of both technologies with a very exciting outlook”.

“Please do not misunderstand Area8 expertise”, Says Daniele Arnò, CEO of Area8. “The company is a new brand based on long lasting experience of Mauden on Information Technology and Digital Transformation and Practix, a research spinoff focused Interactive systems. The idea to establish Area8 is just the occasion to bring consolidated technology skills in a seamless offering”.

Bou-Tek: a live digital lab in the heart of Milan Bou-Tek is the Area8 digital showroom and democenter, full of technologies like ledwalls, videowalls, and interactive screens, located in center of Milan.

Here, Area8 developers are experimenting new technologies with testers and clients, before going live in production.

Area8 organizes Design thinking sessions and workshops with prospects and customers, aimed to design and developing of new innovative projects Bou-Tek is also an event space where companies can interface and interact with their customers in innovative and different way, experimenting new ways to communicate.

Phone: +39 02 452761 Email: info@area8.tech www.area8.tech 51

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DESIGN, INTERIORS AND MANUFACTURING 52

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F.LLI RAZETO & CASARETO S.P.A Known as “ THE ROLL’S ROYCE OF MARINE LOCKS”, F.LLI RAZETO & CASARETO S.P.A, was founded in 1920 and has always been making marine hardware in Italy.

The Razeto & Casareto luminous handle is a revolutionary product with a patented mechanism used most notably in ultra-luxe and exclusive designer handles for the high-end yachting segment.

The acronym translates as Our Souls Saved by the Handle as Razeto & Casareto had developed this new version specifically for applications in the onboard safety sector.

The OSSH handle meets and exceeds international safety requirements to the extent that it is a Best Practice product. It is aimed at shipping companies and yards alike, for installation aboard ferries, commercial vessels and cruise ships. Its luminous handles are easily visible aboard even in very extreme and lifethreatening situations. More impressively still, they clearly indicate threat levels by colour: they will glow red when a doorway should not be opened and green to indicate the door as a possible escape route.

Under current legislation, escape routes on ships must be highlighted using so-called Low Location Lighting (LLL) on all decks and along all corridors leading to fire doors. The integration of the OSSH luminous handles with the LLL system adds an important extra layer of safety by clearly indicating where doors are in critically low visibility caused by a lack of light, during an evacuation plan or in the presence of smoke during a fire.

Left to right: Andrea Razeto, C.E.O.; Giangi Razeto, Creative Director

In 2000, THE INNOVATION AND DESIGN DEPARTMENT of the company was founded with a precise task: BRINGING A REVOLUTION IN THE WORLD OF DOORHANDLES. “We invented luminous handles with Safety, Managements, Entertainment features , with an eye to beauty.” States Giangi Razeto , creative director of the company.

Applications are countless, the most interesting ones referring to firedoors, not only,as handles communicate among themselves and with other devices to give management information throughout universal chromatic codes, they may be programmed at each time to respond to specific needs… according to the Ship Owners’ requirements.

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Should flames take hold aboard, the smoke and fire alarm system alerts the bridge, legislation then demands that the bridge releases the electromagnetic holders on the fire doors in the relevant fire zones. When the door locks close they activate micro-switches inside the frame and these send a confirmation signal that the door is now closed back to the bridge.

At this point, legislation demands that an operator physically go check if there is an actual fire or not by removing a glove and placing the back of a hand near the door handle without opening it. If any unusual heat is felt, there is a fire. The OSSH handle system instantly intervenes and works efficiently to safeguard passengers, guests and staff aboard. As soon as sensors indicate a fire, the electromagnetic door holders are released by the bridge and the locks on the fire doors close, activating the microswitches. At this point, the door handles light up: green on the side of the fire zone in question and red on the outside.

Used in tandem with the LLL system, the luminous handle does not merely help light spaces but also by glowing green on the fire side, instantly indicates to panicking individuals the best routes for evacuation to safety.

The handle was also designed to work absolutely efficiently in even the most extreme situations. Its shape too has been crafted to make the light visible to and the handle itself usable by people lying on the ground. In fire situations when a space fills with smoke, anyone attempting escape will have to crawl along the ground where there is less smoke. With the OSSH, the handle lever is lower and thus not only easier to see from the ground but also easier to grasp and use.

Handles on the opposite side to the fire glow red to indicate very clearly that there is a fire on the other side of the door. This avoids the door being mistakenly opened and oxygen getting in that would further fuel the fire. Equally, it prevents smoke and flames from escaping to other areas of the vessel.

Quick ’n easy to fit on board , OSSH handles are available in kit for new built or retrofit.

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Via Caorsi, 38 16031 - Sori (Genova) - P. iva Phone: +39 0185 700 903 | www.razetocasareto.com

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KOTOBUKI SEATING CO LTD Kotobuki Seating Co Ltd has recently revealed their latest sleep capsule installation for Stena Line, one of the world’s largest ferry operators with 20 routes between ten countries in Northern Europe. Stena Line chose Kotobuki to outfit their vessels with Sleep Capsule beds to provide comfortable accommodations for guests. Stena Line is the first ferry company to offer its customers Japanese sleeping pods. The one-person capsules are a cost-efficient way for passengers to sleep and rest during a prolonged journey. The sleep capsules also save space in the limited area of the ferry cabins.

Each capsule on Stena Line is equipped with a mattress, bed linen, as well as air conditioning, a charging station and WiFi. The Stena Line capsules offer a great alternative for young travelers, backpackers, or campers to travel cheaply and comfortably in Northern Europe.

They are also ideal for business travelers who are looking for a relaxing environment to unwind.

“We see it as an innovative offer for a costconscious target group, which nonetheless values comfort and privacy,” said Martin Wahl, Stena Line’s Travel Commercial Manager for Stena Lines routes between Germany and Sweden.

Kotobuki’s Sleep Capsule offers guests the opportunity to sleep during the long six to seven hour journey between Rostock and Trelleborg, a popular route that brings travelers between Germany and Sweden.

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The Sleep Capsules also provide passengers with privacy to get work done, read a book, or relax without distraction.

Inspired by the capsule architecture created by Kisho Kurokawa, Kotobuki developed and launched the Sleep Capsule Bed, to bring the elegance and efficiency of Japanese travel culture to the world. Since its initial introduction, capsule beds have evolved from just being economical business lodging to sophisticated, flexible sleep solutions suitable for many hospitality applications, including maritime environments.

The Sleep Capsule bed is a contemporary selfcontained mini hotel room, that has been crafted with meticulous attention to detail to ensure for a comfortable user experience. With its stylish and modern exterior, The Sleep Capsule bed provides a peaceful and private sleep sanctuary in an otherwise busy world.

With a fully customizable appearance and a wide range of accompanying accessories and features, the options are endless for the economically conscious traveler.

Since the development of the sleep capsule, Kotobuki has installed over 60,000 beds.

The Sleep Capsule bed has been optimized for use in capsule hotels as well as cruise lines, airports, police stations, hospitals, fire stations and more.

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ROPES COURSES INCORPORATED Ropes Courses Incorporated (RCI) has been in the business of designing, manufacturing and installing innovative adventure products around the globe since 1989.

Sky Trail® & Safety: Sky Trail® aerial attractions and the smaller, kid-friendly Sky Tykes® model are entirely customizable in terms of colors, themes, levels and interactive elements such as cargo nets, rolling logs and swaying beams that vary in design and difficulty to deliver a memorable experience for all.

Participants are also able to choose their own path as their individually paced journey throughout the attraction is dependent on their level of comfort with each element.

Before guests begin their journey each participant is properly outfitted with a full body harness and redundant slingline by a trained operator. Our U.S. patented, integrated systems, like the overhead passing belay system that individuals secure the slingline into, allow for constant movement by participants, delivery of high throughputs, minimization of staff and overall low operational costs.

OUR STORY Over the span of 30 years, we have entertained millions of people annually across 5 continents and in 33 countries. Since our beginning, we have created a line of products that reflect our continued commitment to safety and accurately embody the adventurous spirit that still remains at the core of all of us.

Engineered and constructed to withstand oceanic conditions thanks to marine-grade materials, our Sky Trail® family of products are built to entertain at length on the seven seas or at ports of call while Clip ’n Climb® climbing walls vary in terms of colors, designs and difficulty to engage every climber. RCI adventure attractions provide hands-on active entertainment for vacation-goers and encourage all ages to participate as well as test themselves physically without needing to unclip or possess a certain skill level.

(From left to right) Jon Weston, RCI Chief Sales Officer and Dan Mooney, RCI Director of International Sales.

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Sky Trail® aerial attractions have been featured both indoors and outdoors throughout a wide range of industries such as amusement parks, museums, retail, restaurants and more. They have even made their way onto major cruise lines such as MSC Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line.

Product Portfolio Expansion: Though the Sky Trail® attractions were our entry into the industry we know and love today, we did expand our product portfolio in 2017 when we acquired Colorado-based company, Amaze’n Mazes™ and again in 2018 when we formed a partnership with New Zealand-based company, Clip ‘n Climb®, that allowed RCI the ability to manufacture the well-known climbing walls for global clients. An energetic outlet for climbing enthusiasts and amateurs alike, Clip ‘n Climb® walls feature a range of creative designs, vibrant colors and difficulty levels while puzzling mazes are bound to sharpen navigational skills in a quest for the fastest exit time.

RCI also collaborates with authorized distributors around the world to deliver high-quality adventure products and ongoing customer service to new and developing areas within Qatar, South Korea, South America, Puerto Rico and more.

Planned Projects: Throughout 2019 and even into 2020, RCI has several projects lined up for the cruise industry.

During the later months of this year, vacation-goers of all ages onboard the Carnival Panorama ship will be able to relax and have fun in the ship’s SportsSquare which is set to feature experiential entertainment in the form of mini-bowling, outdoor soccer, a basketball court and a Sky Trail® attraction on the main deck.

Aside from the ongoing collaboration with Carnival, who has been a client since 2011, RCI is also currently working on assorted projects with several cruise lines over the next two years. Exciting details on the matter will be disclosed in the coming future.

1300 Lincoln Rd., Allegan, MI 49010 | Phone: 877 203 0557 | www.ropescoursesinc.com 59

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BEA ARCHITECTS, INC.

Headquartered in Miami, Florida, BEA Architects is an award-winning interdisciplinary design firm providing planning, architectural, engineering and interior design services worldwide.

BEA has made their mark internationally through their revolutionary design of seaport terminals. With projects in the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean, BEA is an international powerhouse in cutting edge design. The heart of the practice is its multiple design studio environments, where the full range of BEA’s skills, technology and creativity is concentrated to develop dynamic concepts that addresses every challenge of a project. The pursuit of design excellence is achieved through research, creativity, years of experience, and a passionate team eager to engage in every project challenge.

Bruno-Elias Ramos, AIA, founded BEA in 1992 and has transformed the firm into an international design practice. His 37 years of experience give him a diversified background and leadership capabilities which assure unique, successful design innovations and uncompromising professional service. Having worked all over the globe, Mr. Ramos has consistently delivered design-winning contextual projects on time and within budget. As an international design architect who is also a licensed general contractor, Mr. Ramos is known as a “Master Builder” because he understands the building process unique to each location around the world.

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BEA believes that it is the responsibility of the architect to understand and command the building trade so that designs are able to materialize in an effective and creative way. At BEA we offer a full spectrum of engineering services to complement and support our architectural design practice. Our designs are efficient and value conscience, while minimizing the construction schedule and ease of installation. As port and waterway design

specialists, BEA Architects is at the forefront for its knowledge and understanding of ports, waterways, operations, challenges and security concerns. BEA’s maritime proficiency results from years of experience working with ports, cruise lines, and cargo/steamship lines, through which it has developed an expertise of day-to-day operations and logistics. BEA aims to innovate with captivating seaport terminals and pioneer new concepts. BEA takes pride in being an internationally recognized firm and hope to bring their unique design to other countries and continents around the world.

Phone: (305) 461-2053 Email: beamarketing@beai.com @beaarchitects www.beai.com 61

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 62

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ACCESS CRUISE Your Key to the Cruise Industry

The cruise industry is thriving and shows no signs of slowing down. More ships are being built to serve all segments, from mass market to luxury, niche and expedition. It is estimated that the industry will host 30 million passengers in 2019. The blistering pace of growth presents a wealth of opportunities for companies interested in working with this industry.

If you are thinking about working with the cruise industry and find it difficult to get through their watertight doors, Access Cruise is your key.

OUR STORY Located in Miami, the cruise capital of the world, Access Cruise is a marketing and sales consulting group, specializing in product and business development within the cruise industry.

2801 Florida Avenue, Suite 14A Coconut Grove, FL 33133 Phone: 305-460-9935 Email: info@accesscruiseinc.com www.accesscruiseinc.com 64

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Access Cruise was founded in 2010 by Shannon McKee with the vision of helping companies and vendors around the globe work with the cruise industry. Shannon has experience working both onboard and shore side as an executive for a major cruise line. She has assembled a team that has more than 75 years of combined industry experience. Each team member has expertise and an in depth understanding of the industry and how it works.

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ACCESS CRUISE TEAM Shannon McKee FOUNDER & PRESIDENT Shannon began her career at sea with Norwegian Cruise Line in 1992, after graduating from Texas Christian University with a degree in Sales and Marketing.

Shannon has worn many hats over the years, climbing the corporate ladder quickly, ultimately making the decision to showcase her entrepreneurial spirit and expertise by starting her own company. In 2010, Shannon established Access Cruise Inc. Today her clients range from longtime industry professionals to start-up entrepreneurs.

They all have the same goal: to break into the cruise industry. Shannon is also the Co-Founder of Zielia a new destination platform. Zielia takes a holistic approach to itinerary planning which targets itinerary planners, marine and port operations, shore excursion planners and marketing.

Combining strategic planning, custom solutions, attention to detail, a personal touch, a passion for the industry, and Shannon’s extensive industry contacts and relationships with today’s top cruise industry leaders, Access Cruise has a very successful track record.

Shannon’s dedication and persistence has led to securing major contracts for her clients with major cruise lines. Her strong leadership, sales and communication skills have lead to exceptional results.

Linda Vazquez VICE PRESIDENT, ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

With a list of global clients and some great success stories, Access Cruise is a force to be reckoned with.

Linda has both a shipboard and shoreside background.

Her roles at sea and on land have been focused on maritime human resources with experience in recruitment, workforce planning and management, and succession planning. After leaving corporate America, Linda joined Shannon’s team where her portfolio is concentrated on destination marketing. Her destination portfolio includes Haifa, Montréal, Rijeka, Campeche, and Havre-Saint-Pierre.

Alina Juliachs DIRECTOR, PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Alina began her career in the travel industry 19 years ago.

She joined the Access Cruise team in 2012 with extensive knowledge of product development and management, operations and hotel and ground services. In her role as Director for Access Cruise, she works on multiple client accounts, dedicating much of her time to new cruise destination developments Puja Motiani ACCOUNT DIRECTOR Puja brings 15 years of travel industry experience, an education in Hospitality Management and a lifetime of love and passion for destinations around the world.

With backgrounds from India and Jamaica, being an International citizen makes for a natural fit in the Cruise Industry.

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PORTS & MARITIME GROUP Cruise Market Innovators – Delivering Smart and Sustainable Cruise Infrastructure Solutions that are future proofed.

ELEVATOR PITCH Ports & Maritime Group is a professional services company that provides smart and sustainable infrastructure solutions to all segments of the cruise market. Related services include architecture and engineering for feasibility studies, master plans, cruise terminal and maritime infrastructure design. PMG’s global clients include cruise corporations, cruise lines, homeports, port of calls and waterfront developers.

OUR STORY Mr. Crannell has 45 years of maritime experience in planning, design and development of ports and waterfront infrastructure and developments. He has directed the planning, design and development of the latest generation of cruise ship terminals, piers, berths, and supporting Cruise facilities. He is a recognized Cruise industry leader.

design firm. Crannell knew the opportunities were there as he already had the big firm perspective from his tenure as Chairman of Gee & Jenson, EAP and as head of CH2M Hill’s global port practice.

Phil Crannell founded PMG 18 years ago with a goal to significantly enhance the quality of advice and design products clients get for their cruise projects by making a simple change. The simple change was offering clients project teams, vs the typical large one stop fits all

PMG teams are carefully selected to include the smartest and most experienced maritime professionals in the cruise market. PMG’s team approach dramatically streamlines all phases of the project delivery sequence and reduces overhead cost big firms can’t avoid. Also since the project teams are populated with highly 66

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experienced maritime experts that experience means they are very nibble and quick to adjust to almost any change due to regulatory or scope issues. And as an extra benefit there’s virtually no surprises that they haven’t seen before and solved.

Reference cruise projects include: A) New green field mega dual berth cruise port on the cost of Lima, in a location that had been assumed impossible due to high swells. The port is designed to simultaneously support two of the industries largest cruise ships. B) State of the art cruise training complex, for the leading cruise corporation, built for use by ship’s Captain, Chief Engineer and their officers using the most advanced simulators and visualization technology to achieve nearly realistic at sea and in port training experience for any cruise ship during arrival and departure and from any port in the world. The simulators are configured to support a new leadership protocol that leverages the combined experience and judgment of all senior officers resulting in significant increase in team wide competence and vessel safety.

FORWARD INNOVATION Record orders for new ships demonstrate solid commitment the Cruise Lines have to increasing their capacity to serve existing destinations and expand into new regions. Most of the new cruise ships will incorporate innovations to dial up passenger experiences and out of necessity streamline passenger embark/debark flows plus storing.

To help clients stay ahead of the innovation curve PMG is tabulating all the changes and support requirements the latest generations of ships will bring. And as a result we are able to provide design guidance that will future proof channel approaches, cruise ship berths, passenger terminals and on dock utilities. PMG clients will be ready for all the new ships.

Based in Jupiter, Florida, USA | Phone: +1-561-371-8712 | Email: pcrannell@gmail.com | www.philcrannell.com 67

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BAIRD MARITIME

ELEVATOR PITCH

OUR STORY

In just over forty years the Australian owned and based global maritime media house Baird Maritime has developed to be one of the acknowledged international leaders of that sector. Founded by the husband and wife team of Neil and Rose Baird, Baird Maritime is now managed by their son Alex.

The company, which provides information, intelligence, inspiration and entertainment on the wider global maritime industry, now delivers its services purely via electronic medium. Its web portal www.bairdmaritime.com is updated daily and is available without charge. It covers all aspects of maritime endeavour from fishing to ports and from cargo shipping to warships globally -daily. All its previous magazines covering ships, ports, fishing, aquaculture, shipbuilding, naval architecture, ship finance, warships, seabed mining, work boats, coastal construction and much more, including all kinds of passenger

Having established and published six maritime magazines, Baird Maritime has also published numerous directories, annuals and several books, as well as organising many conferences and exhibitions in nine countries.

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vessels, have been merged into one comprehensive maritime portal. Passenger vessels, cruise ships, tourist boats and ferries, are accorded wide coverage and Baird Maritime offers news and views on both sectors on a daily basis. It covers vessel orders and deliveries and publishes detailed reviews of new vessels along with upgrades, refits, and

news of sales and purchases. The business of passenger vessels, along with accidents and incidents are provided prompt coverage.

Baird Maritime very actively and fearlessly promotes the passenger vessel sector and forcefully encourages greater safety and a cleaner marine environment. While it tries to work positively and co-operatively with industry leaders, it has not been afraid to criticise companies and governments when deemed appropriate, especially on safety, environmental and governance matters. Indeed, its “legal files� are replete with writs and threatening letters from ferry owners who believed they had been wronged. However, none of that threatened or actual litigation has yet been successful.

With a large crew of very experienced and talented columnists and journalists working independently all over the world as well as connections with larger general news organisations, Baird Maritime has truly global coverage. Its columnists offer their wisdom, experience and philosophical thoughts on a regular basis. Most have been with the company through thick and thin for many years. Their columns are very popular and widely read.

Baird Maritime has a particular interest in all kinds of new developments with respect to ferries, tourist boats and cruise ships. Anything new that offers greater safety, comfort or economy and an improved environment is reported on, carefully considered and explained at length.

For more information or to apply for a free subscription to the world’s best value and most comprehensive maritime news and comment web portal, refer to www.bairdmaritime.com.

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CITY SIGHTSEEING WORLDWIDE ELEVATOR PITCH City Sightseeing Worldwide is the world’s leading multinational open-top bus, boat, sightseeing train, and guided walking tour company. Founded in Seville, Spain, in 1999, the company is now present in more than 100 cities in over 35 countries on the six continents in some of the World´s most popular cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Belfast, Prague, Budapest, Cape Town, Dubai, Seoul, Glasgow, and Seattle. City Sightseeing is also located in over 40 cruise port destinations and is partnered with the world’s leading cruise lines in order to offer hop-on hop-off tours to cruise passengers as an extension of their excursion programme.

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City Sightseeing Worldwide shows travellers the most exciting sights in the city where it operates, allowing travellers to hop on and off at their favourite stops along the different routes. Additionally, audio commentary and live guides provide visitors with interesting commentaries about the different cities in a handful of languages.

OUR STORY During the past 20 years, technology developed rapidly and customer preferences and habits changed. City Sightseeing Worldwide is also evolving with the times, but aims to remain as the world’s leading open-top bus and boat tour company, however, the company is also aspiring to become the leading In-Destination Supplier Provider with an extension of our product range allowing us to provide travellers with the best experiences. Since the start of 2019, City Sightseeing Worldwide is fast-becoming a one-stop shop for city experiences, with added products including tickets to tourist activities such as monuments and museums and attractions along with its already popular products such as boats, sightseeing trains, and guided walking tours.

Furthermore, City Sightseeing Worldwide strives to give back to the communities where it operates and protect the environment by using hybrid and electric vehicles, biodegradable water bottles, and forming part of Tourism Cares, whose mission is to unite the travel and tourism industry to benefit the people and places the industry depends on.

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www.city-sightseeing.com

If your company or organization would like to be featured in the inaugural edition of World Cruise and Ferry Innovations, there is still limited time to contact our onboarding team at brahm@globalvillage.world for more information.