CASE STUDY as Ship Eats , to guarantee high-touch service to each sailor ’ s dining , snacking and eating experience .”
A primary goal for Virgin Voyages is to deliver a premier sailor experience by providing real-time services and always-on connectivity for crew members to facilitate fast , reliable service .
For example , if a crew member sees a maintenance issue , they can open a repair ticket on their issued device and it immediately goes to the right person to address the issue .
The technology behind these capabilities is ubiquitous for crew members and transparent to sailors , creating a seamless five-star experience wherever they are on the ship .
Another important goal for Virgin Voyages is to provide location-based quality of service via locationbased data . One powerful example of this is by dramatically reducing the time sailors stand in line .
Virgin Voyages created a virtual queuing system so that sailors don ’ t have to congregate in long lines . Instead , the Virgin Voyages app alerts them when it ’ s their turn to board the ship , sit for dinner , enter the spa , or disembark in their Port of Call . Virgin Voyages ’ focus on a frictionless experience allows sailors to relax and enjoy the amenities , rather than waiting in lines or dealing with service-related issues .
Virgin Voyages has seen multiple benefits of its new Aruba network , including reliability , seamlessness and scalability .
“ The network is built to accommodate around 15,000 devices ,” said Farro . “ This includes crew devices , PCs , laptops and tablets , in addition to tablets and TVs in each cabin , as well as in the crew rooms . Add on top of that the myriad of devices each sailor brings onboard .
“ The seamless experience is best illustrated in our ability to duplicate ‘ smart home ’ features in each cabin , which are controlled by the app on the cabin tablets . When a sailor walks in and their cabin is in night time mode , the lights automatically come on and the curtains close . It ’ s just an incredible experience .”
Looking to the future , Virgin Voyages will continue delivering transparent but ubiquitous high-touch sailor services and expand features such as wayfinding . Its focus will remain on making sure that sailors ’ devices seamlessly connect to the internal Wi-Fi network , so they don ’ t even have to think about connectivity from boarding to departure and everything in between .
We asked Frank Farro , Vice President of Technology at Virgin Voyages , further questions to find out more .
How critical is the use of Aruba solutions to creating a five-star frictionless experience for sailors ?
To achieve frictionless , location-based services that enable world-class sailor services , Virgin Voyages looked to trusted technology partner DeCurtis Corporation . With a vast range of experience working with some of the world ’ s best , most-recognized hospitality brands , DeCurtis and Virgin Voyages were looking to transform existing sailor experiences to make them better , faster and more impactful through creative application of the latest technology .
In co-operation with DeCurtis and Aruba , Virgin Voyages selected and deployed a flexible , resilient Aruba ESP network including Aruba Wi-Fi six access points with built-in location services , as well as access switches . Additionally , Virgin Voyages uses ClearPass for Network Access Control ( NAC ) and policy management and AirWave for network management .
“ It was the Aruba team that stepped up to work with our Virgin Voyages team as well as our partners DeCurtis and Axians to solidify and enhance a comprehensive network for our ships ,” said Farro . “ The Aruba team in the yard , on the ship and the team behind helping those two teams , have all been responsive and engaged .”
As the core of our shipwide network , Aruba solutions are absolutely essential to every aspect of the experience . By providing seamless Internet access , in-cabin movies and live tv , and real time alerts and reminders , thousands of sailors benefit every day from the stability and performance of Aruba .
How far have you found sailors ’ devices have been able to seamlessly connect to the internal Wi-Fi network ?
Connecting to the Mermaid4U network is simple and seamless .
What has the reaction been from sailors to the services you are able to offer , such as reducing queuing time , because of the utilization of Aruba solutions ?
The goal of our technology is to fade into the background and allow the amazing experiences delivered by our crew to move front and center . Virtual queues eliminate the chore of waiting in line and allow sailors to get back to the business of enjoying themselves .
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