Austria
Daniel Hanratty is Head of Technology at Marella Cruises & TUI River Cruises. We speak to him via MS Teams while he is working in his cabin on the Marella Voyager during the shakedown cruise. This was a special cruise as Marella Cruises invited colleagues to get a sneak peek of their latest ship, and they had a crucial role to fully test out every aspect of the ship in advance of our first customers arriving – from the cabins to the restaurants to the pool and gym, testing the ship´s operational processes and technical systems. Over the past six weeks before the shakedown cruise, Daniel and his team have been working on the ship leading the technological transformation of the vessel from the “Mein Schiff Herz” to Marella Voyager.
Thank you for taking time to speak with us today. Could you please start by telling us when you began working on this project?
We started working on the project last year when the ship was still known as Mein Schiff Herz. We went on board to assess the ship's technology landscape, determine what was needed, and created a project plan. Our goal was to make the ship suitable for the UK market.
From a technological perspective, what would you say are the biggest differences between the previous setup and the new one?
One of the major differences was the implementation of the Marella Cruises onboard app and digital signage system. We also introduced self-service kiosks that are connected through a central content system. This required us to redo the networking infrastructure, including running new cables and installing a new hardware. It was crucial to ensure that the Wi-Fi infrastructure not only served the guests' needs but also connected additional mobile devices used in bars and restaurants for point of sales operations. Our goal was that the infrastructure aligned with and enabled the offerings that Marella Cruises stand for.
Installing Wi-Fi on a ship must present unique challenges. Could you explain some of the specific challenges you faced in implementing it?
The biggest challenge is the way the ship is built. It is compartmentalised into fire zones to contain any potential fire or flood incidents. This structure, with heavy metal doors and walls, hampers the Wi-Fi signal. Unlike in a typical office building, we had to consider the ship's structure and minimize interference. To ensure full coverage, we commissioned 450 wireless access points on board. Additionally, we need to make sure that the installed Wi-Fi systems don’t interfere with the ship's navigation systems used on the bridge.
Did you have a dedicated team working on the ship during the project?
Yes, my team joined the ship in the dry dock at the end of April. We decommissioned the old equipment and installed two data centers in different fire zones. We worked seven days a week, 14 hours a day, for six weeks straight. The team didn't have any days off during that period. They worked tirelessly to complete the project on time. This was a great team effort and I couldn’t be more proud of each of them.
How powerful are the data centers you installed, considering the volume of data being processed?
The data centers handle a significant amount of data, including passenger information, booking data, point of sales data, and door lock encoding. To ensure robustness and redundancy, we had to design them accordingly. Losing a server in an office is problematic, but losing one on a ship in the middle of the ocean is a nightmare.
You also improved internet connectivity on the ship when transforming it to the Marella Voyager?
Absolutely. In addition to our standard systems, we’ve also installed four Starlink antennas. The results have been impressive. Traditionally, internet speeds would range from 6 to 10 MB per second. With this new technology, we have reached speeds as high as 500 MB per second.
That sounds remarkable. Besides the improved speed, are there any sustainability aspects associated with Starlink?
The Starlink antennas take up only a fraction of the space compared to a standard satellite terminal. They also require significantly less power to operate. A traditional satellite system consists of a satellite dish with motors and rotors to track the GPS signal. In contrast, Starlink has no moving parts and does not require general maintenance. This is a significant benefit of the Starlink technology.
During the project, how was your collaboration with other parts of the business and the staff on board?
Collaboration was crucial throughout the project. We worked closely with our operations team, particularly those working with the shipyard, to ensure everything was completed on time. For instance, when we needed certain cables on board, it wasn't as simple as running them from one location to another. The cable runs had to meet specific criteria to be allowed on the ship, such as being waterproof and undergoing inspection by the ship architect for safety and emergency considerations. We also had to coordinate with the port agency for hardware deliveries, including working with customs clearance at the port. Bringing equipment on board required pallets and the assistance of a crane operator. It was quite complex, but we worked closely with our partners to ensure everything was successfully brought on board at the right time.
It sounds like a challenging process. I also wanted to ask about reprogramming the door locks. Could you tell us more about that?
When we installed our Marella ship management system, we had to reprogram each of the 1100 cabin door locks on board. This involved visiting every single cabin with a laptop and key card to ensure it interacted with our system. Each cabin lock took approximately 5 minutes to program. We encountered a similar situation when we installed our new TV broadcast equipment. Since the content on TUI Cruises was originally in German, we had to install our English management system. Consequently, we had to visit each cabin and retune the TVs to ensure they picked up the new content. While a core team of six colleagues led these efforts, we also collaborated with the ship's team. We trained individuals from housekeeping, and Head Office volunteers, to assist with retuning the TVs. During dry dock, we make sure to leverage any available resources to complete the tasks at hand.
Thank you for providing insights into the project. It's fascinating to learn about the technological advancements and collaborations involved in making the ship's infrastructure efficient and functional.
