Marconi, a global supplier of advanced communications solutions, has supplied and installed mission-critical networks, worth over $3.5m, for two of the world’s most advanced cruise ships, operated by Star Cruises, whose operations are based in Malaysia.
The two latest additions to the fleet of ships operated by Star Cruises, SuperStar Virgo and the SuperStar Leo, have each been equipped with a single ATM network that links more than 2000 cabins, providing voice, data and video services. They also support a range of vital management systems, including gaming operations and hotel software.
As well as providing voice and data facilities for passenger cabins, the Marconi infrastructure also delivers a Microsoft video application to set-top boxes. Satellite TV and Internet access is provided in every cabin and the network has been designed to accommodate closed circuit television (CCTV) and video on demand (VOD) in the near future.
The management systems aboard each ship include reservations, hotel, property, maintenance, purchasing and point of sale systems, exploiting SAP delivered by satellite.
“It is essential that these ships have a reliable communications network to sustain all these operations because they are at sea round the clock, every day of the year. Periods spent in dock are normally as short as three to four hours and it is critical – particularly for the revenue generating operations – that we have a lot of redundancy & reliability built in to the network,” said Mr. Chong Chee Tut, Chief Operating Officer of Star Cruises.
“Obviously, IT staff onboard take up rooms that would otherwise be paid for by passengers and so we carry a very limited number of such people – which places even greater emphasis on the need to have reliable systems.”
Marconi was chosen for this installation because of its track record as a leading specialist in ATM-based networks and its ability to handle multimedia traffic.
SuperStar Virgo has been fitted with a network powered by two ASX4000s, 17 ASX200BXs, and 50 ES3810s and the SuperStar Leo has a similar system, based on five ASX1000s rather than two ASX4000s.
For the video application, Marconi was responsible for the interfacing, as well as ensuring that the application runs properly on the ATM network infrastructure.
Both ships were built at Papenburg, in Germany, and the network installation started in Germany but was continued throughout the maiden voyage, which involved Marconi in working closely with software and other vendors in a strongly multivendor environment.
“Transforming communications and information is at the heart of the work undertaken by Marconi and the Star Cruises project is a good example of this approach, revolutionising the way people work, play, learn and live.”, said John Tay, Marconi area sales manager based in xxxx.
Star Cruises is Asia-Pacific’s leading cruise line and one of the four largest cruise companies in the world. SuperStar Virgo operates on the west coast route along the Malaysian Peninsula (Singapore, Port Klang, Langkawi Island, Phuket Island). SuperStar Leo operates on the Hong Kong, China, Vietnam route.
Marconi plc is a global communications and IT company with around 49,000 employees worldwide and sales in over 100 countries. It supplies advanced communications solutions and key technologies for the Internet. Marconi plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange and NASDAQ under the symbol MONI.