This global cruise-ship company, with an annual revenue of over $14B, operates over 60 cruise ships across three brands. They were looking for a B2C solution that would enable guests to purchase on-ship and off-ship offerings, from dining and spa packages to shore excursions.
The organization needed both shoreside and shipside architecture to ensure a seamless experience–even in remote locations with poor internet access.
They turned to Kin + Carta to develop a system that would exceed guest expectations and improve efficiency. Our experts have developed a modern software solution with an edge connection—this means it can deliver exceptional experiences even when not connected to the cloud.
Launching seamless purchase experiences for cruise passengers
Global cruise-ship company
Supporting data-driven shore and shipside purchases for cruise passengers
At a glance
- This initiative has been designed to support this organization’s goal of increasing pre-cruise sales from $1B to $4B in revenue.
Improving efficiency
- This digital self-service system has reduced demand for concierge services, improving efficiency.
Connecting shoreside and shipside
- By synching pre-cruise itineraries and data, this solution supports great at-sea experiences.
Kin + Carta rolls up their sleeves and works closely with us to achieve our business goals. They help us identify practical solutions to complex problems and they aren’t afraid to challenge our thinking.”
Client Director, Digital Experience & Product Management
Delivering technical excellence
Kin + Carta experts overcame complex technical challenges to deliver a sustainable commerce solution that could work both on and offshore. This included architecting a floating data center for all ships, enabling all live onshore data to be supported at sea. This sophisticated solution utilizes a range of technology, including:
- SAP Commerce for product management (PIM), inventory management, and order management
- Adobe Experience Manager—integrated into SAP Commerce as a “headless” architecture solution, using SAP Omni-Commerce Connect (OCC) web services.
- Open Data Protocol (ODATA) web services to support ship-to-shore data transfer and outbound data synchronization
A truly consultative partnership
Kin + Carta was able to accelerate successful transformation for this global organization where others had failed in the past. This was down to our truly consultative partnership and willingness to push boundaries. We were able to identify key challenges and obstacles while also mapping out creative solutions and pathways to success. We championed bold action and challenged legacy thinking to drive meaningful results. Stakeholders recognized the value in our approach—our team quickly grew from 3 to 75.
Plotting a course through complexity
Although this experience may feel seamless to guests, it brings together and manages complex data and experiences. For example, cruise excursions are run by different operators in every port and they can change quickly due to bad weather or a shifted course. Our solution brings together siloed data and complex purchase types to provide a connected, up-to-date, and meaningful experience for guests—both before they leave on their trip and while they are on board. We’ve achieved this by combining a mix of local (US) and offshore commerce development resources.
