15 October 2013
Harris CapRock
Communications, has signed a five-year contract
with Carnival Corporation to provide
communications services onboard more than 100
cruise ships in its 10 cruise line brands. The
dual-band satellite communications solution will
enable the Carnival brands to reach dramatically
improved bandwidth levels to meet the
performance expectations of guests and crew
onboard.
“At Carnival, our
most important goal is to give our guests a
great experience. For many of our guests, this
means staying connected by phone and Internet,
even when they’re on our ships in the middle of
the sea,” said Richard Ames, senior vice
president of business services, Carnival
Corporation. “Providing connectivity has been an
important part of the Carnival experience, and
with today’s agreement, we look forward to
continuing to provide our guests with a high
level of connectivity. We know our guests get
excited about creating great memories on our
cruises, and if they can’t wait to get home to
share photos and stories, we’re happy to make it
possible for them to call, text, email and tweet
from the middle of the ocean.”
To meet Carnival’s needs, Harris will deploy
a fully managed, end-to-end Very Small Aperture
Terminal (VSAT) solution utilizing the latest
generation of iDirect technology, via a hybrid
C- and Ku-band solution. Carnival will receive
equipment, installation, maintenance, service
and 24/7 proactive monitoring and support from
Harris’ Customer Support Centers. Transition and
installation work will occur globally in various
ports, spanning across the United States,
Bahamas, Europe, South America, Australia and
Singapore.
Each ship will be equipped with stabilized
antenna systems to provide the optimal level of
flexibility and availability. Bandwidth levels
will be higher than what was previously
delivered to each fleet, which accommodates new
service requirements set by Carnival for its
guests and crew, as well as for new
entertainment solutions across the 10 cruise
line brands.
“This agreement solidifies Harris and
Carnival’s long-lasting communications
partnership and enables guests and crew onboard
to connect with their friends, family and
businesses – no matter where they are cruising
around the world,” said Tom Eaton, president,
Harris CapRock. “By teaming with Harris as its
communications partner, Carnival has the backing
of an industry-leading business and global
infrastructure that ensures we are here to meet
their communication needs at all times, no
matter where its ships are traveling.”
Carnival’s 10 cruise line brands include AIDA
Cruises, Carnival Cruise Lines, Costa Cruises,
Cunard Line, Holland America Line, Ibero
Cruises, P&O Cruises, P&O Cruises Australia,
Princess Cruises and Seabourn Cruise Line.
