When my wife and I moved to Miami we fondly told each other "it's like a dream." The dream kept growing, as she is now working on the Carnival Dream's set-up in Montefalcone, Italy. Scheduled for its first sailing Sept. 21, it will be Carnival's largest ship. As if these two things weren't enough to get excited about, CruiseMarketWatch.com is eager to experience the new on-board technological features, dubbed the "FunHub."
The FunHub creates the cruise industry's first on-board social network, along with access to ship's services, facilities and daily activities information.
Guests can:
- create a personal profile to meet and interact with others on-board
- create groups based on interests
- find details about the Dream's numerous on-board activities
- browse food and beverage offerings
- learn about ports of call and excursions
- access weather updates
- read biographies of key shipboard personnel and see ship maps
- receive cruise director announcements
- participate interactive polls
I think this is a really smart, forward looking move (in fact, one I preached about in an Sept. '08 blog post and subsequently developed similar features into our own iPhone application for cruisers that is waiting iTunes review). I applaud the year-long collaboration involving Carnival's hotel operations, marketing, IT and guest experience departments.
In addition to FunHub portals, access to the FunHub is available on any guest computer or Wi-Fi enabled device free of charge. Internet access to sites outside the FunHub is available with purchase of a special Internet package.
Follow Carnival's Dream Team of 12 I/S managers here http://www.dream-startup.net/.