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Princess first in on SES O3b mPOWER satellite-based system

Princess Cruises will get early access to SES's groundbreaking O3b mPOWER network, augmenting the MedallionClass experience as it scales across the fleet.

Anne Kalosh, Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

February 4, 2020

2 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

SES is enabling global, high-performance connectivity for Princess via its hybrid medium earth orbit and geostationary network. The combination of the globally deployed MedallionClass ships, the Ocean Guest Experience cloud-connected platform and SES's multi-constellations satellites creates ubiquitous global Wi-Fi and enables a seamless land/sea digital experience including OceanView TV (OTT, mobile and VOD).

Premier innovation partner

Premier innovation partner status makes SES a fully integrated development partner for Carnival Corp.’s global experience and innovation unit through 2023. This spans design, creation and delivery for game-changing connected guest experience innovations, technical platform development, intelligence and hybrid cloud and edge compute enablement. 

As a result, Princess ships with OceanMedallion will be the first cruise vessels to access SES’s O3b mPOWER satellite-based communications system. The SES brand will also be incorporated into OceanMedallion, further symbolizing the integrated relationship.

To date, the most significant development of the partnership has been MedallionNet Wi-Fi. Since 2017, this has been offering fast, unlimited, reliable and affordable connectivity across the Princess fleet.

The expanded partnership recognizes SES's integral role in enabling the Ocean Guest Experience Platform with real-time xIoTTM, edge, cloud and shoreside intelligence synchronization.

11 ships by year's end

MedallionClass is set to become fully active on 11 Princess ships by the end of 2020, with a new ship activated every 60 days.

The O3b mPOWER from SES will ensure these ships are not constrained by traditional bandwidth capacity plans. SES will keep bandwidth ahead of demand with multi-Gbps capacity whenever and wherever needed. 

Furthermore, dynamic bandwidth deployment on demand through a fully managed, high-performance ship access point to a shoreside end point ensures itineraries and special events always meet the highest service levels possible. Whether streaming original content via OceanView, placing a wager with Ocean SportsBook, playing a massive multi-player video game, streaming video or checking home security cameras, Princess passengers are assured land-like online performance.

Love Boats vow renewal

Throughout 2020, Princess will host a series of events demonstrating MedallionNet powered by SES. These include a vow renewal aboard Regal Princess, Royal Princess and Crown Princess on Feb. 11 that will be shared around the world during a massive pre-Valentine's Day ceremony.

SES integration into Carnival Corp.’s global experience and innovation team provides leading connectivity technology, fuels OceanMedallion capabilities and provides expertise that is passionate about creating amazing experiences across the world, according to John Padgett, chief experience and innovation officer for Carnival Corp.

‘The relentless focus of the Princess Cruises and Carnival Corporation's global experience and innovation teams to create personalized, simplified and connected guest experiences inspired us to push the boundaries of the connectivity norm at sea, and set a higher benchmark for connected guest experiences,’ added JP Hemingway, CEO of SES Networks.

About the Author

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

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