News

Queen Mary 2 to set sail with self-serve technology

December 15, 2003

BEDFORD, Mass. -- The Progress Company, an operating unit of Progress Software Corp., is providing self-serve travel applications to Cunard Line's $780-million Queen Mary 2, the largest ocean liner ever built.

The ship will use Discovery Travel Systems' Ship Partner software. Ship Partner handles the capture and dissemination of embarkation/disembarkation information; a cashless-billing environment with interfaces to a variety of point-of-sale systems, including bars, gift shops, an Internet cafe, arcades and minibars; integration with critical areas, such as crew and vessel safety and door-locking mechanisms; and shipboard amenity systems, such as telephone, interactive TV and credit card-approval systems.

Queen Mary 2 will depart on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England; to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Jan.12, 2004.

Upon boarding Queen Mary 2, each guest receives a computerized ID card that is swiped through a computer terminal, immediately activating and notifying several systems that the passenger has boarded the vessel.

Instantaneously, the passenger's billing account is activated, allowing the guest to use their ID card as a charge card at any point-of-sale location. The card is also used at a kiosk when embarking or disembarking at any port.