Cunard isn’t the only cruise line pumping up its fleet with top-notch I.T. Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has recently launched its two newest vessels, the Mariner of the Seas (November 2003) and the Jewel of the Seas (April 2004), and IT Manager Doug Jones says that they’re the most technologically advanced ships in Royal Caribbean’s 28-ship fleet.Like the Queen Mary 2, those ships have core systems that include property management and point-of-sale systems. They also have wireless access points in many of the public spaces. And passengers are issued smart identification cards that they use for purchases, as a room key, and as a security card to track them as they embark and disembark. Unlike the QM2’s card, however, they do not include passport information.Internet access in cabins is offered to the crews via a thin-client device. “They communicate via e-mail to friends and family. In some cases, they can do financial transactions, such as online banking,” says Jones. He also hopes to complete a direct-deposit project this year for crew members; that’s an important benefit, given that it’s been difficult for staff to receive bank statements in the mail because of their floating addresses. Passengers can access the Internet in their cabins if they bring their own laptops; otherwise, they can surf in one of the public Internet cafŽs.The biggest news coming out of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines? The company has ordered what it’s calling the Ultra Voyager, a new ship from a Finnish shipbuilding company, with delivery scheduled for May 2006. At just under 160,000 tons and with capacity for 3,600 passengers, the Ultra Voyager will make the QM2’s reign as the world’s biggest cruise ship a brief one. -T.D. Related content feature 10 most popular IT certifications for 2023 Certifications are a great way to show employers you have the right IT skills and specializations for the job. These 10 certs are the ones IT pros are most likely to pursue, according to data from Dice. By Sarah K. White May 26, 2023 8 mins Certifications Careers interview Stepping up to the challenge of a global conglomerate CIO role Dr. Amrut Urkude became CIO of Reliance Polyester after his company was acquired by Reliance Industries. He discusses challenges IT leaders face while transitioning from a small company to a large multinational enterprise, and how to overcome them. By Yashvendra Singh May 26, 2023 7 mins Digital Transformation Careers brandpost With the new financial year looming, now is a good time to review your Microsoft 365 licenses By Veronica Lew May 25, 2023 5 mins Lenovo news Alteryx works in generative AI for speedy analytics results OpenAI integration and AI wizardry for report generation are aimed at making Alteryx’s analytics products more accessible. By Jon Gold May 25, 2023 3 mins Analytics Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe