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While some travellers like to completely disconnect from technology during their cruise or ferry journey, others prefer to unwind by watching a blockbuster movie or a TV series, or cheering on their team during a live sporting event. But issues such as unstable connectivity networks, low latency, slow bandwidth speeds and inclement weather can make it challenging to consistently deliver high-quality live TV or video on demand (VoD) entertainment at sea. And this can have significant ramifications for the overall passenger experience. “It doesn’t matter how fantastic the rest of the cruise was, passengers will remember the moment they missed their team score the winning goal because the screen froze or went blank,” says Andrew Brown chief operating officer at Maxicaster. “Entertainment is a fundamental element of the passenger experience, and in an industry where competition is rife, it’s crucial for operators to deliver uninterrupted, top-quality entertainment experiences every time if they want to satisfy and retain customers.” However, it is difficult for them to achieve this goal. “There are so many connectivity options that it’s hard for operators to identify which best fits their needs,” explains Brown. “Equally, crew members do not have the time to become experts in the daily operation and management of the onboard entertainment system. “Cost is also a prohibitive factor – for example, there’s a groundswell towards cable modem termination system (delivering internet protocol) connectivity but many ships are still using legacy radio frequency infrastructure and they don’t want to spend a fortune upgrading it.” Drawing on more than 40 years’ experience as a video-centric software and technology provider, Maxicaster has developed a cost-effective solution to help operators overcome these issues, while also empowering them to easily upgrade their entertainment offering over time. The all-inclusive, modular solution incorporates all aspects required to launch and maintain a premium service including software, hardware ongoing services and content. Importantly, this is offered as a technical managed service, removing the operational barriers for maritime operators. “Ship operators have historically purchased standard internet protocol TV solutions that had limited upgrade possibilities, so they either had to keep the same entertainment solution for years or invest a lot of money to fully replace it if they wanted to offer something new,” says Brown. “Our modular solution gives operators the flexibility to start with core modules such as live TV, VoD and playout channels, and continually evolve their offering to include additional service modules in line with changing market trends, guest expectations, and operational environments. They tell us what they want, we update the software, and they pay a monthly fee to cover whatever services they’re using.” Read the full article on Cruise and Ferry Website https://www.cruiseandferry.net/articles/exceeding-entertainment-expectations-at-sea-with-maxicaster-1  

MAXICASTER is pleased to announce the deployment of its onboard video and entertainment solution on the new Marella Voyager vessel as well as the update of the solution on board Marella’s Explorer 1 and Explorer 2 vessels. This further extends the partnership between companies which started back in 2018. The installations are utilising the latest release of the MAXICASTER MOVE solution deploying Live and Playout channels across the three vessels. The Playout channel module is a particularly key capability providing Marella the ability to create, manage and schedule curated channels incorporating live TV, VoD files and even onboard camera feeds. Marella is utilizing this feature to great effect creating customised channels for various purposes such as safety video, destination videos, genre-based movie channels and the broadcasting of various relevant information to passengers. Given the popularity of live sports, Marella want to take this to the next level, creating dedicated channels where the start time of a key game is scheduled to automatically switch from related video clips or even promotional content to the live stream as soon as the game starts. Once completed, the channel would continue with the scheduled content. Each channel can be included in the Electronic Program Guide (EPG) with Marella able to edit the description so that the playout channel is displayed in the same way as live channels. This dynamic approach to content delivery contributes to passengers’ overall satisfaction and enjoyment during their journey. Andrew Brown, COO at MAXICASTER “We are extremely happy to further strengthen our partnership with Marella. It has been fantastic working with Daniel and the whole Marella team. They are clearly focused on enhancing the passenger experience across all aspects of the operation and constantly push the boundaries of service excellent… something which is also very close to our heart.”   Daniel Hanratty, Head of Technology at Marella Cruises commented “MAXICASTER have been a valuable partner for a number of years, with their expertise and quality of product providing the basis of our onboard experience. We look forward to continuing working together to enhance our guest offering. About MAXICASTER MAXICASTER is a premium video and passenger technology provider specifically honed to the requirements of the maritime sector. Head-officed in Helsinki, Finland, the company has been enabling premium video experiences since 2014 delivering services across ferry, expedition, and cruise operators worldwide. About Marella Cruises Marella Cruises are a well established UK cruise line, sailing to over 120 destinations around the world, with a fleet of 5 ships. Being a part of TUI allows Marella to combine cruising expertise with all the experience of the world’s number one tourism group.

Whether it is the “trip of a lifetime” or a planned, annual adventure, passengers expect a premium experience when they embark on their onboard journey. The entertainment package on-board is one of the most visual aspects of the cruise experience so plays a major role in influencing their overall satisfaction. The challenge is that delivering seamless Live TV, VoD, Playout channels, ship tracker and associated services involves a number of moving parts – from the onboard connectivity, IPTV system, ongoing management of the system through to the channels, movies and series… and this responsibility typically rests largely on the shoulders of the onboard crew. As a result, many operators either overspend or compromise on the quality of service offered… but this doesn’t need to be the case. The MAXICASTER “Onboard Entertainment as a Service” proposition is specifically designed to address these traditional challenges while ensuring a premium, evolving service capability across any onboard screen. The service incorporates all aspects including the hardware, software, ongoing technical management and even content to simplify the approach to launching and managing a premium onboard entertainment offering. The operator can select from various service modules allowing them to customize, and evolve the service proposition in line with changing passenger expectations. So, operators can select a launch pack from services such as Live TV, Playout channels, VoD, ship tracker, Catch-up TV and then evolve the service in line with changing passenger, seasonal or route requirements. The solution works seamlessly across both DOCSIS (IP) networks as well as Radio Frequency (RF) networks and the commercial model is heavily weighted towards an “all-in” monthly fee providing budget certainty throughout. Key advantages of Onboard Entertainment as a service: 1.     End-to-End Solution: the solution includes all the elements required to launch and manage a premium service. 2.     Simplified Operations: removes the complexity and number of “moving parts” required to offer a differentiated service experience. 3.     Premium passenger experience: the benefits associated do not come with a compromised service. The solution is designed to ensure a premium, uninterrupted service experience across any device onboard 4.     Cost- Effective: by outsourcing entertainment services, operators avoid the high capital expenditures associated with purchasing and maintain complex onboard entertainment software/systems. 5.     Evolution path: operators can start small and select additional modules whenever required ensuring the service remains up-to-date with evolving passenger expectations 6.     Technical Managed Service: In the case of any issues or technical difficulties, the Maxicaster team of experts is on hand and ready to assist. The result is a highly flexible option for operators which moves onboard entertainment from complexity to simplicity. So, settle back and enjoy the ride… want to know more… let’s have a chat …

Managing a fleet of any size is a masterclass in logistics so adding another service to the mix is not ideal. As a result, onboard entertainment services can often be relegated to a “best effort” approach. But this doesn’t need to be the case. The option of “onboard entertainment as a managed service” allows Ship Management companies to offer a premium entertainment service experience without needing to add yet another task to the table of the on-board crew. Importantly, this approach is equally applicable in RF-only environments as well as full IP networks. This significantly reduces the historic cost barriers which required a full network upgrade to launch. This approach positions onboard entertainment experience as an area of differentiation for Ship Management Companies without the associated workload.  What does this mean in practice?  The technical managed service includes everything required to launch and manage a premium video experience to passengers and crew: hardware, licenses, services and even premium movies movies/series/TV channels. The service can be delivered to cabins and common screens as well as mobile devices to provide a customisable service anywhere on board the vessel.  What can be offered?   A great launch pack can include services such as: Live TV (either via satellite or server) Video on Demand including a premium catalogue of titles (Netflix-like experience) Catch-up TV (watching programs which have already aired) Playout channels (creating curated channels) Safety video (mandatory viewing for passengers onboarding) Information (keeping passengers informed of the daily activities on board) Ship Tracker (map view & route with key information available throughout) Want to know more?  Read about Salen Ship Management’s recent experience and get in touch to find out more…

MAXICASTER has successfully deployed its latest RF based Playout module across ISLAND SKY and HEBRIDEAN SKY, both fully managed by Salen Ship Management. The playout module works across both RF as well as IP networks allowing operators to offer premium passenger and crew services independent of the onboard network.  This enables seamless and uninterrupted broadcasting anywhere at sea without relying on internet protocol. The MAXICASTER Playout Module offers Salen Ship Management a flexible and scalable solution for delivering a comprehensive range of video solutions, including Live TV, server-based channels, near VOD as well the ability to curate and schedule vessel specific channels from a mix of live TV, video files and onboard cameras. Premium entertainment delivery is often synonymous with a full IP network, so utilizing the existing RF network provided Salen with a cost-effective approach which ensured an evolution path if and when a CMTS or ethernet cabling upgrade was planned. “We are very happy to partner with MAXICASTER and integrate their cutting-edge Playout Modular solution into our fleet” said Daniel Perman, COO of Salen Ship Management. “By leveraging RF networks, we can provide an uninterrupted entertainment experience for our passengers while navigating through various regions, including those with limited or no internet connectivity.” Andrew Brown “It has been fantastic working with the Salen team. They are clearly focused on enhancing the passenger experience across all aspects of the operation, which sits well with our own objectives. We look forward to continually pushing the boundaries on passenger satisfaction together in the years to come. Published on Shippax News website https://www.shippax.com/en/news/maxicaster-delivers-onboard-entertainment-for-salen-ship-management-with-latest-rf-based-video-solutions.aspx