In a cruise industry first, ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises launched a complimentary service that provides streaming movies and live television news broadcasts to guests' mobile devices aboard Silver Cloud.
The service can be accessed on any Wi-Fi-enabled laptop, smartphone, tablet, or even e-book reader -- anything with a browser. It includes access to an extensive library of classic and recent Academy Award-winning feature films, with more than 80 percent of the movies offered in five languages: English, German, French, Italian and Spanish.
"We're delighted to be able to offer this innovative service to enhance our guests' onboard experience," said Fabio Agostini, Silversea's CIO. "Smartphones and tablets are a necessity for today's travelers, who rely on instant access to information. Jason Cohn, our director of infrastructure, and his valuable team worked closely with RedCell Technologies, HMS, and On-Board Movies to develop a streaming media service that would fit seamlessly with our guests' increasingly technology-driven lifestyle."
A limited supply of iPad minis is also available (on a first-come, first-served basis) to Silver Cloud guests wishing to borrow a tablet to view the streamed movies and television during the voyage.
By the end of 2013, the service will be rolled out to four additional ships: Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper, Silver Wind and Silver Galapagos. In the coming months, the company is also planning to add a selection of international newspapers to its menu of streamed media offerings, an option currently in the testing phase.
For more information, visit www.silversea.com.