The largest cruise ship in mainland China counts on an Indian solution for inventory and pricing management as it sets out on first sail.
Henna, the cruise liner, will run on ‘Cruise Partner,’ the software solution from IBS Software, a leading player in travel, transport and logistics based here.
MAIDEN JOURNEY
Henna is scheduled to set sail on its maiden journey on Jan. 26, a spokesman for IBS Software said.
Beijing-based HNA Tourism Cruise and Yacht Management Company had unveiled the cruise ship on Nov. 28, 2012.
Henna has 739 rooms for 1,965 passengers, as well as a complete range of facilities for living and entertainment.
HNA Tourism Cruise and Yacht Management is the first Chinese cruise ship and yacht management company and is part of the HNA Group.
Cruise Partner is a customer-centric cruise reservation platform, which enables cruise inventory and pricing management, among other things. Ancillary product contracting and pricing, cruise and ancillary product bookings, and channel management are other deliverables.
CHOICE SOLUTION
The product also addresses operational accounting and integrates with leading CRM (customer relations management) and onboard solutions.
‘Cruise Partner’ has by now become the choice of several leading cruise lines worldwide and customers increasingly prefer the Software as a Service (SaaS) offering. The system went live with Henna in a record period of less than two months, a spokesman said.
GREAT POTENTIAL
The system will enable HNA to distribute cruise inventory and promotions to various travel agents in China and facilitate real-time management of bookings.
Zhang Hao, president of HNA Tourism Cruise and Yacht Management, said the cruise industry has great potential in China.
“We are the first domestic cruise company in China. IBS Cruise Partner will help us significantly with our distribution capabilities and increase competitiveness in the market,” he added.
V.K. Mathews, executive chairman, IBS Group said: “We are proud to be associated with HNA Group. We believe that Cruise Partner will enable the HNA Group to make quicker inroads in the market.”
Asish Koshy, head of travel and cruise line business for IBS, said that the cruise industry is becoming increasingly consumer-driven.