Departments

Unlocking revenue potential with the MXP365 Digital Guest Journey

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 12 January 2026 12 January 2026

With the MXP365 Digital Guest Journey, guests enjoy personalized recommendations powered by MXP AI. The development of the bespoke MXP AI Sales Recommendations Engine is the result of 5 years of hard work by the MXP AI team. Proprietary algorithms developed specifically for the unique requirements of the cruise industry are superior to commonly used LLMs like OpenAI or Gemini.

MXP365 AI combines the guest profile, preferences and purchases with the availability of onboard services and products. Guests receive meaningful recommendations for their preferred onboard activities. Personalized recommendations are made across all MXP365 touchpoints, including the MXP365 guest app, web portal, and the industry’s most advanced iTV.

Benefits
– Guest satisfaction - matching interests and preferences to activities
– Revenue growth - recommendations are made for pre-cruise and onboard purchases
– High personalization - AI engine automatically adjusts recommendations based on historical records
– Better capacity utilization - timed recommendations to fill remaining vacancies

By focusing on meaningful recommendations, MXP365 delivers highly personalized content without overwhelming guests, creating value for both guests and cruise lines.

Almaco Group details its delivery for the Celebrity Xcel

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 11 January 2026 11 January 2026

Almaco Group recently announced the successful delivery of provision stores onboard Celebrity Cruises’ fifth Edge-class vessel, Celebrity Xcel, built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique. The project was delivered in October 2025 and marks another milestone in the ongoing collaboration between Almaco Group, Celebrity Cruises, and Chantiers de l’Atlantique.

The scope of Almaco’s delivery included provision stores onboard the newbuild, ensuring optimal layout, functionality, and compliance with the highest standards of food safety and operational efficiency. The provision stores are designed to support the vessel’s demanding service profile and enhance onboard logistics for crew and culinary operations.

The provision stores were engineered and installed to optimize space utilization and workflow, contributing to the vessel’s overall functionality and guest experience.

Almaco’s team worked closely with the shipyard and client to ensure timely delivery and seamless integration. “We are proud to have contributed to the success of Celebrity Xcel and to continue our strong partnership with Celebrity Cruises and Chantiers de l’Atlantique,” says Samuel Teyssier, Project Manager at Almaco Group.

RMC signs contract to build two U.S. Coast Guard Arctic Security Cutters

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 30 December 2025 30 December 2025

Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) yesterday announced that it has been awarded a contract by the United States Coast Guard (U.S. Coast Guard) for the construction of two Arctic Security Cutters (ASC). The contract will deliver the first two ASCs , as part of the historic agreement between the United States and Finland to accelerate delivery of icebreakers to the U.S. Coast Guard. Construction of the vessels will begin immediately.

Award underscores Finland’s leadership in icebreaker construction and RMC’s ability to accelerate delivery of critical Arctic capability.

“The awarded contract marks a historic milestone. It is a major vote of confidence in RMC and in the Finnish maritime industry network. We secured this significant deal thanks to our expertise and capability to build the ships within the required timeframe. Our fast delivery times make us the most affordable option on the market. Now it is time for us and our network to prove ourselves and demonstrate that we are worthy of trust,” said Mika Nieminen, CEO at Rauma Marine Constructions.

The icebreakers will be built at the Rauma shipyard and will be completed in 2028. Satakunta University of Applied Sciences is participating in the project as a training partner.

“Our focus is straightforward: execute with discipline, manage risk rigorously, and deliver two cutters that are ready to operate in the world’s harshest maritime environment from day one,” said Mika Nieminen.

The contract is a major achievement for the historic U.S.–Finland icebreaker cooperation announced earlier this fall under the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort (ICE Pact) framework.

“Finnish shipyards build the world’s best icebreakers and the largest cruise ships. Securing the icebreaker order for RMC’s shipyard is excellent news for Finland and for our entire maritime industry. The order strengthens the position of Finnish companies in the global value chain, increases Finland’s competitiveness and increases export income,” said Minister of Economic Affairs Sakari Puisto.

“In the case of icebreakers, RMC’s preparatory work started in the autumn, but now we are moving towards full implementation. The entity formed by the shipyard and an extensive network of subcontractors and partners is unique internationally. This will enable us to deliver even the most modern icebreakers quickly and with high quality,” said Minister Puisto.

RMC’s role is central in the ASC program which emphasizes schedule certainty, low technical risk, and the use of a mature, production-ready design to meet the Coast Guard’s urgent operational requirements. Under the award, RMC will construct the first two Arctic Security Cutters based on the proven Multi-Purpose Icebreaker (MPI) design developed by Seaspan Shipyards in collaboration with Aker Arctic Technology. The vessels will be built in cooperation with the U.S. shipbuilder Bollinger Shipyards.

MXP365 digital guest journey is on a roll

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 15 December 2025 15 December 2025

Within the past 12 months, eight cruise lines have signed up for the MXP365 digital guest journey. The cloud-based web and mobile MXP365 software covers the entire digital guest journey from pre-cruise to onboard and post-cruise. With fast implementation and a highly favorable ROI compared to in-house development, MXP365 is successfully used by cruise lines such as TUI Cruises. The platform delivers service excellence with the native guest app for smartphones, web portal, digital signage, advanced in-cabin iTV, self-service kiosks, chat, and messaging.

With the AI-powered MXP Chatbot, guests can ask questions, make purchases, and access all cruise-specific information using natural speech. By analyzing guest profiles and past behavior, MXP’s AI delivers personalized sales recommendations, enriching the guest experience and increasing revenue.

MXP365 integrates seamlessly into the MXP Enterprise Platform, connecting all guest touchpoints with core operational systems such as the property management system, itineraries, port operations, tours, vendors, and supply chain. The MXP Enterprise Platform is built on an agile architecture, evolving through continuous modular expansion. Implementations run fast, supported by an expert team with deep cruise industry experience.

Knud E. Hansen supports next-generation ropax ferries for Cook Strait

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 08 December 2025 08 December 2025

Knud E. Hansen, a leading naval architecture and marine engineering consultancy, has announced a significant milestone in its ongoing collaboration with Ferry Holdings Limited. Following the successful signing of the shipbuilding contract with Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI), two new state-of-the-art ropax vessels will be built.

These vessels are destined for service linking the North and South islands across New Zealand’s challenging Cook Strait and through the environmentally sensitive environs of the Tory Channel and Queen Charlotte Sound. This achievement marks a major step forward in a multi-year effort to modernize and enhance inter-island transport capability. Knud E. Hansen has supported Ferry Holdings Limited throughout this journey, contributing comprehensive technical expertise from the earliest project stages.

Its involvement has included:

– Development of the initial concept designs
– Preparation and refinement of detailed contract specifications
– Shipyard capability assessments and vetting
– Technical and commercial support during contract negotiations.

With the shipbuilding agreement now in place, Knud E. Hansen will continue to work closely with Ferry Holdings Limited as their trusted technical partner throughout the newbuild programme. Its team will remain deeply engaged throughout all phases of design development, construction oversight, and commissioning, right through to vessel delivery.

“We are delighted to support Ferry Holdings in bringing these transformational vessels to reality,” said Javier Suarez, Managing Director, Knud E. Hansen. “This fleet renewal represents a major investment in the future of Cook Strait transport, and we are committed to ensuring Ferry Holdings receives vessels of the highest safety, reliability, and performance standards.”

The new ropax vessels will play a central role in strengthening New Zealand’s transport infrastructure linking the North and South islands with improved capacity and passenger experience for decades to come. These vessels will set a new benchmark for safety, efficiency, environmental sensitivity and reliability on one of the worlds most demanding ferry routes.