Hospitality 12/18: Cruising for New Technology

If you haven’t looked at the technology being used on cruise ships recently, it’s probably time for you to look again. MarketScale correspondent Sam Mosher takes a deep dive on this week’s episode into the world of cruise ship technology in his conversation with longtime travel writer Mark Orwoll. Also on this week’s episode of the podcast is a conversation with David “Rev” Ciancio about the importance of managing your online reputation. What do people see when they search for your hotel or restaurant online? If you haven’t thought about it, it’s time to give it some serious consideration.

Your Cruise Ship Just Got a Tech Upgrade

Technology on cruise ships is constantly evolving. Just this past October, Princess Cruises announced all of its Caribbean Princess passengers will have access to its Ocean Medallion technology. The Ocean Medallion is a quarter-size wearable device that interacts with other devices to allow guests to order food, find their other party members and request staff help. Not only is wearable technology evolving on cruise ships, but cruise ship technology for mobile phones, staterooms and security is evolving as well.

This week, Mark Orwoll joins us to talk about these technological advances. He is a veteran travel journalist who has covered the cruise industry since 1987. He worked on the editorial staff of Travel + Leisure magazine for 29 years, most recently as their international editor. He has worked as a freelance writer since 2016. His work can be found in the Condé Nast Traveler, the Travel Channel, Town & Country and dozens of other publications.

Your Online Reputation Precedes You

How do you go about finding a taco place near your house if you are hungry for tacos? Chances are you’re going to pick up your cell phone and search for tacos near your current location. But how do restaurants make sure their name is at the top of the search results? That’s where reputation management comes into play.

David “Rev” Ciancio is an expert in managing online reputations for restaurants and other businesses. He joined the podcast to explain the steps that restaurants can take to remain as visible as possible online. “Most people don’t understand the hidden secrets of reputation management,” says Ciancio. He also explains why restaurants need to be preparing now for the Alexa and Google Home revolution.