October 24, 2005

IT specialist provides 5-star plus Hapag Lloyd cruise ship with modern information and communication technology

Thanks to Lufthansa Systems, cruise passengers on board the EUROPA will be able to enjoy all the comforts of modern communication and entertainment technology while on the high seas. The EUROPA is the flagship of the Hapag-Lloyd cruise fleet. In the past five years, it was the only cruise ship in the world to be awarded the “5-star-plus” rating by the Berlitz Cruise Guide. The technology was installed on October 22, 2005 during a stopover in Istanbul.

“Passengers on the cruise market are increasingly demanding mobile access to all of the opportunities they take for granted on shore,” said Stefan Hansen, Senior VP Business Unit Infrastructure Services at Lufthansa Systems. “We are in a position to unite all of the necessary technologies in a single, future-proof system. This provides many options to the passengers, in addition to considerable cost advantages compared to previous solutions.” He also said that the strong growth of the cruise market is very promising for Lufthansa Systems.

Starting immediately, all passengers on the EUROPA will have access from their suites to the Internet and to an intranet containing current travel information and billing data. They can download their email, receive a number of radio and television programs, enjoy audio and video on demand, and stay in touch with their loved ones at home via satellite. Modern IP telephony is being used for on-board communications.

The system implemented on the EUROPA was developed by Lufthansa Systems together with its partner TOMORROW FOCUS Technologies especially for use in mobile environments such as airplanes, ships and buses. It is highly fail-safe and very flexible as regards expansion and the integration of new technologies.

Note for the editor:

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is one of Germany’s leading providers of premium and luxury cruises. Its fleet includes the EUROPA, which is the only cruise ship to have been awarded more than 5 stars by the Berlitz Cruise Guide and which consists exclusively of outer suites with at least 27 square meters of space. The second 5-star ship, the HANSEATIC, offers worldwide expeditions to the poles and to warm-water regions, as well as “Expedition of Knowledge” study trips. The BREMEN offers a similar concept on a more economical 4-star level. Our premium ship the COLUMBUS is the only German-language cruise ship to sail the Great Lakes of North America.

Lufthansa Systems is one of the leading IT service providers for the airline and aviation industries worldwide. As a systems integrator, the wholly owned subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group covers the entire range of IT services, including consulting, development, implementation and operation. Lufthansa Systems provides its IT infrastructure and operations services to a variety of industries. Headquartered in Kelsterbach near Frankfurt/Main, Germany, the company has several branches in Germany and 17 other countries and employs around 4,500 people worldwide. In business year 2004, Lufthansa Systems recorded sales of EUR 628 million. Additional information can be found at www.LHsystems.com .