Paul Gauguin Cruises has signed with MTN Satellite Communications (MTN), the global provider of communications, connectivity and content services to remote locations around the world, to deliver live network TV programming to its luxury cruise ship sailing in the South Pacific, the M/S Paul Gauguin.
In addition to the MTN Worldwide TV telecasts, MTN is providing a full range of satellite communication services for the ship’s passengers and crew, including Wi-Fi Internet connections, daily newspaper downloads and crew calling programs.
“With MTN Worldwide TV, our guests can access their favorite news, sports and entertainment programs while cruising thousands of miles from home,” said Diane Moore, executive vice president of Paul Gauguin Cruises. “We cater to a high-level specialized passenger base with a passion for cruising the beautiful waters of French Polynesia and the South Pacific, and it’s important for us to offer all the comforts of a land-based luxury resort, including live television broadcasts and fast Wi-Fi Internet connections.”
“Paul Gauguin Cruises is the eighth cruise line to sign up for our highly successful MTN Worldwide TV service,” said Brent Horwitz, senior vice president, MTN cruise and ferry services. “This program has been a huge success. We now have more than 40 ships with a total of more than 35,000 passenger cabins receiving our satellite TV broadcasts.”
Introduced in February, MTN Worldwide TV delivers programming content from major networks such as BBC World News, CNBC, E! Entertainment Television, Fox News, MSNBC, Sky News and Sky Sports News via satellite to ships at sea worldwide. MTN is also looking to develop additional options including foreign language broadcasts and major events, such as sports championships, according to Horwitz.
MTN offers continuous broadband connections to the ship through its worldwide C-Band satellite network. The ship’s service plan calls for guaranteed uncontended bandwidth with the ability to burst to faster data speeds as needed to support higher traffic loads. MTN’s exclusive StreamXcel onboard management system provides data compression and bandwidth optimization to support the ship’s communication requirements.
The M/S Paul Gauguin was built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France. The ship is 513 feet long and 71 feet wide, with a draft of 16.9 feet. The ship can accommodate 332 guests with a staff of 215, and is one of the top Exclusive Charter and Incentive Group venues in the industry. The M/S Paul Gauguin has undergone more than $25 million in enhancements since its inaugural sail in 1998. Since then, the ship has completed more than 500 South Pacific cruises and served more than 140,000 guests, including more than 12,000 honeymooners.
