Upgrading River Cruise and Event Management for Köln-Düsseldorfer with Cruise Suite

Client

k-d.com

Property Type

Cruise ship hotels

Location

Cologne, Germany

The project launch

January 2024

About Köln-Düsseldorfer

Köln-Düsseldorfer (KD) is a premier river cruise operator based in Cologne, Germany, and has been a key player in the regional cruise and event industry. With a diverse fleet navigating the Rhine, Main, and Moselle rivers, KD specializes in offering passengers unique experiences through cruises, entertainment, and themed trips.

As part of United Waterways, KD prioritizes sustainability with fleet modernization and energy-efficient technologies. In September 2024, it became Germany's first passenger shipping company to earn a bronze medal in its inaugural ESG rating, surpassing 71% of 130,000 companies globally.

With a fleet of 14 ships, including several cruise ships and eight premium-class port hotel ships, the company provides venues for trade fairs, exhibitions, and concerts. As KD expanded its offerings, it sought to enhance operational efficiency and event ticket sales with respective technology.

Challenges Faced by Köln-Düsseldorfer

Before adopting HotelFriend solutions, KD faced the challenge of managing bookings for both traditional cruises and event-specific accommodations.

Their requirements included a flexible system capable of handling various durations of stay, from single-night bookings during trade fairs to extended stays for events like themed cruises.

Additionally, the cruise operator sought a solution that could seamlessly market their cabins through multiple channels, including their website and popular booking platforms such as Booking.com and HRS.de.

Solutions Provided by HotelFriend

HotelFriend proposed a comprehensive solution leveraging their Enterprise and Cruise suites to respond to the challenges.

The Enterprise suite, designed for online hotel management in the cloud, included a PMS, a Channel Manager, a Concierge app, a POS connection, and a payment solution. This package allowed KD to manage multiple hotels or ships from a single access point, providing the necessary tools for smooth control of back-office hotel operations.
The Cruise Solution, HotelFriend's offline system for ships, was implemented to manage the operations of ships while navigating the open waters. This included the installation and configuration of the server, the initial setup of hotel software, and the provision and connection of necessary interfaces on board, including POS and payment hardware.
As part of the Enterprise license, HotelFriend provided KD with a Multi-Booking Engine for 8 additional hotel ships, accommodating a maximum of 100 rooms per ship. This type of Booking Engine allows the company to sell tickets for their events, receive cabin bookings, display their cancellation policies, and even provide clients with an opportunity to book the whole ship.

Integrations and support

HotelFriend facilitated the integration of a payment provider that the company used to work with, meeting KD's specific payment needs.

To enhance their online sales and promote cabins on the most popular booking platforms, HotelFriend secured connections to such OTAs, as Booking.com, HRS.de, and Expedia.

The support team covered everything from starting up the Enterprise Suite to getting the Cruise Solution ready. This included tasks like exporting data, training employees, setting up the channel manager, activating OTA channels, getting the booking engine ready, and kickstarting the Cruise solution. These steps ensured a hassle-free implementation, allowing KD to make the most of its hospitality solutions.

Results Achieved

With HotelFriend's tailored solutions, KD successfully automated its operations, streamlining cabin bookings, reservations, invoicing, cancellations, and rebooking processes.

The integrated system allowed the cruise operator to sell their cabins effectively through various channels, expanding their reach and enhancing customer engagement. Some other achievements include:

Flexible booking of event cruises

HotelFriend's system effortlessly accommodated various booking needs for Köln-Düsseldorfer. From short stays during trade fairs to extended experiences for themed events, the system's flexibility improved the overall guest experience. KD became adept at tailoring offerings to a wide range of preferences, solidifying its reputation as a customer-focused river cruise operator.

About 30% boost in ticket sales

Ticket sales saw a significant thirty percent enhancement with weekly and yearly planning features integrated into the system. The system's robust deal management capabilities allowed KD to offer additional tickets for onboard musicals and drinks packages, providing additional revenue opportunities.

100% automated cruise planning

HotelFriend's system brought efficiency to KD's cruise planning and passenger manifest creation. Generating export files for cruise planning and passenger manifests facilitated seamless communication and coordination. This improvement translated into smoother sailing experiences for passengers and more streamlined ship operations.

Enabling ship charters for big clients and events

The company’s successful ship charter management through HotelFriend's system transformed its business approach. The system's ability to handle entire ship bookings offered KD unprecedented control over long-term sales planning. Flexible pricing and cancellation policies empowered Köln-Düsseldorfer to tailor ship charter experiences for more personalized service.

More efficient multi-property management

The integration with popular booking platforms and website customization marked a significant leap in effective cabin marketing. This centralized approach streamlined daily operations, simplifying the booking process for both KD and its guests. It ensures a more cohesive and user-friendly experience for everyone involved.