This is best done when the ship is docked and therefore has a fast Internet connection-at least for now. Broadband rollouts start in 2013, with the biggest ships going operational first. As the amount of data expands, and the standard for customer service improves, the IT staff will be continually challenged to keep ahead.

At times, it feels as if Royal Caribbean is an IT company, not a guest services company. In other to help employees understand the guest life, Royal has a special orientation program. After one year, staff gets a funded family cruise vacation.

That's a problem I'd sure like to have.

Matthew Heusser is a consultant and writer based in West Michigan. You can follow Matt on Twitter @mheusser, contact him by email or visit the website of his company, Excelon Development. Follow everything from CIO.com on Twitter @CIOonline, on Facebook, and on Google +.

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