CASE STUDIES
Driving Carnival Cruise’s State-of-the-Art Passenger Boarding Experience
Digital Signage

Introduction

In 2017, Carnival Corporation completed a multi-million-dollar redesign and upgrade of Cruise Terminal 2 at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Used exclusively by the company’s Princess Cruises brand, the upgraded terminal now features a streamlined departure design, interactive experiences, a movie theater, and more comfortable pre-boarding areas.

Port Everglades is consistently ranked as one of the world’s three busiest cruise ports, handling more than 3.8 million passengers in fiscal year 2016. Currently, 10 cruise lines, one ferry service, and over 40 cruise ships operate from the South Florida seaport. To enhance passenger experience, Carnival sought to implement advanced AV technology capable of delivering high-quality video to multiple video walls, a 70’ curved LED wall, and digital signage throughout the terminal. A key driver of the upgrade was the Ocean Medallion System, a virtual concierge designed to guide travelers seamlessly from arrival through pre-boarding.

The Challenge

The AV system upgrade included multiple video walls and the 70’ curved LED wall located in high-traffic areas such as the main entrance, aquarium, and theater. Video content from independent sources (PCs) needed to be distributed to each display using point-to-point extenders managed by a QSC Q-SYS control platform.

This setup created significant operational challenges. Whenever an extender was disconnected or maintenance was performed, operators were required to manually reset video wall processors, which were located on different facility levels. Troubleshooting was slow, cumbersome, and prone to errors, highlighting the need for a solution that could simplify control, improve reliability, and allow centralized management of all video sources and displays.

The Solution

To address these challenges, Carnival partnered with PureLink and professional AV integrator VIDELIO-HMS, a firm with extensive experience designing and implementing large-scale AV systems in high-traffic environments. VIDELIO-HMS leveraged PureLink’s advanced video distribution solutions to create a seamless, centralized network.

The system was built around PureLink PureMedia™ Signal Management Systems, offering intuitive touch-screen control, full automation via Q-SYS integration, and comprehensive EDID management to enable smooth, rapid switching between sources and displays. By controlling the PM-16X matrix switcher via RS-232 from Q-SYS touchscreens located near the video walls, operators could instantly route content without physically accessing remote racks. “This simple feature was probably the biggest resolution we experienced with the PM-16X,” said Fernando Aspuru, Director of Land Operations at VIDELIO-HMS. “Its ease of use and flexibility were exactly what we needed for a complex installation.”

In addition, PureLink HTX HDMI over HDBaseT Matrix Switching Systems were deployed to drive theater presentations and route video content to digital signage throughout the terminal, ensuring consistent, high-quality visuals across all areas.

The Result

With PureLink solutions in place, Cruise Terminal 2 now operates with centralized, reliable video control, dramatically reducing troubleshooting time. Operators can efficiently manage multiple video walls, theater displays, and digital signage, delivering a smooth and engaging experience for passengers from arrival to pre-boarding.

The Review

PureLink’s signal management and matrix switching systems solved our major connectivity challenges. The combination of ease of use, EDID management, and RS-232 integration with Q-SYS made our video wall operation far more reliable. PureLink products are now a key part of our solutions toolkit for complex installations.

– Fernando Aspuru, Director of Land Operations at VIDELIO-HMS

Installation Diagram

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