Back in August I learned about the cool Crestron system that the 160-foot megayacht Newvida has onboard. In a nutshell, the system is comprised of wireless touch-screen panels in every stateroom as well as the saloon, skylounge, and other relaxation areas (even a waterproof one by the Jacuzzi on the sundeck) that permit the owner and guests to control or monitor everything from cabin temperature to movies and/or music on demand. But what sets Newvida’s Crestron controls apart is how everyone can also select something to eat and drink from an extensive menu.
Kevin Merrigan, president of Northrop & Johnson, which has the central listing for Newvida, invited me to come see the “electronic butler” operation in person. I finally did at the recent Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, and thanks to Capt. Dan Verhoff, who game me an in-depth demo, I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything like it.
Say you’re sitting in your stateroom, perusing the rest of the day’s activities and week’s itinerary on the Crestron control (yes, Verhoff has those loaded in, too), when you decide you’d like an aperitif before dinner. Click the Concierge service button, and then select the Beverages button; up comes a menu listing Water (Still and Sparkling included), Cocktails, and the like. Hmm, the Wine Cellar button catches your eye—select that, choose either a Wine Type (red, white, champagne) or Country (France, Italy, United States, and Portugal), and you get another menu detailing the available selections. Curious to know more details about a particular chardonnay or cabernet sauvignon given there? Just click on the View Details button, and up comes a Wine Spectator-like display showing everything from the year to the tasting notes, even a picture of the label. When you find what you want, click Submit Order, and the stews on duty are notified via a similar Crestron system in the galley. (If they happen to be out on deck, their Blackberry receives notification, too.)
Even better: Your selection, as well as whatever else you or anyone else orders during your time onboard, gets recorded in a central logging system, so that the crew knows exactly what to reprovision for at the end of the trip.
Now, as great as computerized systems are, we all know that sometimes software goes south. So what if that happens to Newvida’s program midway through a charter (she’s part of the Fraser Yachts fleet)? No packing up of equipment or desperate phone calls to outsourced tech help required: The technicians who set it up can access the system remotely via the Web and set everything back on course.
Now that’s what I call room service.
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