Discreet alarm communication that keeps the journey uninterrupted
STARTSEITE Case Studies References fromthe Industry Optimised cruise experience Bolette
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines operates smaller, stylish cruise ships designed for a more personal and relaxed travel experience. On board its elegant flagship Bolette, sailing from the UK to destinations ranging from the Arctic to the Caribbean, guest comfort and a calm atmosphere are key.
Swissphone’s digital paging solution enables fast, reliable and discreet alarm communication within the crew, helping maintain peace and quiet for guests while supporting smooth onboard operations. Crew members can be reached quickly without disturbing public areas, restaurants, lounges or cabins with audible radio traffic.
Before its introduction, handheld radios caused disruption for guests and created practical challenges for the crew. Limited coverage, frequent charging requirements and short communication range made coordination less efficient during daily operations and time-critical situations.
Overview of Bolette
Bolette is Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ flagship vessel, offering a classic smaller-ship cruise experience with 690 cabins and capacity for 1,338 guests. Sailing from UK ports such as Southampton and Liverpool, she visits destinations including the Norwegian fjords, the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands and selected longer itineraries. Bolette’s smaller size allows her to access scenic waterways, hidden fjords and ports that larger ships often cannot reach. This makes discreet and reliable crew communication especially important onboard. The previous handheld radio system caused challenges including audible radio traffic disturbing guests, limited coverage, frequent charging needs and restricted communication range.
Bolette replaced its handheld radios with a digital paging system from Swissphone. The solution is built around the I.SEARCH alarm server, which provides centralised control via telephone and web-based interfaces, including status monitoring. It also includes I.SITE II transmitters for synchronised radio transmission and seamless coverage on board, as well as s.QUAD X15 pagers, which are robust, reliable devices with long range and long battery life.
By sending targeted, group-specific alerts, the system replaces open radio communications and enables a significantly faster, coordinated response from the crew. At the same time, background noise in guest areas is kept to a minimum – a clear contribution to a carefree travel experience. The I.SITE II transmitters enable synchronised multi-transmit operation, ensuring robust, ship-wide coverage and seamless continuity of connection.
The crew appreciated the simple and intuitive handling of the Swissphone s.QUAD X15 pager, which reliably receives alerts even when the signal is weak and supports 16 call addresses.
The pagers are lightweight and easy to use, allowing most employees to become familiar with them immediately without requiring much explanation. Another major advantage is the battery life, with most pagers lasting at least three weeks on a single battery.
The conversion to the Swissphone paging solution was also completed smoothly and quickly. The installation was carried out without disrupting on-board operations, and the crew received clear instructions on use, programming and maintenance, which proved very helpful.
Alarms can be conveniently triggered via the web GUI or the telephone system. Predefined numbers and call groups, enquiries with automatic caller ID processing, and voice messages confirming delivery ensure error-free, secure and traceable alerting. The I.SEARCH system continuously monitors all transmitters and reports faults immediately.
The reliable alarm signals are loud and clear, while different tones help the crew identify the type of alarm and respond appropriately. This has clearly helped improve internal communication. The vibration alarm is also available and works well, especially in noisy areas where audible alarms may not be noticed immediately.
The digital paging system ensures peace and quiet in guest areas, improves crew coordination, and increases operational safety on board. Ship-wide transmission is consistent thanks to synchronised transmitters, while simple telephone and web-based workflows reduce training requirements and minimise errors.
Robust coverage and long battery life help reduce maintenance and downtime. Together, these improvements support more efficient processes, faster interventions, and an uninterrupted travel experience for cruise guests.
Overall, the crew is very satisfied with the solution. The pagers are durable, reliable, and serve their purpose perfectly.
Central alarm server with telephone and web-based alarm messages with status monitoring of all transmitters
Synchronised transmitters for seamless ship-wide paging coverage
Robust pagers with strong reception, 16 call addresses and long battery life
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