Customer Context
Business Context
PLX is the unified brand (effective ~Mar 2026, replacing Albatross for Arctic 2026 season). Chimu Adventures is a separate brand selling PLX cruise + third-party cruise + South America land as a wholesaler/distributor. Markets: US (primary), Europe, Australia, China (charter). All-inclusive Antarctica model; Arctic has mandatory/optional flight packages. Revenue model: USD base currency with GBP/AUD/EUR selling currencies. Multi-entity structure: PLX US entity, AE Danish entity, Chimu AU entity — revenue attribution and payment routing between entities is a key complexity driver.
Timeline
Team
Competitive Context
Kaptio cruise capability (cabin selling, deck plan, departure management). Existing expedition cruise references (Aurora). Salesforce CRM integration. Multi-brand/entity support.
Assumptions
- •Phase 1 focuses on PLX cruise operations. Chimu integration is Phase 2+ and does not block PLX go-live.
- •PLX will make a CRM platform decision (HubSpot vs Salesforce) before implementation kickoff. If Salesforce is selected, it comes with Kaptio; if HubSpot, integration scope must be defined.
- •USD is the base currency. Multi-currency selling (GBP, AUD, EUR) is required from go-live.
- •Cabin-level selling (not berth-level) is the baseline for Phase 1. Berth-level selling is dependent on Kaptio product roadmap.
- •Dynamic pricing is assumed available in Kaptio by Phase 1 delivery. If not, promotional and seasonal pricing configuration is the fallback.
- •Peak 15 data migration scope (what data, what volume, what quality) will be defined during discovery. Current estimate is a wide placeholder.
- •New website integration is Phase 2 or later — not a go-live blocker for Phase 1 (internal booking and agent workflows are the priority).
- •PLX will provide a dedicated project manager and subject matter experts for the implementation. Chris Dunham's knowledge must be captured before his departure.
- •GDS integration scope is limited to Amadeus PNR import (not live flight booking) for Phase 1.
- •Hotel block contract management (Ushuaia) is manual/semi-automated in Phase 1. Full automation is Phase 2+.
- •Staff/expedition crew are not modeled as passengers in Phase 1 (separate handling TBD).
- •Chimu's wholesale/FIT model maps to Quest FIT template with added complexity for multi-supplier and multi-currency. Chimu discovery is required before estimates can be narrowed.
- •All cruise-specific outcome estimates are judgment-based with zero historical calibration. They must be treated as indicative ranges, not commitments.
- •Kaptio deck plan visualization capability is assumed to be at minimum display-ready for booking workflows. Interactive maturity TBD.
- •Three vendors are in evaluation. This scoping document assumes Kaptio is selected — effort estimates are Kaptio-specific.
How We Work
Kaptio's implementation approach and the roles & responsibilities split.
Approach
Outcome-based phased delivery with structured discovery workshops
Discovery Process
Themed discovery workshops validate baseline assumptions and capture deltas. Each workshop maps to specific outcomes. Workshops run during Phase 1 with outputs feeding Phase 2+ configuration. PLX-specific: cruise workshops must capture Chris Dunham's knowledge before retirement.
Delivery Model
Iterative configuration sprints within each phase. Demo-feedback-refine cycles. UAT at end of each phase with formal sign-off before progressing.
Governance
Bi-weekly steering committee (Kaptio + PLX leadership). Weekly delivery stand-ups. Escalation path through project managers. Baseline delta process for scope changes.
Roles & Responsibilities
Who does what — Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed
| Activity | Kaptio | Customer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery workshops | R | A | Kaptio facilitates; PLX provides domain expertise and decisions |
| Ship and cabin catalog setup | R | C | Kaptio configures; PLX provides ship data, deck plans, cabin specs |
| Pricing configuration | R | A | Sebastian owns pricing rules; Kaptio implements |
| Data migration (Peak 15) | C | R | PLX extracts data; Kaptio provides import templates and validation |
| CRM decision and setup | C | A | PLX decides CRM platform; Kaptio configures Salesforce or integration |
| UAT and acceptance | C | R | PLX tests and signs off; Kaptio supports and fixes |
| Training | R | A | Kaptio delivers training programme; PLX ensures team availability |
| Go-live support | R | C | Kaptio provides hypercare period; PLX escalates issues |
| Website integration | C | R | PLX leads website project; Kaptio provides API documentation and support |
| Change management | C | R | PLX drives internal change; Kaptio provides materials and guidance |
Managing Changes to the Baseline
Changes discovered during workshops are classified and managed through a structured delta process.
Configuration
Adjustments to standard Kaptio settings (cabin categories, pricing rules, user profiles)
Customization
Non-standard modifications requiring development (e.g. custom sharing logic, manifest templates, multi-entity routing)
Product Development
Net-new platform capability (e.g. dynamic pricing engine, berth-level selling, full deck plan interactivity)
Documentation
User stories with acceptance criteria. Tracked in shared project backlog.
Governance
Delta review at weekly delivery stand-ups. Material scope changes approved at bi-weekly steering.
What We Know
Discovery progress and unanswered questions that affect estimation confidence.
Discovery Progress
75% Complete6 Unanswered Questions — Blocking Estimation Confidence
Two Paths Forward
Each scenario represents a different balance of scope, timeline, and risk.
Select a path to see the detailed implementation plan below.
Delivery Plan & Investment
23 outcomes across 3 phases — what we deliver, how we get there, and the effort breakdown by role.
aWhat We'll Deliver
Core Foundation
(4 outcomes)Product Experience
(11 outcomes)Channel
(9 outcomes)Advanced
(7 outcomes)bHow We'll Get There
Implementation Phases
3 phasesPhase 1: Foundation & Cruise Core
Platform setup, BU/currency structure, ship and cabin catalog, pricing architecture, inventory management, deck plan visualization, security model
Heaviest phase — establishes the cruise platform foundation. Concurrent discovery workshops. Requires Chris Dunham's input before retirement.
Phase 2: Booking & Operations
Cruise booking workflows, cabin selection, sharing program, departure management, payments, documents, guest portal
Core booking and operational workflows. PLX go-live target at end of this phase. UAT + training included.
Phase 3: Channel, Scale & Advanced
Agent portal, group/charter operations, manifests, reporting, integrations, email automation
Extends platform to full operational capability. Groups/charters, agent portal, reporting. Can overlap with Phase 2 end.
cInvestment
Estimation Summary
18 of 19 outcomes have full data; 1 have partial data; 0 need more content. Average maturity: 89/100.
- →Outcome not found in content collection — create MDX file
- →Document pitfalls and risks
- →Outcome estimate is a placeholder — needs calibration
Phase 1: Foundation & Cruise Core
| Outcome | Total | Lead | FC | TC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Your Kaptio Foundation | 8–15 | 2–3.8 | 4.4–8.3 | 1.6–3 |
Suppliers, Services & Contracted Rates | 17–30 | 2.6–4.5 | 10.2–18 | 4.3–7.5 |
Packages & Selling Price | 11–20 | 1.7–3 | 6.6–12 | 2.8–5 |
B2B & B2C CRM Setup | 9–19 | 1.8–3.8 | 5–10.5 | 2.3–4.8 |
Cruise Products That Fill Cabins | 20–33 | 4–6.6 | 10–16.5 | 6–9.9 |
cruise-inventory-management | 13–23 | 2–3.5 | 5.2–9.2 | 5.9–10.4 |
cruise-deck-plan-visualization | 13–25 | 1.3–2.5 | 3.9–7.5 | 7.8–15 |
Custom Security Model | 5–11 | 1.3–2.8 | 2.5–5.5 | 1.3–2.8 |
| Delivery Subtotal | 96–176 | 16.7–30.5 | 47.8–87.5 | 32–58.4 |
| Project Management (12%) | 12–21 | cross-cutting | ||
| Other Overhead (8%) | 8–14 | environments, tooling | ||
| Phase Total | 116–211 | |||
Phase 2: Booking & Operations
| Outcome | Total | Lead | FC | TC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Seamless Cabin Booking at Scale | 17–28 | 3.4–5.6 | 7.7–12.6 | 5.9–9.8 |
cruise-sharing-program | 11–20 | 1.7–3 | 5–9 | 4.4–8 |
Departure Command Center | 13–25 | 2–3.8 | 7.2–13.8 | 3.9–7.5 |
From Search to Confirmed in Minutes | 13–23 | 2–3.5 | 6.5–11.5 | 4.6–8 |
Bookings, From Quote to Complete | 11–20 | 2.2–4 | 5.5–10 | 3.3–6 |
Payments That Just Work | 13–23 | 2–3.5 | 3.9–6.9 | 7.2–12.7 |
Confirmations, Financial Summaries & Final Docs | 14–24 | 2.1–3.6 | 7–12 | 4.9–8.4 |
Guest Details, Captured Seamlessly | 7–13 | 1.1–2 | 3.2–5.9 | 2.8–5.2 |
| Delivery Subtotal | 99–176 | 16.5–29 | 46–81.7 | 37–65.6 |
| Project Management (12%) | 12–21 | cross-cutting | ||
| Other Overhead (8%) | 8–14 | environments, tooling | ||
| Phase Total | 119–211 | |||
Phase 3: Channel, Scale & Advanced
| Outcome | Total | Lead | FC | TC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
cruise-manifest-operations | 11–20 | 1.1–2 | 5.5–10 | 4.4–8 |
Group Business, Streamlined | 13–23 | 2.6–4.6 | 6.5–11.5 | 3.9–6.9 |
Charter Operations, Controlled | 20–33 | 4–6.6 | 8–13.2 | 8–13.2 |
Trade Partners That Sell More | 13–25 | 2.6–5 | 6.5–12.5 | 3.9–7.5 |
Business Intelligence at Your Fingertips | 8–20 | 1.6–4 | 4–10 | 2.4–6 |
Automated Guest Communications | 7–16 | 1.1–2.4 | 2.8–6.4 | 3.2–7.2 |
System Integrations Made Simple | 20–40 | 3–6 | 4–8 | 13–26 |
| Delivery Subtotal | 92–177 | 16–30.6 | 37.3–71.6 | 38.8–74.8 |
| Project Management (12%) | 11–21 | cross-cutting | ||
| Other Overhead (8%) | 7–14 | environments, tooling | ||
| Phase Total | 110–212 | |||
Risks & Next Steps
Known risks and open questions that need answers before finalizing.
Risks (10)
Peak 15 knowledge concentration — Chris Dunham retiring with critical system knowledge
Mitigation: Capture Chris's knowledge in structured discovery workshops before departure. Hire product owner as replacement. Document Peak 15 data model and business rules during migration scoping.
CRM decision delay (HubSpot vs Salesforce) blocking implementation design
Mitigation: Schedule Geo/marketing comparison session. Make decision before implementation kickoff. If delayed, design for Salesforce CRM (comes with Kaptio) with HubSpot integration as fallback.
Dynamic pricing product readiness — described as "in development" at Kaptio (Aug 2025)
Mitigation: Confirm current product status and roadmap before Copenhagen onsite. If not ready, scope promotional + seasonal pricing as Phase 1 alternative with dynamic pricing as Phase 2.
Berth-level selling / same-gender share matching — acknowledged as Kaptio roadmap item, not GA
Mitigation: Confirm product status. Phase 1 can use cabin-level selling with gender share at category level. Berth-level refinement in Phase 2 if product is ready.
Three-vendor evaluation — Kaptio may not be selected
Mitigation: Copenhagen onsite is the key proof point. Tailored demos must convincingly address cruise-specific requirements (cabin selling, deck plan, groups/charters, pricing).
Chimu complexity underestimated — wholesale/DMC model is fundamentally different from PLX cruise
Mitigation: Only one Chimu reverse demo conducted. Dedicated Chimu discovery phase required before estimates can be firmed. Do not bundle Chimu scope commitments with PLX Phase 1.
Website integration dependency — new website is a separate project with unclear timeline alignment
Mitigation: Decouple website integration from PLX go-live. Phase 1 = internal booking + agent workflows. Website integration as Phase 2 when website project timeline is clearer.
Peak 15 data migration scope is a black box — could add 50-150+ man-days
Mitigation: Dedicated migration discovery workshop to assess schema, volume, quality, and export capabilities. Narrow placeholder estimate before commercial commitment.
Multi-entity payment routing rules not defined by PLX
Mitigation: Must be resolved during discovery. PLX needs to define revenue attribution rules and bank routing logic for PLX US vs AE Denmark entities.
China charter operations largely outside current systems (spreadsheet-based)
Mitigation: Include charter workflow in Phase 2/3. Agent-assisted completion for Chinese/Indian clients. Charter manifest upload capability.
Open Questions (20)
Sorted by priority — high priority questions have the biggest impact on estimation confidence.
What is the CRM platform decision? HubSpot vs Salesforce — impacts integration scope, CRM data model, and implementation effort.
highMentioned as open in multiple transcripts. Geo/marketing comparison call was planned but outcome unknown. Salesforce comes with Kaptio; HubSpot requires integration.
What are the multi-entity payment routing rules? How is revenue attributed between PLX (US) and AE (Denmark) entities on the same departure?
highRevenue routing to separate banks (US vs Danish). Service-level revenue split between PL and Chimu on same booking also undefined.
KAPTIO: What is the current status and timeline for dynamic pricing? Sebastian needs this for the onsite.
highDescribed as "in development" during Aug 2025 demo. 8+ months since — need current status for honest scoping.
KAPTIO: What is the status of berth-level selling and same-gender share matching? Is it GA, beta, or roadmap?
highAcknowledged as roadmap item in Aug 2025. PLX sharing program is a core requirement. Cabin-level share is the fallback.
KAPTIO: What is the maturity of deck plan visualization? Is it interactive for booking, or display-only for operations?
highDemo showed a cabin grid. PLX needs visual cabin/deck maps integrated into booking flow. Onsite agenda specifically lists "Cabin/deck plan visualisation."
KAPTIO: How does Kaptio handle cabin categories with movable allocations (solo vs twin on same cabin)? Marketing cap vs physical cap?
highChris reverse demo: cabin categories movable between departures, marketing cap 138 vs physical 180, crisis cabin concept.
GAP: No historical cruise implementation data exists in the estimation framework. How should cruise estimates be calibrated?
highAll 7 cruise outcomes are judgment-based. Aurora referenced as comparable but no implementation data available.
GAP: Peak 15 migration scope is completely undefined. What data must be migrated, what is the volume, and what is the data quality?
highMigration could be trivial (export/import) or massive (data transformation, parallel running). Current estimate is 15-35 man-days placeholder with very wide range.
What is the inventory display strategy? Show cabin numbers vs category-only to customers?
mediumInternal debate mentioned in Sales reverse demo (Tim). Affects booking UX design and deck plan visualization scope.
What is the website integration scope and timeline? Who builds the new website, when does it integrate with Kaptio?
mediumNew website in flight (~18 months from Mar 2026). Separate project. Integration scope with booking engine unclear.
Should staff/expedition crew be modeled as passengers in the system, or handled separately?
mediumCurrently not in Peak 15. Expedition team (doctors, guides, crew) need manifest handling but are not paying passengers.
What is the China charter policy? Should charter bookings and manifests be managed in-system or remain spreadsheet-based?
mediumChinese charters often not in Peak 15 today. Half-charter split manifest is a pain point. Data quality concerns.
KAPTIO: What has Kaptio actually delivered for charter operations? The outcome estimate is a placeholder.
mediumPLX has significant full/half charter business. Only a placeholder estimate exists (20-33 days). Need delivery reference.
KAPTIO: What OOB loyalty program capability exists? Points calculation, redemption, lifecycle management?
mediumPLX wants loyalty. Estimate is a placeholder. Onsite agenda includes loyalty system discussion with Gio, Kieron, and Stephen.
KAPTIO: What is the GDS integration depth? PNR import only, or live flight booking within packages?
mediumAmadeus PNR import confirmed. Saber/Res in progress. Arctic mandatory flights need packaging — live flights in packages is partial.
GAP: Chimu wholesale/DMC model has had only one reverse demo. Estimates are highly uncertain.
mediumChimu operates as distributor (18 polar suppliers, 12 LATAM DMCs) with fundamentally different workflows from PLX cruise. Dedicated Chimu discovery needed.
GAP: Commercial model not resolved — standard implementation vs sponsored cruise features. Affects cost structure.
mediumTracy/Rowan asked about custom dev vs core vs sponsorship during Aug 2025 demo. Rowan's 2-month product cadence mentioned.
What are PLX's multi-language support requirements? Which languages, which touchpoints (booking flow, emails, guest portal, documents), and what is the content supply chain for translated copy?
mediumPLX team asked post-onsite whether a fully localised end-to-end experience (e.g. German landing page → German booking flow → German emails → German guest hub) is possible. The hub Q&A confirms it is achievable via channels, but scoping needs to capture which languages, volume of translatable content, and who supplies the copy.
PLX has requested a follow-up demo covering operational workflows, departure closeout, guest forms/waivers, manifests, and task management. When can this be scheduled?
mediumPost-onsite feedback from the PLX team identified five areas needing deeper demonstration: (1) operational handling and information extraction, (2) department workflow and departure closeout, (3) guest forms and waivers lifecycle, (4) manifest creation and stakeholder distribution, (5) task management and internal alerts.
Should Ushuaia hotel block contract management be automated in Phase 1, or remain manual with room release handled outside the system?
lowCurrently manual block contracts with manual release of unsold rooms. Automation adds scope.
Statement of Work
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