Costa Adopts PASS!

Hi Everyone,

I received this press release from PASS Consulting Corporation and
thought it would be of interest. If you have missed any of my news'
postings, they are available on my web site.

Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com


Cruise Passenger Tracking Due October 4: Costa to Adopt PASS Advance
Passenger Information System (APIS)

MIAMI, Sept. 26
More rigid U.S. government-mandated cruise embarkation/debarkation
rules go into effect October 4th, 2005. This is a result of U.S. laws
passed requiring detailed recording and evaluation of all incoming and
outgoing travel. PASS Consulting has worked closely with the cruise
industry and US officials to develop an automated solution that will
address the requirements of this new ruling.

PASS' XX/1 Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) will
successfully manage passenger and crew reporting and improve risk
management procedures. The new PASS system streamlines the entry and
management of data required for the electronic Notice of Arrivals and
Departures (eNOAD). The system increases the speed, ease of access and
integration into existing cruise line passenger reporting systems.
Other options to comply with the new laws include manual completion of
Web-based pages or use of other form creation software, which require
more time and have less quality control abilities due to the need to
enter each passenger and crew member individually rather than to
upload that data from internal files.

As PASS' newest XX/1 customer, Costa Cruises will benefit from the
enhanced security, reliability and speed of passenger tracking. This
will result in superior service and safety for Costa Cruises and their
passengers while efficiently and accurately fulfilling the
government's requirements.

Pragmatic Systems International Corporation, a travel technology
consultant that specializes in governmental law issues, illuminated
the need for a reliable APIS/eNOAD system. "There are numerous
advantages of having an APIS system like that of PASS, and the results
can be very significant for both the cruise line and the passenger,"
said the spokesperson for Pragmatic Systems. "If a cruise line does
not comply with these laws or if they inadvertently fail to enter
certain information, they could be fined by the government and/or not
be allowed to dock at a port. For the passenger, who has enjoyed a
week-long cruise and is ready to set foot on land once again, waiting
hours for a ship to dock can be a confusing and frustrating
experience. The PASS system facilitates the needed precision that will
help a cruise line avoid penalties and delay."

"The PASS XX/1 APIS/eNOAD sets a new standard for passenger reporting
and for streamlining edit validation which is important to comply with
the new law," explained Michael Strauss, CEO of PASS Consulting. "We
see that this solution fills the immediate need in the US market and
can be easily adapted to handle other countries if needed in the
future. We believe that Costa Cruises will benefit significantly from
the dynamic features of this new offering and will give them a
competitive advantage."

"We work with PASS Consulting as an extension of our own IT department
and we have used their knowledge and expertise to help us provide the
utmost security and service for our customers," noted Eduardo
Petriati, IT Director of Costa Cruises. "The PASS XX/1 APIS/eNOAD
gives us the certainty that all of our passenger and crew reporting
will be quickly and appropriately taken care of to ensure Costa Cruise
passengers get the best possible service."

"Security is a growing need in the travel industry and accurate and
current information is of highest importance for the protection of the
country, the cruise lines and their passengers," added Strauss. "In
addition to its many features, this new technology has the flexibility
of being used on cheaper hardware with more reliable platforms."

About PASS Consulting:

Miami-based PASS Consulting Corporation is an end-to-end technology
product and service provider meeting the needs travel industry
customers such as Amadeus, E-Travel, Omega World Travel, MSC Cruises,
Worldspan, Galileo, Travelport, Thomas Cook, MTS Travel, Discovery
Travel Systems, Farelogix, OnVantage, Vodafone, E-Plus, Hotelexpress,
Lufthansa and Unique Vacations. PASS was founded in 1981 in Germany
and now has more than 730 employees worldwide with revenues in excess
of $100 million. More information about PASS Consulting is available
on the Web at http://www.PASS-consulting.com/usa or by calling (305)
269 6975.