Brightwell, NCR Debut ATM Program for Cruise Ship Industry

Payments technology company Brightwell has launched an ATM program for the cruise industry.

The Atlanta company said the program — done in partnership with ATM firm NCR — helps the sector drive revenue and reduce the cost of operating automatic teller machines, Brightwell said in a news release Tuesday (Dec. 6).

“The daily management of the ATM channel within the cruise line industry is complex and time-consuming,” the release said. “The cost of managing a program is increasing, and cruise lines need to create a strategy to distribute cash — from determining disbursement locations to implementing the proper security protocols.”

According to the release, the ATM program solution lets cruise line passengers access cash in “challenging locations” in remote areas like the Fjords of Norway, Chile, South Korea and New Zealand. In addition, the program offers “the strictest security protocols” to secure both ATM and card data, Brightwell said.

PYMNTS wrote earlier this year that the ATM has become something of an unsung hero in banking’s digital transformation. According to our research, nearly 11% of banking customers use ATMs as their primary banking channel, while approximately 41% point to ATMs as a routine way they get access to banking services.

ATMs are also more popular than drive-up tellers, which just 5% of consumers identify as their main banking channel. The global ATM market’s expansion is a sign of the technology’s enduring popularity. It reached $20.18 billion in 2020, and its 4.9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is projected to continue for the next six years.

This year also saw NCR divide its business into two halves, one focused primarily on ATMs, as PYMNTS reported in September.

“It has become clear that NCR has the opportunity to unlock value for our shareholders by separating our digital commerce business and our ATM business. We have made significant strides over the past four years in creating a leading software-as-a-service business while continuing to strengthen and grow the ATM business,” said Frank R. Martire, executive chairman, NCR board of directors.