In early July 2003, looking over the sparkling waters of the inter coastal waterway from his third-
floor corner office, Tom Murphy, CIO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL), was putting the final
touches on his recommendations to the corporate planning committee chaired by Jack Williams,
president and chief operating officer (C00), for his 2004 information technology (IT) plan. Whether
to recommend a modest budget increase, a significant budget increase, or a return to the glory days
before 9/11 was a key issue confronting him. How he could
assure optimum alignment of IT
spending with the direction of the company was another key issue.