A Glimpse Into The Future of Cruising – Virtually Reality!

It was bound to happen – what with the meteoric progress of Artificial Intelligence and Software Technology.  That eventually the futuristic  innovations  will become the ‘norm’ on cruise ships.

Bionic Bar – Already a big hit with passengers!  But there’s more! Much more in store!

I read an article recently about the onset of Facial Recognition, Virtual Excursions and Fake Views, which a few years ago would have been dismissed as fantasy.   However Fake views are already here in the form of the Inside Cabins with Virtual Balcony – and are going down a storm with passengers!  Myself included! A Real Time view is streamed onto full length LCD screens in your cabin, giving you the illusion of having a Balcony cabin.  Great Fun!

Royal Caribbean have already introduced the WOW band, which is worn on the wrist and is used for check in, and entry to your Stateroom, purchases etc.  An updated version will allow you to control the lighting and heating in your cabin.

A new concept however is Virtual Reality Dining – Wearing a high-tech headset over your eyes and ears, the experience begins in the virtual living room of a traditional Japanese home. A small glowing blue ball appears and you are instructed to use one hand to pick it up and consume what in reality was a savoury canapé. You are then transported to a wintry Japanese garden, filled with bird life, like something from a Disney cartoon!  The backdrop changes  to a spring garden, then to a night scene for dessert, complete with a galaxy of glowing  stars!  How fantastic is that!

Not only but also……..

Virtual Shore Excursions & Facial Recognition

Designed to take the ‘friction and frustration out of the check -in process, you download an App which lets you take a photo ID of yourself to beat the queues.  Once on board you can use the app to order drinks and have them delivered to wherever you are on the ship!  (Can ‘foresee’ a few technical difficulties here..)  What if you pop to the loo?

The app also has an “off limits” feature which allows guests to virtually explore the captain’s quarters, (hopefully when he’s on the Bridge, and not in the shower!)  and can be used for virtual shore excursions. RCI says it will serve as a “try before you buy” rather than replace the real thing.  Another brilliant Idea – I’m sold!

Futuristic Cabins inspired by NASA!   Cocooned by the rhythmic sounds of calming waves, gentle rain showers, quiet thunderstorms and other surround-sound acoustics, the concept cabin of the future, unveiled by RCI in New York last week, is designed to “bring a little bit of the outside in”, so passengers will feel closer to nature within their rooms. “The idea is to make the walls feel less solid,” an RCI spokesperson said. “We wanted to create a space where people could see views of the ocean and skies from inside their cabin, without having to necessarily go to the promenade of the ship.” Video content can either be streamed live or pieced together from stock footage to create the “perfect” natural surrounding. A bespoke sunrise alarm call can be tailored to each passenger, right down to the exact colour of the sky.

So when can we expect to experience these fantastic new innovations?  Well,  Royal Caribbean is aiming for its new app to be available on 15% of its fleet of 48 ships  by 2018. Other technology, such as the virtual reality dining, is expected to be rolled out across half of Royal Caribbean’s fleet by 2019, with installation across all ships expected by 2020. A launch date for the concept cabin has not yet been unveiled.

Here’s a glimpse of the latest Royal Caribbean  future sailings  offers  (Did you see what I did there? :-))

Regards. Gina x