Holidays aboard cruise ships today are very different from what cruisers in the early 20th century might have experienced. From virtual portholes on Disney Cruises to golf simulators on the Norwegian Prima, cruise ships are leveraging innovative technology to give guests a safer, more convenient, and more exciting experience. While some innovations are directly accessible to guests, others work behind the scenes. Let’s take a closer look at a few tech developments taking cruise ships into the future. 

Remote Check-In for Smoother Embarkation
Today’s cruisers can feel the impact of technology even before they board the ships. MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises, Princess Cruises, and several other cruise lines are expediting guest boarding through digital check-in processes that use facial recognition and other biometric technology. 

For example, guests booking a cruise on the MSC World Europa  can complete the check-in formalities online through the MSC for Me app or Web interface. This gives you a digital boarding pass in the form of a QR code to smoothen your embarkation process. The impact - embarkation lines are much shorter today.

Cruise Wearables for Personalized Experiences
Don’t be surprised if you receive a digital Medallion or a wristband the next time you book a cruise. These Iot devices can be used to unlock cabins, keep track of your kid’s location on the ship, and more. They can also hold the wearer’s medical information in case of emergencies and act as receiving devices for messages from the cruise operator.

The Ocean Medallion by Carnival Cruises even uses geolocation technology to turn on stateroom lights and air conditioning as guests approach their stateroom. It’s not just convenient, it’s also energy efficient.

Contactless Payment Options for Safer Onboard Purchases
Cruises are also customizing wearable devices to act as contactless payment options. It’s a simple step that eliminates guest worries about carrying cash or how to receive OTPs for credit card transactions.

Take the Princess Medallion ClassTM ship’s MedallionPay for example. Guests with the Princess Medallion® wearable device can link their credit card to the MedallionPay program. They can then use it to order room service, get laundry tokens, use the Casino slot machines, and make purchases on the ship as well as at certain retail locations in select ports of call.

Virtual Balconies for Affordable Voyages with a View
Inside cabins on many cruise ships are not equipped with virtual balconies to offer a more comfortable sailing experience. You could describe these virtual balconies as large LED screens that display live HD views from outside the ship. The view is comparable to that offered by traditional ocean-view cabins – you can check the weather, watch the ship pull into port, and more.

This is a feature available on many Royal Caribbean ships. You can book Virtual Balcony Interior staterooms on the Anthem of the Seas for a Weekend Getaway cruise or longer cruises like the 7-night Greek Isles & Turkey Cruise on the  Voyager of the Seas.

Tech-Driven Entertainment for More Exciting Voyages
Technology is also helping cruise ships elevate their on-board entertainment. Many cruise ships are upgrading their rides with Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality technology.

The Royal Caribbean reintroduced the Skypad expedition on the Spectrum of the Seas with VR-aided Space and Undersea adventures. Similarly, the Norwegian Viva and Norwegian Prima feature a high-tech virtual reality playground called the Galaxy Pavilion. From dodging dinosaurs on virtual jeep rides to hang gliding; there are tons of interactive rides for guests to choose from.

Engineered Marvels for Once-in-a-Lifetime Experiences
Advancements in engineering technology have created unique spaces on cruise ships. Want to have dinner on a platform that’s floating 13 stories above sea level – the Magic Carpet on the  Celebrity Edge class ships lets you tick the experience off your bucket list.  Or, have you been imagining what it would feel like to ride a swing over the sea? The Cliffhanger, an over-water swing ride on the MSC World America lets you feel the thrill of this ride.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Solutions for Personalized Guest Experiences
Many cruise lines are harnessing AI to give their guests a more personalized booking and cruising experience. The applications range from intelligent itinerary planning to smart cabin systems and customer service chatbots.

AI concierges like Vivi by Virgin Voyages and MSC Cruises’ Zoe can assist guests with tasks ranging from booking shore excursions matched to their lifestyle to managing room service orders. These chatbots also give guests easy access to daily schedules and can answer FAQs for 24x7 customer service.

Ready to Experience It Yourself?
Whether it’s the MSC World Europa or the Norwegian Viva, cruise lines are racing to harness the power of technology and create memorable experiences for their guests. The cruise apps make it easy to personalize cruise experiences and you could even take a virtual tour of the ship before booking your cabin.

But, like any regular cruiser will tell you, there’s a lot more that goes into planning a cruise holiday. You’ve got to plan your flight tickets to and from the end ports, find hotels at these ports, complete visa and insurance paperwork, and more. That’s where we come in. At Cruisebay we will guide you through every step of the way. We take care of finetuning the details so you can have the most enjoyable experience. Are you ready to plan your next cruise?