Seven new features cruise ships will have by 2027

Get ready for robot bartenders and virtual butlers 

Friday 29 September 2017 16:28 BST
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The Magic Carpet is a floating platform that will hang off the side of a new cruise ship
The Magic Carpet is a floating platform that will hang off the side of a new cruise ship

The cruise industry has been working overtime in recent years to shed their dowdy image, launching millennial cruises, vegan cruises and even putting race tracks onboard to appeal to the modern traveller.

As cruise companies are already ordering ships that will come into service in 10 years time, we’ve rounded up seven features the ships of the future will have.

Screens on every surface

Forget about one TV on the wall in your cabin. Soon, LED screens will feature on walls, ceilings and even floors of cruise ships. Royal Caribbean has already created virtual balconies, bringing ocean views to inner rooms, but in the future, it’ll be the norm to use LED displays in public spaces throughout the ship.

A virtual balcony for inner cabins could be the norm

Wearable tech

Wearable tech is already used by Princess Cruises to allow guests to access their rooms and pay for drinks. As cruise lines look to provide a personalised experience for each traveller, devices worn by guests will inform bar staff of a customer’s name and favourite drink, alert waiting staff if it’s someone’s birthday or anniversary and tailor activity suggestions based on the repetitive behaviour of the wearer.

A Virtual Butler

All guests will have voice activated in-room assistants. These personal butlers will be able to make dinner arrangements, book last minute excursions or arrange a hire car to be delivered to the port when you dock. Virtual assistants will also make sure guests never get caught without sun cream or an umbrella again by giving a weather report for the ship’s next destination.

Robot Bartenders and Floating Platforms

Royal Caribbean has already introduced the “Bionic Bartenders” – robots that mix your drinks and the “Rising Tide Bar” which moves between floors but new feats of engineering are in production. The first of these is the “Magic Carpet” the world's first cantilevered floating platform to hang off the side of the ship. It is a feature of the Celebrity Edge, which launches in 2018.

Let robot bartenders mix your drinks 

Visit the Destination Before You Arrive

Virtual reality technology will be used to give customers a real-life experience of the destinations they are about to visit. Cruise companies also plan to invest in more virtual reality gaming on-board which will enable players to be present in a three-dimensional environment and interact with characters or situations within the game.

Reducing Environmental Impact

Cruise liners are already investing in environmentally friendly initiatives around waste disposal and water efficiency to reduce their carbon footprint. The next step is to ensure the next generation of vessels will have as little impact on the environment as possible. Royal Caribbean's Icon Class ships, planned for 2022, will be powered by liquefied natural gas and use fuel cell technology to reduce gas emissions.

Holographic staff

Holographic staff will soon be available for real-time interactions with customers at touch-points around cruise ships. Acting as virtual information points, the holographic helpers will give on board directions, answer customer questions and make announcements.

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