Cruises

What once might have seemed vaguely gimmicky — using your phone as a keycard or to turn off your lights in your cabin — has become the norm. Tech will be front and center of the cruise ship experience. Almost everything you do before you get onboard — online check in, boarding pass on your phone and the like — will be touchless.Once you are on the ship, your phone, RFID wristband or Ocean Medallion or similar device will act as your keycard and to pay for drinks and services. You will be encouraged to use the ship’s mobile app to navigate the ship, track your kids, monitor your onboard spending, and to book meals, spa treatments, shore excursions and shows. In-cabin voice-activated artificial intelligence (in the case of MSC Cruises’ newest ships) will answer questions that you once would have had to pick up the phone or walk to the reception desk to ask.An interesting additional feature of RFID wristbands is that they can be adapted for use as a track and trace device — something that Royal Caribbean is already doing in Singapore. The use of QR codes to bring up menus (which also reduces waste) will likely be here to stay; and say goodbye to the paper daily planner left on your bed the night — this will be accessed on your phone.