Make mine a spicy margarita please! And with that, Rob the humanoid robotic bartender sets to work shaking and mixing your perfect cocktail.
Robotic bartenders are just one of the ways cruise lines are already charting a bold course into the future.
Within the next decade passengers can expect more high-tech experiences on floating cities of up to 10,000. Virtual butlers in cabins is just one idea being pursued.
It’s hard to believe that just five years ago, the industry ground to a halt when COVID hit. Some cruise lines didn’t make it through. But those that did are now shifting gear into tomorrow.
The post-pandemic rise has been spectacular. Passenger numbers globally are expected to reach record levels of more than 37 million this year. The multibillion-dollar pipeline of new ships through 2036 has swelled to almost 70, and will add at least 170,000 berths to global capacity.
But it’s not easy to balance enormous investments in new hardware to attract younger cruisers with responsible tourism and environmental sustainability.The key to tomorrow’s success lies in innovation.
Big strides are being made to achieve net-zero sailing by 2050 with innovations in ship design and multi-fuel propulsion systems capable of using various cleaner energy sources like biofuels and methanol when they become available at scale, and technology such as hydrogen fuel cells. With this in mind we can expect more ships like the tri-fuel-capable Celebrity Xcel, which launches in November.
By 2030, European cruise lines Ponant and Hurtigruten aim to have their ships sailing completely free of greenhouse emissions. They’ll take their low-emission technology up a few notches with their streamlined, futuristic vessels powered by a combination of wind and solar energy plus other sustainable energy sources. Ponant’s Swap2Zero project also incorporates fuel cells that enable water and heat to be recycled on board.
They are examples of how science and design will lead the industry into the future, particularly as higher environmental standards are enforced in areas such as Norway and potentially wilderness hotspots like Antarctica. Other areas of environmental focus include hydrodynamic hull designs like the Ulstein X-Bow that pierces through heavier seas for efficiency and comfort gains, shore power, water and waste management and recycling initiatives.
The role of artificial intelligence is set to continue growing in areas such as onboard energy management and route planning.
Then there’s smart tech in the front-of-house passenger experience. We already have the robotic bartender on MSC’s Starship Club, and Princess Cruises’ MedallionClass that allows ordering of food and drinks wherever you are on the ship at the press of an app, and keyless cabin entry. As technology evolves, so too will the options for AI services on board.
Peak body Cruise Lines International Association says this type of innovation is helping drive cruising’s appeal to younger cruisers. This is fuelling demand for mega-size ships — like the biggest in the world, Icon of the Seas, which holds 7600 passengers — with extravagant onboard thrills to suit a younger audience and multigenerational families.
One industry insider has predicted “floating cities” of 10,000 passengers or more within a decade. These would likely feed into the growing number of private islands and resorts that cruise lines are developing in the Caribbean as a calculated strategy to keep customer spend within the company’s “ecosystem”.
On the other end of the scale, we see all-inclusive luxury cruising blending boutique ships with cultural immersion continuing to flourish, in line with higher demand for experiential travel.