Royal Caribbean Press release

[bookitdanno]

48 ships would include Celebrity, Azamara, Royal Caribbean, Pulmantur, etc

 

Lisa was in the introductory video.

[Algebralovr]

We've been asking for this for years. It is a simple matter to have a ship-wide intranet that would allow us to connect devices to their system to order a drink, make a reservation, or even just see the dinner menu a few hours in advance.

 

Of course, they don't seem to do any usability testing on their main site, so I don't hold my breath.

[hcat]

Royal and Celebrity both need to fix their websites in order for people to have a frustration free vacation.

 

My thoughts exactly!

 

Both websites have seriously deteriorated over the past few years..with no hope of improvement in sight.

 

No amount of hi or lo tech will substitue for the sea and sky , enjoyable live music, good service and tasty food.

Edited November 10, 2017 by hcat

[dkjretired]

48 ships would include Celebrity, Azamara, Royal Caribbean, Pulmantur, etc

 

Lisa was in the introductory video.

 

I counted different but could be wrong.

[DirtyDawg]

The upside to all this is with the facial recognition check in, instead of my inside guarantee, they will check me into Mr. Fain's suite. :D

[Straughn]

Check in in the time it takes to order fries in the drive thru-- seriously??? Every Mc Donald's I go to has 10-12 cars in the drive thru line. At least a 15-20 minute experience. I'll take the current check in. My last three cruises, that has taken less than five minutes.

[UFMOM]

On our recent Harmony cruise I used the app to reserve the time for all 6 of our specialty restaurant reservations. It worked great. Dh and I also were able to iMessage each other on the ship and our unlimited internet worked decent for streaming considering it was on a ship. So much better than the glacial speeds in years past. Would love to see this on Celebrity. If the website is any indication of how these innovations will work, I won't hold my breath.:rolleyes:

 

 

 

Mary Ann

[Lastdance]

But isn’t it nice that they want you to get you excited, at least until you remember who you’re dealing with? I just can’t wait!!!

 

 

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[Duanerice1]

I would love this but as others have mentioned they can't even get a working website so their IT reputation is not the strongest.

 

I like self service when there aren't people around. No need to track down a server which at times are hard to find. There are all sorts of cool stuff they could give us access to but we'll see.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Sorry having a bit of a problem putting it up.

 

Here's the text instead...

 

The frustration-free vacation is arriving on Royal Caribbean

Wed, Nov 8, 2017 5:02 pm

Royal Caribbean Investor Relations (newsalerts@royalcaribbean.investorroom.com)To:you Details

 

 

News Release Issued: Nov 8, 2017 (5:00pm EST)

The frustration-free vacation is arriving on Royal Caribbean

 

With digital innovation driving new design and experiences, cruise leader empowers guests to make more memories and create the experience of a lifetime

 

Photos(9)

BROOKLYN, N.Y., Nov. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) is rolling out an unprecedented wave of digital innovations touching every aspect of its business, charting a course for a world where travel frustrations have disappeared, erased by technology that is transforming cruise ships from stem to stern.

Most visible to consumers through a guest-empowering app that will blanket the company's 48-ship fleet over the next two years, the surge of innovation will also banish check-in lines at ports, equip crew members to anticipate guests' needs, and enable giant cruise ships to sail through the water on a fuel-saving curtain of air.

"The pace of change is relentless—and so are we," said Richard D. Fain, RCL's chairman and CEO. "We are harnessing a range of technologies to enhance every facet of our business, every minute of our guests' vacations, and every inch of the ships we build."

Jay Schneider, RCL's senior vice president, digital, said one focus of RCL's company-wide innovation initiative is zeroing in on wasted effort and wasted energy. "We are finding ways to eliminate friction and frustration, giving guests more time to make the memories that make vacations special," said Schneider. For example, guests will:

• Board ships in the time it takes to order fries from the drive-through, skipping check-in lines thanks to facial recognition technology that knows who they are on arrival.
  
• Sign up for shore excursions, order drinks and make dinner reservations without ever leaving their chairs by the pool thanks to an intuitive app on a device most of them already have—a smartphone.
  
• Indulge in VR and AR experiences that transform ship spaces into virtual environments and interactive games, where stateroom ceilings might be replaced by starry skies, the walls of a restaurant can transform into the sights and sounds of an outdoor café and digital signs challenge you to play an arcade game.
  

"Consumers are buying experiences now, not things," Fain said. "So we are creating ways for them to design vacations rich in made-to-order, memory-making moments, and even providing recommendations based on what they have enjoyed before or shared with us about their preferences. And with our mantra of continuous improvement, our strategy is to constantly upgrade the guest experience across the fleets of all our brands."

The technological transformation also encompasses areas beyond the guest experience, including innovations to make ships more energy-efficient, enhance ship management and put more connectivity into the hands of crew members than ever before.

RCL's invitation-only Sea Beyond event – held at the site of a historic shipbuilding facility in the Brooklyn Navy Yard and exclusively sponsored by EY – offers 37,000 square feet of hands-on examples of how digital technology is driving change across the company's fleet, whose brands include industry leaders Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises.

"EY is proud to be the exclusive sponsor of Sea Beyond. We understand the powerful impact and positive experiences digital transformation can create," said Bob Patton, Americas Vice Chair of Accounts. "Working together with the Royal Caribbean team has truly been an amazing experience," continued Patton. "We have been partners for over a decade, and are excited to continue collaborating to achieve breakthroughs in the digital innovation space."

For guests: less friction, more time to make memories

"Our vision is to make the guest experience hassle-free, personalized and fun," said Schneider.

One specific focus is removing time-stealing moments from the cruise experience. "Time spent in line—whether you're waiting for your food, waiting for your bags to arrive, waiting on a table, or booking an excursion—is time stolen from your time off," Schneider said. To return that time to guests, the company is combining technologies ranging from facial recognition to RFID tagging to GPS mapping to Bluetooth-enabled beacons to streamline boarding, manage check-ins automatically and improve wayfinding.

"Many of these same technologies are being deployed to put the power to manage your vacation in the palm of your hand," said Schneider. "Our new app will make it simpler than ever to book and plan your cruise vacation from home or with a travel agent. Once on board, you can navigate our ships with interactive maps and guides, explore the ship with cool features like x-ray vision, or order drinks that can be delivered to you wherever you are on the ship." The app, along with the next generation of the company's WOW Bands, will also unlock guest staterooms and enable guests to control stateroom lighting and temperature.

An initial release of the cruise guest app is already available on selected ships in RCL's fleet. Schneider said RCL will continue to refine the app, adding new ship-specific features and capabilities, with each subsequent release. "Our aim is to have the app enabled on about 15 percent of our fleet by the end of this year, and more than double that by the end of 2018," said Schneider.

Other innovations showcased at Sea Beyond are in the "concept car" phase, said Schneider. "Sea Beyond attendees will get glimpses of what happens when we let our imaginations run wild. So think of sampling an exotic dessert where, with each bite, the entire environment changes – at least virtually. Or imagine a stateroom where you not only control the lighting and the temperature, but can change the scene from starry night to rainforest canopy or island home with the touch of a button."

For crew: better interaction with guests and home

The innovations enriching the cruise guest experience will be complemented by a suite of tools for crews, as well. For example, the app-enabled offerings for guests will be mirrored on the crew side by mobile applications that help crew members check-in guests, complete required paperwork, track delivery of guests' bags to their staterooms, and interact with guests and anticipate their needs throughout their vacations.

In addition, crews will have access to easier means to manage their own schedules, stay connected to friends and family while onboard, and stay connected to RCL during their off-contract periods.

"We regularly earn industry-leading guest satisfaction ratings – which is first and foremost a tribute to the outstanding work our crews do every day," said Fain. "To continue to improve, we will put more capability to delight and surprise our guests into our crews' hands even as we help them better manage the special challenges of being away from their homes and families while on board."

For the RCL fleet: smarter, safer ships and a reduced environmental footprint

Also showcased at Sea Beyond will be innovations aimed at enhancing overall ship management and improving energy efficiency.

For example, forthcoming command centers will use augmented reality to assist with navigation and maneuvering. "Think of it as enabling the nautical equivalent of flying on instruments," said Fain. "Our ships always operate with keen sensitivity to the limitations the weather may impose. But having new means to mitigate the weather's impacts on departures and arrivals helps us uphold schedule and itinerary commitments important to our guests," added Fain.

In addition, in a safety-related application of the same technologies that will help servers deliver a drink to a guest anywhere on board, next generation bridge technology will allow officers to track guests on their way to muster stations to ensure all are accounted for and locate stragglers.

RCL is also innovating to reduce fuel consumption across its fleet, which not only lowers operating costs but also lightens stack emissions that are part of cruising's environmental footprint. Historically, each new class of RCL ships is significantly more fuel efficient than its predecessors as new high efficiency appliances, window tinting and improved lighting, heating and cooling technologies help reduce energy needs. The company continues to evolve hull designs to reduce drag, an evolution most evident in the "bulbous bows" now common on cruise ships. In addition, RCL is pioneering the use of an air lubrication system that coats the hulls of its ships with millions of microscopic air bubbles to further reduce resistance and drag. In initial uses, air lubrication has reduced fuel consumption at speed by 7 to 8 percent.

Complementing RCL's energy conservation efforts are initiatives to use alternative energy sources. Some RCL ships are already equipped with solar panels that generate sufficient power for limited onboard needs. At Sea Beyond, RCL will be previewing the use of fuel cells for power generation. Fuel cell use could fundamentally change ship design by distributing power sources throughout the ship. Furthermore, adoption of fuel cells would also mean producing less energy from diesel generators, reducing ships' environmental footprints. The company is planning fuel cell experiments on existing ships, with an eye to extensive use of fuel cells and liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion on its upcoming Icon class of ships. "We are fully embracing the expectation that we run an environmentally sustainable business," said Fain. "Experimenting with new ways to power our ships is just part of our broad commitment to being a responsible environmental steward."

Sea Beyond sets the course

"Every year, millions of guests are entrusting us with something very precious: their vacation time," said Fain. "To merit that trust, we work to surpass guests' expectations at every opportunity, from planning their trips to boarding our ships, whether on sea days or shore excursions, and in every dining, recreation and entertainment venue. Sea Beyond is a preview of how we are bringing those aspirations to life in a stem-to-stern transformation of our entire company while creating a new world on the water."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other words: "we really don't want to spend more money on improving food and service quality. So, we'll throw you some glitzy iPhone app."

 

 

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[Bo1953]

I think this Tech will roll out on Edge! Hoooray.. If it rolls out on other ships, I welcome that too, yes it might be frustrating to start, but that is technology! Either we adapt or not take it up, our personal choice for sure...

 

No need to frustrate yourself, either way....

 

As for the website, never had a 'long term' challenge with it.... get to do everything I want and need to, 97% of the time.

 

bon voyage

[#55worktoplay]

Royal and Celebrity both need to fix their websites in order for people to have a frustration free vacation.

 

My thoughts exactly!

[GordonJasmine]

I agree with the stupid website! And we STILL have not heard about a travel planner as we were told we would.

[upwarduk]

I would love an app to make a select dining reservation, but we don't usually buy wifi on board.

 

Check in on the app would be awesome as well.

 

We used the planner on Crown Princess in May. It was available via an app which I downloaded on to my smart phone.

They are introducing ‘medallion’ to their ships from November. You will be able to use it to order a drink, which will be delivered to you without need to move away from your sun lounger.

Edited November 11, 2017 by upwarduk

[sunnycruises]

Don’t they know that the reason we take a vacation is to get AWAY from our phones and electronic devices??

[dkjretired]

Don’t they know that the reason we take a vacation is to get AWAY from our phones and electronic devices??

 

Agree with your sentiment but that's unfortunately not how many others feel.

[Dayana]

If it all becomes a VR like experience what’s the point of cruising. You can stay home and have a VR experience.

 

 

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[ABoatNerd]

Dayana, dkjretired:

 

Well said.

 

It is my impression this latest RCL announcement is another example of this corporation working to increase profits by encouraging guests to "look inward into the ship" for their almost entire trip. Creating VR experiences is a way of increasingly capturing people's brains and programming them for the benefit of RCL. Princess is undertaking something similar with their new ocean medallion - a 1984 Orwellian tool that will track you and put more purchasing options in front of you.

 

I also see this as a continued move to more guest self service again increasing profits for RCL.

 

Not an environment that I will participate in, though many guests will love it - to each their own.

[ghstudio]

Finally a program I love. Soon I'll be able to get on board, find a deck chair and be able to keep it for the entire day....I will never have to get up (other than bathroom breaks). I can order drinks, food, play blackjack and watch the entertainment without having to get out of the chair....you know, maybe they'll even have audio/video of the excursions so I don't even have to get off the ship and, god forbid, walk. Yes, one of the things I just dislike on today's cruises is that I have to get up and walk to get food and drinks and all that exercise just wastes calories that could be better put to use around my waistline...and all that standing while shopping at the sales...terrible. I want to veg out on the cruise....let the world come to me, so to speak. And the best part, now I won't be accused of being a chair hog because I put a towel on my chair when I go for food/drink. If they would only provide a way to stay in the chair for bathroom activities, I'd be in seventh heaven....

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Royal and Celebrity both need to fix their websites in order for people to have a frustration free vacation.

 

Yup. My first thought while reading this was: Who is going to manage and run all this technology? If it's the same gang that runs the websites, I think they'll be adding frustration, not subtracting it.

[Paulras]

Don’t they know that the reason we take a vacation is to get AWAY from our phones and electronic devices??

This is a comment I expected 5-10 years ago, not today. I welcome being able to access menus or reserving dinner or excursions from my pool lounger instead of walking the ship and waiting in lines.

 

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[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Agree less service. Unless you like self service. That's what I have to do at home.

 

(y) Well said! One of the things I enjoy about cruising is being waited on, not having to do everything myself. Their current dinner reservation system leaves a lot to be desired. When we had to wait half an hour for a table in select dining, we tried to make reservations. Were told only thing available was 5:30 or 8:45. Imagine our surprise when we were finally seated to see loads of empty tables which all remained empty the entire time we were in the dining room. The Summit is an extraordinarily well-run ship with a great crew except in the dining room. That was a total cluster. And I thought the whole point of select dining was that the customer got to select the time to dine, which might not be the same every night.

[Bo1953]

Yup. My first thought while reading this was: Who is going to manage and run all this technology? If it's the same gang that runs the websites, I think they'll be adding frustration, not subtracting it.

 

h - then again, we as passengers, will have the option to not use it, right?

 

Thus fulfilling the doomsday prophecy of what we may think about it regardless... :)

 

 

bon voyage

[broberts]

Run away, run away! Given how effective RCI has been in the digital world, it can only be an utter disaster. Not only is the web site beyond redemption, forays into onboard passenger systems have more bugs than a eatery in Dharavi.

[PatC]

Royal and Celebrity both need to fix their websites in order for people to have a frustration free vacation.

Amen. They are horrible at innovations to their websites so this might be a warning to the traveler. Stay away until they can make it less frustrating all around to use their idiotic web site.