Moving forward ideas or suggestions for a more efficient trip

[WYB!]

Hello,

So once cruises start again what are your ideas for a better, safer, more efficient cruise?

I for one would like to see being able to order food and drinks via the onboard App on my phone.

 

What I imagine, after you have initially logged in to your onboard account with your phone, when you go to any restaurant you get scanned in with your ship card and then pick your own table.

 

At the table you have a QR code which you will scan with your phone.

 

Once you scan the code it brings up a daily available menu along with descritption and photo of the items available.

 

You select the items you want to order for your table (1 order per table) and submit your order from your phone using the web app.

 

When your order is ready your items are brought to the table. But you can also track the status of your order using the app, (ie order received, being processed, being delivered, completed)

 

If any items need to be re-ordered or corrected, another order can always be submitted.

 

An empty table is cleared, cleaned and made available for next service.

 

Of course you could also allocate an area of the Restaurant/Bar for traditional ordering and service.

 

In version 2.0, I see delivery of food or beverages would be performed by automated delivery carts or similar to the distribution stations in the restaurants.

In version 3.0, I see direct delivery to the tables.

 

Let me know what you think.

 

Also what are some of your thoughts or ideas for a more safer or more efficient service?

 

Safe travels,

 

- WhosYourBuddy

Edited June 2, 2020 by WYB!

[ColeThornton]

This is becoming one of my standard answers to posts like this but..no.  First off when I get on the ship, phones and any other electronics are locked in the safe for the duration.   If I can't have human interaction on a cruise, I'm not going.  Simple.

 

But, that's just me.

[WYB!]

You think this will keep you from interacting with other humans while onboard?

 

As stated, Of course you could also allocate an area of the Restaurant/Bar for traditional ordering and service.

 

But why bother taking electronics on a cruise if you are going to lock them in the safe?

Edited June 2, 2020 by WYB!

[ColeThornton]

2 minutes ago, WYB! said:

 

 

But why bother taking them on a cruise if you are going to lock them in the safe?

 

I'll need my phone while traveling and I'll occasionally have an electronic device to do some work, unfortunately.

[WYB!]

I guess how many waiters do you interact with and what type of interaction was it?

 

My interaction has been pretty limited to: How are you? Where are you from? How long have you been on the ship? What other ships have you been on? Were you able to get off the ship today? When does your contract end? I'll have this...

 

But that's just me...

Also, you could still do that.

Edited June 2, 2020 by WYB!

[CruzRamirez]

I like your QRS code idea.

 

In the process of making embarkation & dis-embarkation safer in a COVID world, I hope the cruise line can leverage technology to make the process more efficient than what I have experienced. Which was a lot of waiting around and in the middle of a lot of people crammed together in the cruise terminal building.

[Linsuesue]

I have always wished the regular balconies had a taller table on them. I would happily order lunch using the television and remote, pick it up at the appropriate restaurant, and bring it back to my room to eat on the balcony. It isn't that fun to juggle plates in your lap and drinks and bowls on that tiny short table between the chairs. I would help to alleviate the breakfast and lunch dining crowds a few times, if there was a more convenient way to eat on the balcony. 

[Georgia_Peaches]

I don't want to be on a cruise where the concern is how to alleviate crowds.  Some good changes will come out of the COVID crisis but by and large the vast majority of changes are bad as it relates to the impact on the over all cruising experience. 

Good changes include the enhanced health screening process, new air ventilation system and cleaning protocols. 

 

Much more than than those changes will just make cruising more of the same of what I can get here on land...roped off areas, masks, long lines waiting to enter whatever, standing six feet apart, arrows on the ground telling me how to walk, strangers veering far off the sidewalk because we are about to pass each other on a morning walk, no more eye contact with my fellow human.  Why would I pay to do that on a cruise when I can do it for free in my own back yard?

 

OP, sorry.  Don't mean to be a Debbie downer.  You've mentioned some good ideas and I'm sure similar things have been posed throughout the cruise industry.  For cruisers (like myself) of days gone by, the new normal just won't cut it.

[vswan]

I am in my early 60s. Not that old, but I have no desire to add even more tech to my vacation (or life in general). As it is, I rely too much on computers, emails and texts. I don't want more apps, I don't want to have to learn how to do more with my computer and phone to be able to take a vacation. When we cruise we are happy to be together and don't spend a lot of time socializing with others, but to take away the human contact from vacation would take something from the experience.

[CruzRamirez]

Mass cruising will skew towards an overall younger demographic going forward. Cruise lines will need to adjust their marketing strategy and what the overall advertising and messaging to potential customers, they will put together  in the future.

[Travelling2Some]

14 hours ago, vswan said:

I am in my early 60s. Not that old, but I have no desire to add even more tech to my vacation (or life in general). As it is, I rely too much on computers, emails and texts. I don't want more apps, I don't want to have to learn how to do more with my computer and phone to be able to take a vacation. When we cruise we are happy to be together and don't spend a lot of time socializing with others, but to take away the human contact from vacation would take something from the experience.

I agree.  Tech just doesn't appeal to some of us.  The only time I turn my phone on during vacation is if my husband and I become separated and have to find each other in a museum or something.  Ever since COVID hit I've been having to come up with excuses not to "zoom" without hurting well-meaning peoples feelings, lol.

[new salt]

We are Borg, you will be assimilated.

[Travelling2Some]

11 minutes ago, new salt said:

We are Borg, you will be assimilated.

Oh no.  I'll have to apply to Starfleet Command for a refund on that journey for sure!  Let's hope they are more efficient than NCL, lol.

[ColeThornton]

7 minutes ago, Travelling2Some said:

Oh no.  I'll have to apply to Starfleet Command for a refund on that journey for sure!  Let's hope they are more efficient than NCL, lol.

 

 

[Travelling2Some]

Can't Scotty beam it up with curbside pickup?

[WYB!]

Beaming of food to the table is more of a version 20 of this update...

Chances are more likely there would be food replicators in each cabin by version 18 of this update.

 

Like 10-Forward,  you could still allocate an area of the Restaurant/Bar for traditional ordering and service.
 

But in order to get to version 20 we need to start with 1.

 

What are some of your thoughts or ideas for a more safer or more efficient service on board, beyond the restaurant service?

 

Safe travels,

 

- WhosYourBuddy

Edited June 3, 2020 by WYB!

[WYB!]

Change is coming

 

Why Germ-Zapping Robots and AI Technology Could Be the Future For Cruise Ships

June 07th, 2020: Adam Coulter

UK Managing Editor

Full article: https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=5379&et_cid=3336614&et_rid=85250032&et_referrer=Boards_Million_Member_Newsub

 

Edited June 8, 2020 by WYB!

[WYB!]

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IMPROVE SAFETY, AND ACHIEVE READINESS FOR THE SAFE RESUMPTION OF OPERATIONSSEPTEMBER 21, 2020

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/cruise-ship/what-cdc-is-doing.html

Healthy-Sail-Panel_Full-Recommendations_9.21.20_FINAL.pdf

Edited October 21, 2020 by WYB!

[NW Pacific]

Hi tech options, sure doesn't sound fun times.  Cruising will definitely change,  but hopefully not taking away the  experience of being pampered and  enjoying the amenities.   No problem with wearing masks while roaming the Ship and at shows, really prefer this, as we always seem to pick up a cold onboard.  Not Having a personal dining experience, would be a real downer to the trip.  Keeping everything crossed that within a couple of  years we will be able to have one or two last cruises before we are too old to go, out and about by ourselves, lol,  in the older category, but fortunately have the income to take  cruises in very nice accommodations, just hope we get to!

[WYB!]

So now I'm thinking masks will be a mandatory item to be warn and that ships will be sail with a max sailing capacity around 80% at least for the 1st 4 months that ships restart sailings.

 

A bit of a stretch perhaps but for visiting ports and disembarkation are done in order of: ships excursion, then room status, then cruise line status, then floor by floor. How to accomplish this I'm not sure, however we shouldn't have everyone lining up in the stairwell anymore. Perhaps color coded arm bands or something easy to see. Previously, I've actually followed the instructions announced over the speakers for disembarkation at port.

Those that need special assistance would use the crew area to disembark.

 

Also in the Star Trek universe (kelvin timeline) there are no bathrooms on any starships and people also don't seem to clean their hands when returning from away missions. There really should be a washie washie person in the transporter room, shuttle bay and turbo lift or a hand sanitizer dispenser next to every food replicator. But there isn't even a sink in sick bay or in 10 forward.

 

Safe travels.

Edited January 12, 2021 by WYB!

[ColeThornton]

5 minutes ago, WYB! said:

Also in the Star Trek universe (kelvin timeline) there are no bathrooms on any starships and people also don't seem to clean their hands when returning from away missions. There really should be a washie washie person in the transporter room,

 

Any Trekkie worth their salt knows that germs and viruses are filtered out when they get beamed aboard.

[WYB!]

Not only is the transported not 100% effective for germs and viruses removal (STE: S4E11: Observer Effect, TOS, S1E4: The Naked time or TNG, S1E3 The Naked Now are perfect examples), what happens when they aren't beamed aboard (ie arriving via shuttle craft)?

 

What happens then?

 

Even Dr McCoy was never a fan of using the transporter.

I thought everyone knew that, but I guess some people did not...

 

Archer and Trip used the shuttle craft all the time instead of the transporter.

 

Plus does the poop get emptied from the bowls when ever someone beams on and off the ship? Like the Brady household there are no toilets. Not even in 10 forward where you would expect at least a sonic hand washing station..

Edited January 12, 2021 by WYB!

[All-ready2cruise]

Just now, WYB! said:

And when they aren't beamed aboard?

 

What happens then?

 

Archer and Trip used the shuttle craft all the time instead of the transporter.

Archer wouldn't even use the Transporter for his beloved dog.  LOL