This is not your grandma's cruise anymore.
The cruising industry is at the cusp of a technological revolution that, for the most part, spells good news for consumers. In the next five years, the new normal in cruising is going to be a better-connected voyage that will largely do away with lines and waiting _ some of the factors that deter travelers from cruising to begin with.
In the past year, the four top cruise companies _ Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and MSC Cruises _ have all come out with tech that promises to make cruising a less cumbersome experience. Most of it incorporates facial recognition and geo-location.
"It seems like it has really been on the horizon for a while but everybody has been coming out with their product right about now," said Colleen McDaniel, senior executive editor at CruiseCritic.com.
The intricacy of the new technology ranges from complex infrastructure that turns vessels into smart ships, to simple apps that travelers can access on their own devices to skip lines or order services.
The move to a tech focus is a departure for the cruise lines, which have focused more on upgrading ships _ with water slides and zip lines and go-karts _ but previously left the underlying experience at status quo. The technology aims to ease irritations: the long lines to embark or disembark, crowded bars, the impersonal feeling of a mass congregation of people.
And perhaps most importantly, technology levels the playing field for all travelers, said Joe Pine, co-author of "The Experience Economy," which suggested as early as 1998 that consumers truly valued personalized experiences over goods.
"It elevates the experience for everyone, not just the highest paying passengers, and not just on its best and newest (ships)," Pine said. "I think it will become the norm ... eventually in the cruise industry and in other tourism (entities)."
It's already happening. In 2014, Starwood Hotels announced plans to start using smart phones as hotel keys, with the help of an app and Bluetooth connection. Hilton this year discussed plans to build a "Connected Room" in 2018, which will allow guests to control features of the room through an app, including lighting, entertainment and temperature.
But with the new technology will likely come privacy concerns. Much of the software cruise lines are introducing also involves capturing passenger information and using it to curate suggestions about what to do.
In the past year, the four top cruise companies _ Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and MSC Cruises _ have all come out with tech that promises to make cruising a less cumbersome experience.
Experts agree there will likely be an adaptation process. But they also say that if the technology makes the experience easier, cruisers _ and maybe even first-time cruisers _ will buy in.
"I think of it as Facebook," McDaniel said. "People always had privacy concerns about Facebook and eventually it's grown to the point where everybody is using Facebook. People still have privacy concerns but it doesn't deter them from using it."
If a cruise is on your horizon in the next few years, take a peak at what that may look like from now on:
