Cruise lines broaden use of apps and biometric services
Celebrity, MSC, Royal Caribbean and Princess are using technology for check-in, bookings and personalized onboard functions.
Cruise lines broadly encourage guests to download apps designed to help organize their trips, manage onboard bookings and personalize their experiences. Celebrity, MSC and Royal Caribbean also use facial recognition during cruise-terminal check-in.
On some Princess Cruises ships, digital signs can recognize passing passengers and display restaurant booking reminders or directions. The cruise line also offers its Medallion system, which works with an all-in-one app.
Princess passengers can use the app to adjust cabin temperatures while elsewhere on the ship, order pizza for delivery to their location and control their cabin television remotely.
Some MSC ships feature a voice-activated cabin system called Zoe. It can control lights and provide information and advice in seven languages.
An MSC Cruises report examining how cruising might look in 2030 predicts that technology-enabled ultra-personalization will become ubiquitous across the cruise experience.