Other cruise lines, she says, have used facial recognition. King points to Princess Cruises’ “Ocean Medallion,” which is a wearable device that stores your digital identity and allows you to make payments and access your room. But cruise lines are also experimenting with other technology. “All of the cruise lines are competing for the title of ‘best Internet at sea,'” Parker says. Over the years, the Internet has gotten more reliable and affordable on cruise ships. 2, 2018 photo, cruise ship the Majestic Princess at anchor in Akaroa Harbour, in the South Island of New Zealand. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. “That’s why new ships feature everything from go-kart tracks to tattoo parlors, all of which come at an added price.” Translation: Passengers are more willing to pay to eat in a specialty restaurant or go on a shore excursion than they are to buy a souvenir in the gift shop,” says Doug Parker, producer of Cruise Radio, a weekly podcast that shares cruise reviews and news. “Read the quarterly reports from any of the major cruise lines, and you’ll see that they know modern cruisers value experiences over things. Of course, there’s a reason for such offerings, and it goes beyond sheer entertainment value. Escape rooms – those interactive games where you have to solve puzzles and riddles to get out - are also becoming more popular on cruises, a trend that McDaniel says started with Royal Caribbean and has since spread. All three experts interviewed for this report mentioned the two-level track on Norwegian Bliss. Cruisertainment goes well beyond karaoke and shuffleboard these days. Cruise lines are getting more creative with attractions, entertainment and other offerings - for a price. “It allowed my mom to climb Machu Picchu while my dad smoked cigars on the deck,” she says. Case in point: Her own parents went on a long cruise around South America and each enjoyed the trip their own way. “People are defining luxury as these individualized experiences to places that their friends don’t necessarily get to go.” She adds that cruises also appeal to travelers with a sense of adventure - and their companions who may not feel the same way. King adds that she’s seeing lots of people cruise to places such as the Antarctic, the Galápagos Islands, Cuba and other off-the-beaten path locales. “They’re taking passengers to places like Western Australia and the Kimberley, and western Greenland, which, you don’t know you want to go there - but you want to go there,” McDaniel says. Expeditions to hard-to-reach places are big draws to cruising, says Colleen McDaniel, senior executive editor with Cruise Critic, a review site and online community. Cruises are making it easy to visit places that can be challenging for travellers. Activate your Online Access Now Article content If you are a Home delivery print subscriber, unlimited online access is included in your subscription. King and two other cruise experts weighed in on what’s trending now in the world of cruises. “There’s a cruise for everyone and there’s something on every cruise for everyone,” says Megan King, senior vice president, global strategic communications and research at Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). As the industry grows, cruise lines are finding new ways to appeal to passengers of all ages, with better technology, more exciting destinations and adventures, trendy entertainment (a floating escape room, anyone?), health-centric themes and more. That’s an increase of nearly 10 million people since 2009, when 17.8 million passengers embarked. MUST CREDIT: Bloomberg photo by Marlene Awaad Photo by Marlene Awaad / Bloomberg Article contentĬruising is as popular as it has ever been, with 27.2 million people expected to set sail by the end of the year, according to a cruise industry trade organization. Some cabins feature large windows that open for sea breezes. Join the conversation Window panels surround the bridge of the Celebrity Edge cruise ship during construction at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France, on Sept.
1 Comment
wendy bannerman
5/19/2024 05:59:57 pm
BEST LOAN SERVICE.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |