DECEMBER 2014 ;e Costco Connection 81
By Ralph Grizzle
ROYAL CARIBBEAN’S NEW ship may be
officially called Quantum of the Seas, but
you’d be forgiven for calling her the most
technologically plugged-in ship afloat.
Throughout its history, Royal Caribbean
has never shied away from innovation. Royal
Caribbean confounded shipbuilders in 1988
by adding a soaring, multistory atrium to the
then-new Sovereign of the Seas. The company
changed the way people thought about what
could and could not be placed aboard a ship
in 1999, when it revealed that Voyager of the
Seas would feature an ice-skating rink. Oasis
of the Seas proved in 2009 that big could be
beautiful, and Allure of the Seas proved it
could also be profitable.
Now, Royal Caribbean’s newest ship is
poised to be a quantum leap beyond anything
that has come before her. She’s the line’s first
SMART ship.
Before guests even get to the pier, they
can completely check in for their cruise vacation from the comfort of their own homes.
Guests will be able to generate all the necessary documents for embarkation and can
check-in online, down to uploading a digital
photo ID that eliminates the need to have
photographs taken at the pier. They then print
their documentation and bring it with them
to the pier, where Royal Caribbean promises
to have guests onboard from “sidewalk to
ship” in 10 minutes. No lines, no forms and
no check-in counters required.
The way guests access their staterooms
will also be changing. Quantum of the Seas
will offer guests the ability to use a brand-
new radio frequency identification (RFID)
equipped wristband to open their stateroom
door and make onboard purchases. Standard
magnetic keycards will also be available in
addition to the WOWband wristbands, but
chances are good that most will sport the
new white-and-blue devices.
Curious as to when your luggage will
arrive in your stateroom? Track it with your
smartphone: All luggage will be tagged curb-side with new RFID technology that allows
the movements of your baggage to be traced
in real time. At the end of the cruise, the process is reversed and guests can digitally monitor their luggage’s journey from ship to pier.
Royal Caribbean is banking on little
enhancements like this to ultimately improve
the cruising experience even further, particularly as ships get larger and accommodate
more passengers.
Royal Caribbean’s SMART enhancements
also apply to the day-to-day activities guests
might want to enjoy. Using two brand-new
apps—Cruise Planner and Royal iQ—
passengers will be able to book dining reservations,
shore excursions and spa appointments before
their ship ever sets sail, which eliminates the
need for waiting in traditionally long queues at
reception. Additionally, the line is placing Royal
iQ stations throughout the ship that will let
guests manage their experiences without needing a smartphone.
Quantum of the Seas will also have state-
of-the-art onboard Internet with what the
line is calling “unprecedented bandwidth”—
so much so, in fact, that guests will be able to
stream video and share images on social
media, and even operate telecommunications
software like Skype or Face Time.
The real wow factor, though? Robot bartenders. They’re coming soon to your friendly
watering hole aboard Quantum of the Seas,
the Bionic Bar. Simply place your order via
the interactive tablets, and the robotic bartenders will fix your drink.
Robots also play an important role in
another onboard venue, known as Two70,
which will be home to a playful group of six
“Roboscreens” that stage surprise performances during each cruise. Sometimes they’ll
perform solo, or unite as one, soaring and
twisting as they do so.
What are the Roboscreens? They’re giant
flat-panel screens mounted to robotic arms
like those you’d see on an assembly line in a
car factory. Only here, they’re not building a
car; they’re making performance art. Royal
Caribbean bills this feature as the most com-
plex animatronic theater production at sea.
Two70 is an area of the ship you might
have seen before: It takes up the glass-enclosed
lounge that features prominently on the ship’s
stern. But this is no ordinary theater. Eighteen
projectors change Two70’s expansive sea view
into any backdrop, real or imagined. Paired
with performance artists, the Roboscreens
and the ability to change the look of the set-
ting, it’s a complete immersion experience.
The SMARTest ship at sea sails the blue
waters of the Caribbean from New York this
winter before repositioning to Asia next
spring. The world of cruising will never be
the same. C
Freelance travel writer Ralph Grizzle is an
avid cruiser.
The SMARTest ship at sea
The Costco Connection
Costco Travel offers many Royal Caribbean
sailings. For details and to book, click “Travel”
at Costco.com or call 1-877-849-2730.
travel connection
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In our digital editions
Click here for a video overview of
Two70’s Roboscreens (pictured
above). (See page 11 for details.)
High tech changes the cruise experience