Technology is a large part of the world today; everything from phones to televisions are used to entertain and educate millions each day. The likelihood of an autonomous world is becoming more of a reality and, with self-driving cars only on the horizon, many cruisers are wondering what might be implemented in the travel world. Early instalments have already been added to certain cruise lines including Royal Caribbean’s futuristic bionic bar, severing a number of cocktails at just the press of a button, but what else can we expect to see?

LITTLE TO NO CREW

The idea of having little to no crew on board your cruise may seem a little drastic at first, as many of the crew members can make or break your experience. But, everyone from the captain to the crew members could be replaced but automated services, such as self-driving cruise ships and AI crew members.

In theory, an automated chef could easily cut down the time spent waiting for meals and still offer the perfection of a top chef like Thomas Keller or Gordon Ramsey for under half the price of their top-end restaurants. For entertainment, virtual reality could tick all of the boxes, with pre-recorded excursions, Broadway shows and activities all possibly becoming available to use once you embark.

MEGA-SHIPS

At this moment in time, many of the world’s largest ships may be far bigger than you first imagined, with capacity numbers starting to creep towards the 7,000 passenger mark. What if I was to tell you that there could be a 50,000 passenger cruise vessel in our oceans in the near future? The idea of a freedom ship has already been investigated but, with a monumental $10-billion needed to create one of these Mega vessels, there is no surprise that none of the cruise lines have considered it yet.

This ‘floating city’ would consist of housing for 80,000 passengers and facilities such as, a hospital, school system, hotel, casino, commercial and office occupancies, duty free shopping and a large transport system for guests to navigate the ship. Meanwhile, the vessel would circumnavigate the globe.

ZERO EMISSION CRUISES

Larger ships most likely means more emissions, right? Wrong. Cruise lines have been heavily investing in a way to increase battery storage space and use cleaner methods for cruising purposes. This can already be seen with many ferry companies that have created battery powered vessels that will only need to be up scaled for larger vessels.

This would not only combat the every-growing issue of climate change but also help to protect our oceans. This could be expanded to include into the onboard facilities, as well as features such as entertainment systems, lighting throughout the ship and more.

ADDED EXTRAS

Finally, the new additions to ships that could either enhance a cruising experience or make a port of call more accessible are becoming more prolific on luxury lines. Far-fetched ideas include helicopters, smaller vessels (up to 500 passengers) or submarines to give a more immersive understanding of our oceans and ports of call. On a smaller scale, some of these ideas have already been carried out. Scenic and Crystal cruises have added a submersible and two helicopters to their all-inclusive vessel Scenic Eclipse. Ponant has also taken extra strides to improve customer experience, with the introduction of their underwater viewing chamber, giving a perfect platform to see the marine life without having to adventure outside of the vessel.