Tech changing cruise industry

Manama : Ships continue to get bigger, better and more luxurious every year but more impressive is how a wave of technological innovations is transforming the industry, experts said. 

Due to the complexity of the task and the huge expenses involved in implementing technologies in large ships - the cruise industry had traditionally been a tough customer when it came to digitization. But that is not the case anymore, over the past few years the industry has been swept through by a series of futuristic innovations. Service robots, smart check-ins, 300ft-high viewing capsules and virtual balconies are only few of the novelties introduced to luxury ships in recent years.

“The industry has sailed past expectations in recent years; it was only two years ago when Royal Caribbean International came up with a batch of industry firsts. Growth has accelerated in recent years, the industry have been proactive in innovating and competing; the ultimate beneficiary of this has been the customers,” said Managing Director of Discovery Holidays, Mansoor Osman, adding that he is not surprised by the rapid growth.

Asked about ‘The Global Marine Technology Trends 2030’ report which predicted revolutionary technologies such as self-repairing materials and advanced robot workers in ships within the next 13 years, he said, “The industry is expected to grow to keep up with the latest trends and to exceed customer expectations.” 

With passenger numbers increasing and cruise itineraries expanding, the cruise industry in the GCC is set for a boom.  “The industry is on the way up, the convenience and unique luxuries added to the ships will encourage residents to opt for a cruise vacation,” he opined. He said that it is only a matter of time until the industry topples the traditional vacation. “There are a number of advantages that a cruise vacation has to offer. To begin with, while on a cruise holiday, there would not be a need to unpack multiple times, going on shore excursions would be an unparalleled experience and it packs in a variety of experiences that the traditional vacation cannot offer,” said Mansoor. According to Rasheed Kakkat, a veteran expert in the cruise industry, Bahrain and the GCC are an ideal market for the cruise industry because it has a ‘large untapped potential’.