‘Today, operators want “smart ships”’, he notes.
Anticipating guests' needs
‘They are looking at technology solutions that not only help improve the guest experience on board, but anticipate guests’ needs before their arrival – whether it’s scheduling spa bookings and dining reservations or on-shore excursions.’
So what are the top trends cruise ship operators should be looking for in their shipboard, fleet management and F&B solutions?
According to Soerensen, ‘cruise operators should look for integrated solutions that provide flexibility of (pre-) check in and check out, detailed reporting, and enhanced food and beverage operations at any location on their vessels.
‘It’s also important to seek mobile solutions to not only provide better guest experiences, but to increase onboard revenue opportunities,’ shared the Oracle executive who will be at the Oracle booth during in Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami this coming week.
‘Today’s passengers expect self-service solutions; they’re experienced at using them at shoreside restaurants and want their convenience and benefits on board as well – from ordering at a kiosk to placing a drink order with a mobile device.
Best practice
One best practice we are seeing across all our cruise line customers is the streamlining of the check-in and check-out process. Passengers don’t want to sit at a pier waiting to board. Many ships are leveraging technology to support passenger check-in pre-arrival to eliminate waiting.
‘We also are seeing greater adoption of mobile technology to not only enhance the guest experience but making work easier for the crew. Such apps are so intuitive that they hardly require any training for the crew.’
Soerensen will be sharing more trends in advanced technologies and best practice for cruise ship operators in a longer article to appear in June’s Seatrade Cruise Review.
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