Our end client, a major player in the cruise industry, was ambitious. They weren’t paying lip service when they said they wanted to digitally disrupt the cruise industry. They made a mind-boggling investment in cruise ships that have each been equipped with over 7,000 sensors, 4,000 interactive digital portals, and on-ship data centers that emulated the Internet, even when connections at sea are unreliable.
Over 99% of guests opt into the enhanced experience that includes a radio-enabled wearable that, when worn about the massive ships, will know where they are. This allows guests to order food and drinks through the app. A crew member can then find them wherever they are and bring them their libations and snacks. But that’s not all! Guests can unlock their cabin doors, use large displays mounted throughout the ship to navigate around the ship, and even interact with custom digital avatars that pop up on screens when you’re in proximity.
When your goal is to create a completed connected digital experience inside 37,000 tons of steel, you’re going to need lots of screens to interact with. We worked on cross-functional teams to design and build guest and administrative tools that lived on personal devices, door locks, and large interactive wall screens.
The results speak for themselves. Massive amounts of press were generated by this bold and digitally disruptive move in one of the oldest industries in the world. While there were predictable hiccups along the way, our work helped deliver an entirely new way to interact with an entire floating ecosystem of amenities and fellow cruisegoers.
