Carnival Cruise Lines recently introduced its Ocean Medallion wearable tech, which adds convenience, information, and fun to cruises. Though it is small (only about the size of a quarter), it connects passengers to shipwide systems. For the best results passengers should pair the device with a smartphone app, though the tech will work without it. This connectivity enables passengers to access their cabins, locate members of their party, check their onboard schedule on ship screens, as well as order a poolside beverage without having to get up. Thanks to NFC and Bluetooth technology, passengers are easy for waitstaff to locate based on location data. This cuts down lines at bars and since everything is paired to the passenger, payments are easy too.
With the app, passengers can also participate in interactive activities on the ship such as trivia and enjoy prizes awarded quickly and in a variety of forms.
The location services have some additional perks too - because ship staff can see where passengers are at all times, cleaning staff can tend to your room while they know you're away, without the worry of interrupting an afternoon nap. Plus, muster drills are easier knowing that everyone is accounted for. Security for the tech is handled by way of connecting a passenger photo to the medallion, which serves as two factor authentication and also ID on the ship. This speeds up disembarking and reboarding at ports, and overall streamlines all points of interaction on board.
So far, only three ships in the Carnival fleet have the tech and two more are slated for its implementation by the end of the year. Plans are in place to have all 117 ships outfitted with the tech in the near future.
This article was based on a May 23, 2019 Venture Beat article by Dean Takahasi