Carnival Corp. Wants Wearable Tech to Elevate the Cruise Experience
Photo Credit: This promotional photo shows cruise passengers wearing Carnival Corp.'s new Ocean Medallion and using a portal to get information during their trip. The cruise company is rolling out the wearable technology on Princess Cruises to improve the guest experience. Carnival Corp. / Carnival Corp.
Skift Take
We think this will take some getting used to for cruise passengers and crew alike. But the widespread acceptance of Disney's MagicBand — at least in Florida parks — shows that vacationers can adapt and embrace new forms of technology, especially if it improves their trip.
The Walt Disney Company changed the vacation game with its MagicBand technology that gave visitors control over multiple parts of their trip with one wristband.
Taking a page from that playbook — as well as a key architect of the Disney project — Carnival Corp. on Thursday plans to unveil its own wearable device that executives say will allow for unprecedented customization and service at sea.
CEO Arnold Donald is scheduled to announce the technology — a disc the size of a quarter — during a keynote address at CES, the electronics show. With no screen or menu, the Ocean Medallion syncs to an interface that can be accessed through smartphones and tablets, kiosks in port, interactive portals onboard, devices carried by crew, and stateroom TV sets.
The goal, Donald told Skift, is to make passengers feel like their needs are being anticipated and met at all times.
"Who wouldn’t want to feel like they had a constant personal concierge with them every second, fro
