Royal Caribbean fixes a terrible part of the cruising experience
It seems like you can’t read the news without the term “artificial intelligence,” or AI, appearing in at least a few stories. We’re in the early stages of a rapid evolution of AI technology, and it has implications for nearly every industry.
Of course, there are obvious uses of AI, such as self-driving cars and augmented reality video gaming. But AI also impacts industries such as banking, insurance, real estate, and yes, cruising.
Royal Caribbean uses AI technology in a few different ways. For example, the dynamic pricing it uses on its website for cruises and add-on purchases is driven by AI technology. It also uses AI to cut down on food waste, help track and analyze revenue, and more. But there’s one use that could help make the cruising experience far more pleasant for passengers.
Related: Royal Caribbean makes huge move with its next megaship
Waiting in a guest services line can be a real drag on your cruising experience. This is especially true if you happen to need help during a typically busy time like embarkation day, just before disembarking at a port, or on the final full day of the cruise. It isn’t uncommon to wait in line for more than 30 minutes, and that’s not including the time it takes to resolve your specific issue.
The problem is that while some people in the guest services line have complex issues that require the assistance of a knowledgeable agent to solve, that’s not always the case.
And it can seem like a real time killer on a cruise to wait for a half hour in line simply because you have a question about the beverage package or because you want to make changes to authorized spenders on your onboard account. Things like these take just a few seconds, and there needs to be a better way to handle them.
Newer ships have better technology. Image source: Royal Caribbean
Using AI to cut down on a major pain point of cruising
During Royal Caribbean’s fourth quarter earnings conference call, CEO Jason Liberty said, “We also infused AI into the guest journey to provide a better, more efficient experience, and more personalized service.”
Liberty went on to give the specific example of the cruise line’s in-app chatbot. “Our new in-app chat saw a 35% increase in guest adoption that led to a 20% reduction in the customer service line on board.”
The chatbot was initially tested on Wonder of the Seas and has since reportedly been expanded to the Icon of the Seas mega-ship.
And while it certainly can’t do everything you might need to visit guest services for, it can handle tasks such as adding a registered user to your account, troubleshooting Wi-Fi issues, or answering questions about the cost of the drink package.
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It isn’t just a chatbot. There’s a feature called “Human in the Loop” that allows you to talk to an actual guest service agent through the app.
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The guest services line isn’t going away completely
While the hope is that the number of guests who need to physically go to guest services onboard will continue to decline, the reality is that in some cases, you’ll still need to speak with a real-live representative to deal with your concerns.
For example, if you lose your room key, which is used to make all of your onboard purchases on the ship, there’s no way (at least not yet) for an app to replace it.
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However, the guest services line on a cruise ship is a major customer pain point, so an increase in the ability to deal with relatively minor issues through an AI-powered app is certainly an improvement.
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