Royal Caribbean will use phone app to power new cruise ship health protocols

When Royal Caribbean's cruise ships start sailing again, guests sailing will rely more than ever on the cruise line app.

Royal Caribbean Group emphasized the role its established mobile app will play in cruise ships being a safe place to vacation.

Since the cruise industry shutdown due to the pandemic, Royal Caribbean Group has stated a commitment to exceeding guests’ expectations as well as their standards for health and safety on a cruise.

App features already in Royal Caribbean's app

Royal Caribbean already has a few features built into the app today that will be used across the 63 ships in Royal Caribbean Group's fleet to integrate today’s new crucial health and safety practices.

Primary mobile app functionalities include:

• Muster 2.0 – one of the least-loved, but most important, parts of a cruise vacation – the safety drill – is transformed from a process designed for large groups of people into a faster, more personal “one-to-few” approach that guests can complete at their own time.
• Scheduled arrival time – staggered arrival times for guests help eliminate crowds by managing the ebb-and-flow in parking lots, drop-off areas and terminals to allow for physical distancing from car to stateroom.
• Expedited boarding – by completing check-in with the app, scanning passport information and uploading a ‘selfie’ security photo, guests can generate a mobile boarding pass and qualify for an expedited boarding process. Debuted in 2018, the innovative, digital experience minimizes check-in and security lines at ports, allowing guests to get on board seamlessly and safely in minutes.
• Digital key – guests can unlock staterooms with their smartphones by downloading a digital key, available in just a few taps for select ships and staterooms.
• Stateroom automation – using their smartphone, guests have the ability to control elements inside their stateroom, such as the TV, lighting, window shades and temperature, limiting touchpoints while achieving higher levels of stateroom customization.
• Onboard account – guests can view onboard charges and credits in real time from anywhere on the ship without waiting in line or on hold.
• Daily planning – onboard activities, entertainment shows, dining and shore excursions are viewable and open for reservations all through the guest mobile app.

Royal Caribbean Group added that more features will come to the app, some of which will make the greatest impact from behind the scenes.