What new technologies woul dyou like to see HAL use?

[RMLincoln]

After our multi-cruise company trip through Europe in the fall, finishing up on Maasdam Rome to Ft Lauderdale, I had to 'sigh' about HAL's lack of 21st century technology.

 

Here are a few things I would like to see them upgrade to [and where I've enjoyed these technologies]:

 

• Face recognition photo kiosks that you access with your room card [Celebrity]
  
• Interactive room TVs that have your account info, menus, shore excursions, movies, weather forecasts for one's itinerary stops [Viking]
  
• Real WiFi, free [Hurtigruten, Viking] or at least part of the loyalty rewards program [Princess]
  

m--

Edited January 28, 2015 by RMLincoln

[pv girl]

Interactive TV with at least the menus, account readout, ability to order room service and make dining reservations, get phone messages, and activities.

 

Or the kiosks like Princess has where you just put your card in and your account prints out - no waiting in line unless you see you need an adjustment.

[Cruzaholic41]

Another vote for interactive TVs. Celebrity has had them for years and the ability to check your account, make room service orders, and make excursion reservations is so much nicer than waiting in lines or placing that stupid ancient room service hanger on the door. Even the music channels are nice to use.

[RMLincoln]

Yes, and IIRC, Carnival had the interactive TVs in 2003 when we took our first cruise [Carnival Spirit]. So this is not very new technology, just a choice that HAL continues to ignore.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

• Real WiFi, free or at least part of the loyalty rewards program [Princess]
  

[take us away]

Would love to have HAL set up the interactive TV so we can see the account, book shore excursions (although the new kiosks for this are quite handy), order room service. Like the paper daily program so can refer to it during the day so would not use the TV for this. Wish they had additional information on sailing with respect to weather, route, wind and ocean situations (they had 1 ship where we could see wave heights on the TV), distance, speed and time to next port, cumulative distances and times, etc. Do like that sort of stuff but admit not everyone does.

 

Hope to live long enough to see free internet on a HAL ship but .....

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Another vote for interactive TVs. Celebrity has had them for years and the ability to check your account, make room service orders, and make excursion reservations is so much nicer than waiting in lines or placing that stupid ancient room service hanger on the door. Even the music channels are nice to use.

 

I agree - interactive TV is long overdue for HAL.

[jhannah]

Another vote for interactive TV for onboard account information.

 

I'm wondering if there is some psychology involved in NOT making this available. Like Las Vegas casinos don't have clocks because they don't want patrons to know what time it is ("Oh, I need to get home.") Maybe HAL doesn't want us to be too aware of what we're spending so we won't be as tempted to cut back. ;-)

[PathfinderEss]

Another vote for interactive TV for onboard account information.

 

I'm wondering if there is some psychology involved in NOT making this available. Like Las Vegas casinos don't have clocks because they don't want patrons to know what time it is ("Oh, I need to get home.") Maybe HAL doesn't want us to be too aware of what we're spending so we won't be as tempted to cut back. ;-)

 

Another vote for interactive TV.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I also vote for Interactive TV.

[freestyling]

Agree that Interactive TV would be a nice 1st step. We will see new technology on the new ship. I don't see HAL retrofitting the S or R class but surely Signature and perhaps Vista.

[RuthC]

HAL doesn't need to introduce any new technologies to the ships, as far as I'm concerned.

[summersigh]

Would love to have HAL set up the interactive TV so we can see the account, book shore excursions (although the new kiosks for this are quite handy), order room service. Like the paper daily program so can refer to it during the day so would not use the TV for this. Wish they had additional information on sailing with respect to weather, route, wind and ocean situations (they had 1 ship where we could see wave heights on the TV), distance, speed and time to next port, cumulative distances and times, etc. Do like that sort of stuff but admit not everyone does.

 

We enjoy that navigational information as well and would like the interactive TV.

 

As to the idea of free Internet all the time ... not a big fan. Lately, DH and I have been noticing that where free WiFi exists - human interaction seems to fade away. Let me say that we do buy limited time on board a ship (an hour or less for a week) to check for emergencies at home and send word that we're ok ... or to check on DH's fantasy sports teams. We're retired so we do not have "work stuff" to do via internet.:)

 

New Year's Eve we went out to a nice steak house for dinner. Across from us was a family of 4. The 2 teenagers were constantly tapping away on their phones and about the only they talked was to order their food. Felt sad to me.

 

On our cruise returning from Bermuda on RCCL - as soon as we hit the point where there was free reception via Virginia Beach towers almost all conversation stopped while a huge percentage of the crowd in the lounge spent at least the next hour reading social media and emails and sending posts and emails. Again, it felt sad to me.

 

Granted ... I do admit I'm probably old fashioned although I was one of the first teachers in my school district to learn to use computers and teach using computers for the next 20+ years. What bothers me is when human interaction is trumped by social media. :) It feels rude to me for someone to be with humans socially and spend most of ones time on social media. I see it a sending a message that "the person on my tech devise is wayyy more important than you are."

 

Like I said, I may be old fashioned but that's how it strikes me.:)

[HALrunner]

Interactive TV would be a great upgrade for HAL. As for free Wifi- no thanks!

We are in our thirties and one of the things we love about cruising is being completely unplugged for a couple of weeks. DH is able to completely relax because he knows that work is not able to contact him. The break from social media is a vacation in itself for me.

 

We ate breakfast in the MDR on disembarkation day in FLL a few weeks ago. Everyone was enjoying their stateside mobile/data service again. The constant audible beeps and buzzes were rather annoying (seriously, at least silence your phones people!). It made us realize and appreciate how nice dinners in the MDR can be while at sea without everyone being glued to their phones.

[HamOp]

HAL doesn't need to introduce any new technologies to the ships, as far as I'm concerned.

 

How about a machine in each cabin that dispenses free, top of the line, chocolate at the push of a button:D

 

[George C]

Another vote for interactive TVs. Celebrity has had them for years and the ability to check your account, make room service orders, and make excursion reservations is so much nicer than waiting in lines or placing that stupid ancient room service hanger on the door. Even the music channels are nice to use.

 

also loved there free movies on demand

[Aquahound]

Yes, and IIRC, Carnival had the interactive TVs in 2003 when we took our first cruise [Carnival Spirit]. So this is not very new technology, just a choice that HAL continues to ignore.

 

Carnival, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean have had them for a long time and it is a very convenient feature. HAL really needs to catch up with this basic technology.

[sppunk]

Konsingdam will have interactive TVs thankfully, at least somewhat interactive. Not exactly sure if they'll be tied into the pax account (I'd wager yes though).

 

Other than those, ship intranet for movie streaming, daily program availability, etc. I can then ditch paper entirely on cruises like I do at home/work. Paper is the bane of my existence, especially the 3,295 Greenhouse Spa flyers you get per day on board.

[RuthC]

How about a machine in each cabin that dispenses free, top of the line, chocolate at the push of a button:D

 

Tempting, sure. But not necessary.

 

I want low-tech, relaxed, quiet. I don't want any hustle & bustle going on around me while I cruise. Real life has enough of that already.

[kazu]

Whether it be interactive TV or a kiosk, I would like access to see my on board account without someone having to print out reams of paper. Even if I have tell them I just want it from this day, I still get pages of paper.

 

Trust me on a 30 day cruise, even if you pre buy a LOT of stuff, there are still a lot of pages. It's a waste IMO. The only print out I need is the last one.

 

I don't need the paper, I just need to make sure that things are on track.

 

Wifi - free? I'd love it but I would fear that if it was, no one would get on.

[RMLincoln]

On recent cruises the MDR staff used wireless widgets to take our orders. The waiters said that the orders would be ready much faster plus it helped them keep better records and inventory. Hmmm. Sounds like improved productivity.

 

I recall that Celebrity used wireless systems to speed up the changeover for Open Dining - they had it down to a science, very fast.

 

And I was quite surprised that on HAL we didn't sign for a bottle of wine in either MDR or PC - our first time there so we weren't sure how they do things. But I thought that was regressive and I like to know what I'm paying for and have a receipt in case there is something to dispute.

 

m--

[Typhoon1]

Interactive TV is at the top of the list.

 

HAL is lagging far behind, as it is in use on most other cruise lines.

[Tarpeian Rock]

Konsingdam will have interactive TVs thankfully, at least somewhat interactive. Not exactly sure if they'll be tied into the pax account (I'd wager yes though).

 

Other than those, ship intranet for movie streaming, daily program availability, etc. I can then ditch paper entirely on cruises like I do at home/work. Paper is the bane of my existence, especially the 3,295 Greenhouse Spa flyers you get per day on board.

 

 

Different strokes. Actually, digital is the bane of MY existence. I like paper daily programs that I can take with me as a reminder; barring a printer in each cabin, a "virtual" program on the screen won't help me unless I then have the bother of writing things down on that little notepad. If I spot a discrepancy on a virtual folio, I have to write the details down, or memorize them and hope I don't forget on the way to the desk; if I get a printed copy, I only need to circle the offending charge. I am already unable to stay on top of the 3 remotes and innumerable buttons that infest my den; learning a new remote and new commands isn't high on my cruise to-do list. My life forces me to interact with multiple iDevices during the day; I want to get away from all that on vacation.

[Colakid]

Interactive TV's is ok but how about more automatic opening doors. By this I am referring to public places like washrooms so nobody has to touch the door knobs etc. My 2 cents worth. Colakid.

[RMLincoln]

Different strokes. Actually, digital is the bane of MY existence. I like paper daily programs that I can take with me as a reminder; barring a printer in each cabin, a "virtual" program on the screen won't help me unless I then have the bother of writing things down on that little notepad. If I spot a discrepancy on a virtual folio, I have to write the details down, or memorize them and hope I don't forget on the way to the desk; if I get a printed copy, I only need to circle the offending charge. I am already unable to stay on top of the 3 remotes and innumerable buttons that infest my den; learning a new remote and new commands isn't high on my cruise to-do list. My life forces me to interact with multiple iDevices during the day; I want to get away from all that on vacation.

 

I get it. Really I do. I'm quite computer challenged and DH is in charge of the bevy of remotes we have now!

 

But the cruise lines with interactive TVs ALL have printed daily programs. And if you see a discrepancy on your account (that you can check from your room TV) you go to the front desk to straighten it out, just like you do now but the lines are shorter. m--