In the latest bid to take cruising to a whole new level, Royal Caribbean has once again pushed its boundaries by introducing the Bionic Bartending experience on board their latest flagship Quantum of the Seas.

Like a scene from a sci-fi movie, guests will be treated up to 30 different drinks, which have to be pre-ordered on a tablet, to which the robotic arms will shake to perfection. The bionic bartending experience, created by the firm Makr Shakr, attempts to make the “modern” bartender obsolete as Royal Caribbean pushes heavily forward with its latest cruise innovations.

Photo from USA today

A Changing Industry

It is not the first time that Royal Caribbean brings the guest experience to a whole new level in this tight market. The old days of cruising which were governed by strict black tie attire, small talk and hefty wallets have been replaced by the more affordable and appeals to a much wider audience. Royal Caribbean has set the trend since the late 90’s, turning their ships in a floating entertainment hub, offering over dozen far stretched amenities such as Rock Climbing, the Flow Rider Wave pool and even an ice skating ring.

The term Mega Ships have been born at the start of the new century, and the industry hasn’t looked back ever since.

Stiff Competition

Cruise ships needed to offer guests, something no-one else has in order to secure their next booking, effectively paying of the costs of their billion dollar investments. Disney too, has not escaped this inevitably changing course for technology dominance at the seven seas. During the building of their 2 latest additions to the small fleet, they added the world’s first Water Coaster to the Disney Dream and a year later to the Disney Fantasy, offering guests a unique experience, zooming down a waterslide in a rubber tube, high above the top decks of the luxurious liner.

But the modern technology introduced throughout the Disney fleet is done subtly, enhancing the cruise experience of their guests rather than overkill, as Royal Caribbean has done with the Bionic Bartending experience. Innovations, such as the Disney Cruise App continues to strive for further improvements, the on board Detective Series makes this modern technology fun for all not to mention the amazing dining room experiences, where kids of all ages can see their favourite characters come to life.

The personal touches leaves a lasting impression

But someone needs to draw a line, when enough is enough. People are forgetting about the whole cruise experience and are more interested in who has which and what to offer. Cruising to me is about relaxation, spending time with your loved ones. It is about unwinding during a sea day, visiting new ports of call. Cruising is about watching a Broadway Style show, enjoying the finest cuisine and imbibing a well-made drink to your liking.

Yes please, keep adding those modern day innovations. They are amazing, they truly are. But don’t forget what cruising is all about.

Times have changed, we cannot deny that. But it doesn’t matter how many gadgets you throw on a ship, or how many robots will make life easier, as one must not forget that the day you cannot have a simple conversation with your bartender, enjoy laughter with your kids while you play shuffle board or get a different towel animal upon retiring to your room, will be destined to become a sad day in the rich history of cruising.

Will robots replace bartenders?

Definitely not. Bartenders are here to stay! Nonetheless, modern changes will be implemented over time with our work, they already have.

Take the Enomatic Wine dispenser for example, a world leader in serving and preserving of wines. Their systems aids the modern day bartender, enhancing the lifespan of open bottles of wines drastically from a few days to 4 weeks. On the Disney Fantasy, we too are lucky to have one of those machines in a busy pre-dinner bar. It gives the bartender a chance to offer premium wines by the glass, enhancing the guests experience without having to worry about serving a single glass and then having to discard the rest, due to no demand.

Smart Innovations

Nonetheless, one can take it a step further as Celebrity Cruises did. During my 2 year spell with the company, I worked during that time on the newly build Celebrity Eclipse. The ship was amazing, a step into the direction that Royal Caribbean has achieved with the Quantum of the Seas. The ship was rimmed with modern technology; guests could order food from an Ipad in one of the speciality restaurants, the Martini bar was covered with ice and there was even a Live Glass Blowing demonstration held on the open decks, surrounded by real growing grass… all at sea!

It was here, that Celebrity Cruises introduced Cellar Masters, a high end wine bar, giving the guests the opportunity to avail from a wide selection of wines, all served precisely at the press of a button from Enomatic Wine Dispensers. All in all, it is a great innovation giving all parties great benefits. Nonetheless, even as luxurious and useful these innovations may seem how about that personal interaction?

Need somebody with a human touch

Will either the Enomatic Wine dispensers or the Bionic Bartender be able to respond to your requests? Will they be able to recommend a different pinot noir from a lesser known wine region based upon your style and preference? Or how about recommending an Orchard Sour instead of whiskey sour because we have entered a new season?

What about just having a simple human interaction, sharing some laughter or even some tears with your new found friend the bartender, who is also your new shrink? Can machines do that? Probably not!

Therefore it is safe to say, us bartenders are here to stay!

At least for a little while!