Tech-savvy modern travelers will be wowed by Royal Caribbean International's newest ship, Quantum of the Seas, which incorporates unprecedented levels of technology to amp up the vacation experience.

"Cruise vacations have a romantic past – but they also have a lively, adventurous, state-of-the-art future," said Richard D. Fain, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. "We were determined to take the best advances in modern technology, turn them into shipboard WOWs, and take the frustration out of the vacation. This ship's combination of ease and flexibility would make a yoga instructor proud."

Boatloads of bandwidth keep guests connected; easy-to-use systems expand guest choices and simplify schedules; and RFID technology speeds the boarding process and allows guests to keep track of their luggage every step of the way.

Altogether, customer-centered technology makes Quantum of the Seas six kinds of SMART:

SMART Check-In: From sidewalk to ship in record time
A Quantum vacation begins at home, where guests can generate boarding documents online, upload their own ID photo, and receive digital boarding confirmation. By the time they arrive at the cruise terminal for departure, Royal Caribbean guests can go from "sidewalk to ship" in 10 minutes with no check-in counter, no forms to fill out and no lines to stand in.

Guests will be able to track luggage in real time on their smartphones. Luggage will be tagged curbside with RFID technology at drop-off, and guests can monitor their bags' progress through key points en route to the stateroom. On departure, the process is reversed.

SMART Concierge: Flexibility at your fingertips
Quantum of the Seas will offer new RFID WOWband wristbands, which require only a simple tap to quickly navigate the ship, make onboard purchases, serve as the room key and more.

Simplicity and efficiency are also at the heart of two new apps that put guests in charge of their cruise choices: Cruise Planner, which allows guests to research and book dining reservations, shore excursions, spa appointments and more before their vacation begins; and Royal iQ, available as a downloadable app and provided at freestanding iQ stations around the ship. Royal iQ allows guests to manage details during the cruise, includes a convenient calendar that provides at-a-glance views of their program, and keep in touch with one another and home via phone and text capabilities.

"Every vacation minute counts, especially on Quantum of the Seas where there is so much to see and do," said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Executive Vice President, Operations, Royal Caribbean International. "Guests can now tailor everything about their cruise in advance, so they can start enjoying their vacation the minute they step onboard. In essence, they get back the first day of their cruise."

Taken together, these features take the company's time-saving efforts to a new level," Lutoff-Perlo said. "Every minute we can save our guests is another minute of their vacation they have to enjoy."

SMART Connect: Downloads at the speed of modern life
Quantum of the Seas will operate with unprecedented bandwidth using satellites launched by tech partner O3b Networks. With speeds that match fast broadband connections onshore, guests can be online 24/7, no matter what personal device they bring onboard. Guests can watch streaming video, check email, share images on social media and enjoy face-to-face video conversations – even in the middle of the ocean.

"Even when they are getting away from it all on vacation, people want to be able to connect," said Lutoff-Perlo. "Our satellite network will make things possible at sea that could never have been done before, and will make all the difference in the way guests share their Royal Caribbean experience."

In addition, Quantum's connectivity makes it possible for one of the SeaPods in SeaPlex to become a live global video gaming suite where guests can enjoy Xbox Live and compete with other gamers worldwide.

SMART Experiences: Shaking martinis and spinning screens
Technology also powers surprise-and-delight elements on Quantum of the Seas. A brand new venue, Bionic Bar, is set to make waves with robots at center stage. Guests place orders via tablets and then have fun watching robotic bartenders hard at work mixing cocktails.

Robots drive another entertaining feature on Quantum of the Seas. Two70 is home to a playful and agile troupe of six Roboscreens that stage surprise performances during every cruise, creating scenes while soaring and twisting solo, or uniting as one. Guests will also experience Vistarama, floor-to-ceiling glass walls that transform into an expansive ambient surface that projects any scene, real or imagined, including the multidimensional performance spectacle, Starwater.

Quantum of the Seas will take advantage of technology in functional forms as well. Guest staterooms are equipped with device-charging USB outlets, as well as energy efficient and environmentally friendly lighting systems. Interior accommodations are outfitted with Virtual Balconies that display real-time sights and sounds of the sea through 80-inch LED screens, ensuring every stateroom has a view.

SMART Service: Crew can connect better with guests – and with home
The technology benefits of Quantum of the Seas extend to the ship's crew. Custom apps will allow crew members to keep better track of guests' tastes and preferences, allowing staff to tailor their already remarkably personalized service to an even higher degree. Whether a guest prefers gluten-free dining, early show seating, or shiatsu massage, the features of the smart ship allow crew members to anticipate every need.

And the ship's remarkable capabilities give the company an opportunity to make life better for crew members too, since Royal Caribbean will present every crew member on Quantum of the Seas with a free, personal Microsoft Windows tablet, with a suite of services and apps that is theirs to keep. And as technology upgrades are made across the company's fleet, every shipboard employee in the entire Royal Caribbean International fleet will also receive their own tablet – a total of 40,000 tablets.

"The Royal Caribbean men and women who provide such great vacations are the real heroes of our fleet and these gifts demonstrate our appreciation in a tangible way," Fain said. "This technology isn't only about giving our guests a better vacation – it's also about giving our crew and their families a closer connection than we've ever been able to"

SMART Sustainability: Cleaner and greener
Technology has even played a part in making the ship more environmentally friendly. Sophisticated computer modeling was used to reduce the vessel's energy consumption with efficient hull configuration, engine design and energy saving devices. The ship has eliminated the use of incandescent bulbs; all lighting will be provided by low-energy LED or fluorescents. Motion sensors even dim hallway lighting when no one is present.

Now that all changes ...

I thought the reason for a vacation, by cruise or by land, was to get away from it all for a few days, weeks, or months.

Can you tell what era I grew up in???

I have cruised on simple ships with minimal technology, and on my honeymoon in 2004, it was all I could do to not sit in that damned internet cafe, posting to my blog from Mexico.

Now, R.C.I wants you to take it all with you. The luxury of home right on board.

Bring your tablet, your smart phone and any other device that will enable them to get to you faster, take your money with it as well, and still give you a ravishing vacation you will never forget.

All for a hefty price ...

I don't know which is worse, being on a binge and purge cruise with yo yo's drinking to excess and puking in public spaces live and in technicolor...

OR your next cruise could take you to different places with your fellow cruisers walking around the ship with their phones and tablets in hand all day and night, and you might just find yourself with other diners at your table who are more interested on whats on their phone/tablet rather than what's on the menu, or the fact they are sitting with you at the same table !!!

Who needs a vacation with the perks of always being connected to something wireless? Stay at home and watch a video you'll save yourself a lot of time and money.

I don't know if I could handle sensory overload at sea.

Walking around Montreal is just as hairy, people are more inclined to walk with their phones in their faces and not on the road or on you for that matter. Get on any transit mode and everybody is connected to something.

What happened to the "Get away from it all mentality?"

Those new ships may be shiny and new, with all the flash and bang the buck can buy, I'd rather be on a ship going to a faraway place that isn't electrified the moment I step on board...

The interconnected world comes to Royal Caribbean where you can get away from it all and take it all with you at the same time.

why go cruising in the FIRST place?

to be on a ship and enjoy sailing

BUT

my children do not understand that i travel without a phone..
that i am used to walking the dog and NOT reachable for anyone

that TIME and LIVE really was different..

alas
these are money making industries and
obviously those floating resorts atract a lot
of gig loving people and so be it...

as long as we have the choice i do not mind
that much, however small boat travelling
for instance on Serenissima has become
very expensive (1500 usd a day)