Smart technologies in the cruise sector

Note on the source. This source should be read with caution: it may be funded by the sector, a draft or a thesis, or rely on self-reported or modelled data. See the limitations below.

The question

Which applications of smart technologies are spreading in the cruise sector, and how can they be summarised in an ecosystem framework linking passengers, ship, port and destination?

The method

Qualitative thematic analysis of secondary sources (industry publications, association reports, technology suppliers) and of the digital applications of 13 cruise brands belonging to the six largest groups; a conceptual framework ('Smart Cruise Ecosystem') is derived from it.

What the study finds

13 brandsof cruise lines whose apps were analysedThe analysis covers the digital applications of 13 cruise brands belonging to the six largest groups in the sector.

6,000 passengersto land and re-board in a narrow windowAccording to the manuscript, larger ships push towards digital tools: handling quality excursions for 6,000 passengers who leave and re-board within a narrow window demands near-flawless orchestration. The authors add (p. 10) that many destinations struggle to absorb simultaneous landings heading for the same sights.

80%of offshore breaches from human error, unsourcedAmong the risks the study lists limited connectivity at sea, cyber-security (stating, without an explicit source, that 80% of offshore security breaches stem from human error), data protection and reliability, and a fragmented body of international maritime law.

Searching the literature for studies with 'smart', 'cruise' and 'tourism' in the title, abstract or keywords, the authors found nothing, which led them to propose a thematic framework for a field not yet conceptualised.
Citing a technology supplier's report, the study notes that in many ports actors do not share the data needed, so there is no common decision system and coordination stays weak; it points to collaborative port-call decision-making systems (PortCDM) as a response.
Actors along the chain mostly act on their own and in competition, coordinating only at stages such as embarkation and disembarkation. The proposed framework (p. 16) defines a cruiser-centred ecosystem in which on-board and port communities, linked by digital systems, create value together.
For the authors, unless they are interoperable and linked together, technologies such as apps, wearables, AR/VR and robotics remain mere guest-pleasing extras; integrated into a system, they become strategic tools for efficiency, safety and sustainability.

Why it matters for ports and cities

The study views digitalisation mainly from the ship side, but identifies the ship-port-destination interface and the lack of data sharing among actors as a weak point. For ports and cities it suggests that the value of technology depends on system integration and collaboration rather than on any single tool.

Limitations

Qualitative analysis based largely on company and industry sources, with no empirical data of its own and no check on how the technologies are actually used; the perspective centres on cruise lines rather than ports.

Full reference and source

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology (manoscritto JHTT-05-2021-0155.R2) (year n/a). Smart Cruising: smart technology applications and their diffusion in cruise tourism..

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Summary written by the ODYBOAT Observatory in our own words. Tables and figures belong to the authors.