In 3 months I set sail aboard Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Quantum of the Seas! To say I’m stoked about it would be a mild understatement. I’ve posted about Quantum frequently, I’ve even added “Quantum of the Seas” as a category here at MJ on Travel to help find Quantum related topics more easily. As more details of the ship have been released, we now have a clearer picture of what kind of vessel Quantum of the Seas will be. In short, she looks to be the most technologically advanced cruise ship sailing. This can be viewed as both a blessing and a curse, because as nice as fast internet and apps will be, one of the advantages of cruising is the sense of getting away. Will that change with Quantum? Perhaps, but I think the technology Quantum of the Seas promises to bring to cruising are just an acknowledgment of what the majority of customers now expect, even on vacation. Without further adieu, here are my three favorite things about Quantum of the Seas.
Power outlets by the nightstand – Sounds simple, I know, but if you’re like me, your smartphone is now your alarm clock, calendar, everything else. Having the alarm clock by the bed is most natural, and now you can charge your smartphone by the bed overnight while you sleep.
Image courtesy of Royal Caribbean International
Bandwidth – While I seek to disconnect when cruising, the truth is that it is very difficult in the modern working world to completely disappear from the grid for vast stretches of time. I write a blog on travel, I upload pictures, video clips, etc. To say that cruise ship internet has been historically frustrating would be an understatement. I’m happy to see an investment in real internet for Royal Caribbean’s newest ship. Nothing is forcing anyone to be connected all the time, and I purposely limit internet to an hour or so per day when cruising, and also declare some days as internet free. That won’t change. What will change is I’ll be a lot less frustrated when I am trying to connect.
SMART Check-In – Royal Caribbean will introduce new processes with Quantum of the Seas that moves even more of the check-in process from the pier to the PC prior to arriving in port. If you’ve been through Terminal 18 at Port Everglades and experienced how much better the process is there, then one could wonder how it could be improved. Royal Caribbean is promising 10 minutes from curbside to ship. I prefer “curbside to cocktail (C2C)” but I’ll take either. A smooth check-in really sets the tone for the cruise, and I’m excited to try SMART Check-In.
My cruising needs are simple, and these are my three favorite things right now. Let’s see if my list evolves after I experience Quantum of the Seas firsthand this December.
-MJ, August 30, 2014
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I recall reading in the trades that RCL will experience considerable cost savings with their new internet system, so it will be interesting to see how they pass these savings along to their guests.
@Stu,
That will be notable. I found the internet on Disney to be both faster and cheaper than RCL’s current offerings.
I am very interested in the smart check-in. For me checking is one of the not so pleasant part about cruising (well there are very very few not so pleasant parts!). If they can make that go faster, I am all for it!
I’m interested in seeing how Smart Check in works too. The ability to pre-load your own photo is intriguing. I guess someone verifies it with a look at you before you board. We’ll see how it works in practice.