The weather is finally starting to warm up and with it, we see a glimmer of spring approaching. With that in mind, we are all focused on two things – outdoor activities and vacations.

Many of us at Peerless-AV choose to unwind with our families on a cruise to a tropical location. These vacation vessels continuously work to find ways to occupy and dazzle passengers for a memorable trip that takes place entirely on the ocean. And some of these ships are finding increasingly high-tech ways to accomplish this goal.

Here are the latest AV features that cruise ships have developed over the past couple of years and continue to improve upon:

MSC Bellissima:

Inspired by the another MSC vessel, the Meraviglia, the MSC Bellissima lives up to its name with a domed LED ceiling that covers its central promenade – a stunning feature not to be missed. The central promenade, known as Galleria Bellissima, stretches for more than one hundred yards and offers shopping and dining opportunities during the day while providing various forms of entertainment at night. The impressive LED screen above is over 5,100 square feet in size and can depict anything from colorful patterns to digital skies for guests to marvel at.

Also on board is the ship’s Carousel Lounge, where Cirque du Soleil will perform its acrobatic shows. Accompanying the shows will be a 131 foot long LED display showing various graphics to enhance the performances and make the experience more engaging for guests.

Caribbean Princess:

The Caribbean Princess was recently updated with numerous high-tech features that allow the ship to track user activity and digitally engage guests during their time on board. Passengers are given a “Medallion,” which is a small chip that provides guests with an ocean-themed digital avatar. That avatar appears on the ship’s 4K touchscreens whenever users pass by them in the hallways, and can be played with or customized on the screens. The displays anticipate the approach of passengers who choose to wear their Medallion, and can offer information and suggestions whenever guests inquire about the ship’s layout, upcoming events, and more.

Those Medallions also come in handy when passengers are on the Lido deck. Like most cruise ships, the pool deck has a large display that is bright enough for movies to be watched outdoors in the daytime. This LED screen is more than 300-square-feet and has a 69,000-watt sound system. It also happens to be interactive, as passengers are able to connect to it via a phone app that allows them to play video games on the big screen with their avatars.

Royal Caribbean Ships:

Royal Caribbean has always tried to stay ahead of the curve with high-tech updates to its ships. Some of the more notable AV features of its ships include the virtual balconies, which provide guests with a taste of the stunning ocean views using floor to ceiling digital displays in the cabins. These screens simulate the real deal by depicting actual live footage of the surrounding water, as filmed by cameras around the boat. More and more RCI cruise ships have started featuring these digital balconies in the interior rooms, allowing all guests to have a sea-worthy experience.

RCI has also indicated future plans to incorporate digital archways that depict aquarium views or creative patterns for passengers to enjoy as they walk around the ship. The cruise line has even drawn up a concept for staterooms that will have digital floors, ceilings, and walls to allow guests to choose what environment they want depicted. Big things are coming from this particular cruise line!

These are only some of the amazing AV features passengers can enjoy while aboard a cruise ship. If you’ve gone cruising recently, let us know what on-board technology impressed you the most!