Robot bartenders. Virtual balconies in windowless rooms. Skydiving and surfing simulators. It's not a scene from a sci-fi movie, you're probably just on board the Quantum of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's new 18-deck luxury cruise liner that's set to revolutionize cruise vacations.
The new vessel is the third largest cruise ship ever built, with room for nearly 5,000 passengers according to USA Today.At 1,141ft-long, Quantum of the Seas is longer than five Boeing 747s. But massive size aside, the Quantum of the Seas is set to make waves on the high seas for its new technology, making it the "world's first smartship."
Billed as the most high-tech cruise ship ever to set sail, the ship features askydiving simulator, a world-first digital entertainment system, on-board dodgems, and virtual balconies in windowless rooms. Passengers can also enjoy a "high-tech" drink or two at the Bionic Bar, where they can place their orders with robot bartenders—machines with robotic arms powered by Makr Shakr that work in perfect synchronization, assembling beverages and cocktails.
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Aside from perfectly engineered drinks, passengers can also enjoy a slew of onboard attractions on the smartship. Quantum of the Seas features a skydiving simulator that lets passengers experience the exhilaration of skydiving without ever leaving the deck.The skydiving attraction, called RipCord by iFly, uses a powerful wind flow to keep participants aloft while floating and spinning over an outdoor deck. Passengers who would rather ride the waves than fly can also enjoy an on-board surfing simulator.
An indoor complex called SeaPlex hosts basketball, table tennis, trapeze instruction and dodgem cars, according to the Associated Press. The space converts to a dance floor for roller-skaters, with a DJ hovering above in a see-through pod. Another space, Two70, has a 270-degree panoramic view and will host aerialists and other performances.
Passengers in windowless rooms also get more high-tech treatment with "virtual balconies," 80-inch LED projection screens that stretch from floor to ceiling and offer digital real-time views of the ocean and destinations visible from the ship’s exterior.
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The jewel of the Quantum, however,North Star, a London Eye-inspired capsule on the top deck lifting passengers 300 feet above sea level, offering thrilling panoramic ocean views, reports the Daily Mail.
And what makes the vessel a true "smartship" is its on-board connectivity. Royal Caribbean has partnered with service provider, O3b Networks, to create a ship that boasts more bandwidth capability than all other cruise ships in the world put together, according to the Wall Street Daily. With speeds that match the fastest broadband connections onshore, the connectivity on Quantum of the Seas will allow passengers to stream video, Skype with family and friends, and capture and share vacation moments in real‑time—even while sailing in the middle of the ocean.
View the slideshow above for a peek at the attractions and features of Quantum of the Seas.
The ship will shortly begin its voyage from Southampton, England where it docked last week, to New York before relocating to the Caribbean for the 2014-15 season.
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