MSC Cruises predicts the future of guest experience

Report forecasts growth of repurposed resorts, adaptive environments and data ID wallets
MSC Cruises predicts the future of guest experience
The report suggests that repurposed resorts will appeal as a sustainable travel option (Image: MSC Cruises)

By Alex Smith |


MSC Cruises has launched new trends report ‘The Future of the Guest Experience’ in collaboration with consultancy The Future Laboratory. Examining the evolution of the guest experience over the next decade, the report predicts a shift in consumer attitudes towards personalised, sustainable experiences that have a positive impact on local communities.

“One of the challenges of the cruise industry is that we need to design and build new ships that will still be cutting-edge for our guests 30 years from now,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises. “As such, innovation and consumer trends are at the very core of our DNA and we need to have a strong and clear vision for the future whilst combining this with timeless style. Through intelligent innovation and design, with strong commitment to sustainable travel, we will be able to facilitate all kinds of future experiences.”

The report identifies several innovations that will form part of what it describes as ultra-high definition (UHD) personalisation. It predicts a profound change in interior design, as biometric technologies will allow environments to alter themselves according to guests’ moods and emotions. Lights and temperature could be adjusted automatically according to a guest’s activities, while walls could change patterns and colours to align with their emotional state. Similarly, advances in data monitoring around a ship could allow cruise lines to track shifts in guests’ behaviour, enabling them to offer more relevant products and personalised services.

However, the growth of the consumer’s digital connectivity will also see a backlash against increasingly dehumanised modes of communication, the report predicts. Therefore, guests will seek a feeling of ‘UHD Conviviality’ as part of their experience on a cruise ship, connecting with other passengers onboard. As such, public spaces will be designed to adapt to different purposes, looking to attract guests to a social environment that can cater for their distinct needs. Furthermore, entertainment options could be designed to involve guests, encouraging them to interact with artists to create a more immersive experience.

Finally, the report highlights the growth in consumer awareness of the environmental and social impact of their travel, leading to a desire for more sustainable options. It suggests that repurposed resorts such as the recently opened Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve will play an important role in meeting this need, as previously derelict sites are developed to create a positive impact on local environments and communities.

“We’re inherently linked to the sea, and from this perspective there exists a big opportunity to play a big role when it comes to giving something back to the environment and to the planet as a whole,” said Vago. “Through intelligent innovation and design, with a strong commitment to sustainable travel, we will be able to facilitate all kinds of future experience.”

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