Earlier this month at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami, industry leaders gathered to explore a big question: Has artificial intelligence really taken over the cruise industry yet? The consensus: not quite, but it’s steadily making inroads.
The panel, moderated by David Tibbles of Nevetal, featured insights from Daniele Buonaiuto (CIO of MSC Cruises), Stan Schmal (Director Digital & AI of Lufthansa Industry Solutions), legal expert Brent Britton, and Greg Ross-Munro (CEO of OnDeck by Sourcetoad). The discussion was both forward-looking and grounded, offering a realistic assessment of AI’s current role and future potential in cruising. In a twist that underscored the session’s theme, an AI chatbot named NIA joined the conversation live, answering selected moderator questions in real time.
In case you missed the panel, below are the key takeaways from the discussion.
AI Adoption in Cruise: Early Days for Most Operators
While some cruise lines are already integrating AI into guest-facing services and behind-the-scenes operations, Greg offered a pragmatic view: “for many operators, especially smaller lines, generative AI hasn’t yet become a day-to-day tool.”
While AI technologies are advancing rapidly, their integration into cruise operations varies across the industry. Daniele Buonaiuto highlighted MSC Cruises’ proactive approach, noting the complexity of managing hundreds of onboard events and the potential of AI to serve as a personal concierge, enhancing guest experiences without replacing the human touch.
Stan Schmal emphasized the importance of data-driven decision-making, pointing out that AI can optimize various aspects of cruise operations, from marketing to revenue management. However, he acknowledged that the industry’s unique infrastructure and offline requirements pose challenges to seamless AI integration.
Real ROI Is Already Emerging
Despite its “early phase” status, AI is already driving measurable ROI in cruise, especially in content generation. Daniele shared that MSC Cruises has seen improvements in operational efficiency and guest satisfaction through AI-driven solutions. He and Stan both agreed that ROI for these technologies is often difficult to quantify because their impact is broad. They are shaping hundreds of small decisions and saving significant human effort in ways that are deeply integrated into daily operations, making the long-term value hard to isolate.
Greg provided an example of marketing teams leveraging AI to generate port and excursion descriptions, reducing reliance on external vendors and accelerating content creation. This approach not only saves time but also aligns content more closely with brand voice.
Legal Caution: You Don’t Own That Output
Brent Britton addressed the legal complexities surrounding AI-generated content. He cautioned that, under current U.S. copyright law, AI outputs may not be owned unless there’s significant human creative input. This raises concerns about content ownership and potential infringement.
Brent also highlighted the issue of AI “hallucinations,” where the technology generates inaccurate or fictional information. While such errors might be inconsequential in marketing contexts, they could have serious implications in safety-critical systems, underscoring the need for human oversight.
AI Will Transform Guest Experience (and the Nature of Work)
The panelists agreed that AI holds promise for transforming guest experiences and operational efficiency. Daniele envisioned AI enhancing personalization, while Stan discussed its potential in predictive maintenance and resource optimization.
Greg speculated on future applications, such as AI-generated personalized cruise memory videos, and pondered the broader implications of automation on crew roles, suggesting that human interaction might become a premium feature in the cruise experience.
NIA, the AI chatbot who joined the discussion, echoed this optimism, offering a notably upbeat perspective on how AI could enhance everything from guest satisfaction to operational agility in the years ahead.
Final Thoughts: Practical Progress Over Hype
The discussion underscored that while AI is poised to play a significant role in the cruise industry, its adoption must be thoughtful and collaborative. Balancing innovation with reliability, and ensuring that human elements remain integral to the cruise experience, will be key to successful integration.
At OnDeck, we’re committed to helping cruise lines navigate this evolving landscape, offering solutions that align with the industry’s unique challenges and opportunities.
Curious how Sourcetoad is helping cruise lines bring AI onboard?
Let’s talk about how we can make AI work for your cruise line — safely, smartly, and with real ROI.