There are a number of things that millennials will expect aboard cruise ships, and some of them are already in place or becoming more prevalent. However, some are missing. Before younger generations get excited about elaborate bonus attractions, there are some basics that need to first be covered across the board.
Complimentary High-Speed Internet
This is a big one. It's all fine and good for cruise lines to showcase their broadband-equivalent connections, but that has been a long time coming. It's no longer the feature that should be touted. Now, it needs to be offered for free. Sure the argument can be made that the onboard infrastructure is comparatively more expensive to operate and some land-based facilities still charge for it too, but these days that is the exception, not the rule. It's time for lines to follow the lead of Viking Ocean Cruises and make internet entirely free without restriction.
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Larger Bathrooms
It's generally understood that staterooms onboard cruise ships are going to be smaller than on shore, but one area that is hard to justify skimping on is a spacious bathroom. It has been easy to navigate cabin bedrooms without contorting for decades. It would be nice if showers were universally the same. Thankfully, most new cruise ships are taking this to heart by making them bigger and removing flimsy shower curtains, but there are a few holdouts like Princess Cruises unfortunately.
Electrical Outlets and USB Charging Ports
It's never easy to go on a cruise ship and possibly discover that there is a shortage of electrical outlets or none at the nightstands. Millennials have an abundance of electronic devices, and we require the means to regularly charge them, including our smartphones bedside. New and refurbished ships are heeding the call as USB charging ports are more regularly available and in greater number, especially on Viking again.
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Greater Food and Beverage Variety
In the morning and throughout the day, a Starbucks Coffee - thanks, Royal Caribbean International - or a comparable cafe is a sight for millennial sore eyes, and as we follow Yelp for the best new food trends, it's nice to see a great variety of restaurants onboard as ashore. Now more than ever, cruise lines are partnering up with established celebrity chefs and dining brands to offer the best selection at sea.
Live Entertainment and First-Run Film Screenings
To compete with land-based destinations, cruise lines need to offer the same array of entertainment and more, and they are well on their way in regards to live entertainment. Production shows rival Broadway, and live musicians continually raise the bar on the high seas. But save for Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International, first-run films are still hard to come by onboard, and even those lines are limited in their offerings. With digital distribution, it should be pretty easy to begin rolling out the same quantity of feature films as has come to be expected on land, and Carnival's IMAX Theatre on the new Carnival Vista is certainly a great model to start.
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