Futuristic Royal Caribbean cruise ship adopts RFID wristbands and door locks to enhance comfort and security for passengers
Dallas, TX – June 15, 2015 – Multipurpose wristbands, not keycards, will welcome passengers aboard the Royal Caribbean’s MS Anthem of the Seas, thanks to a partnership with global security leader ASSA ABLOY Hospitality.
The wristbands use innovative and flexible RFID technology to upgrade the cruise experience for both passengers and crew. As passengers approach the gangway, crewmembers can quickly scan the wristbands, which contain all the necessary identification data, making it faster and easier to embark and disembark from the ship.
The wristbands act as a room key, but also allow access to other areas of the ship, such as the spa. Passengers can easily keep track of their tabs at the bar and restaurant or pay for professional photos taken on the cruise. They can even offer an alternative payment for vending machines and casinos, providing the potential for greater revenue.
The Anthem of the Seas is widely recognized in the cruise industry for its luxury and high-tech amenities, specifically designed to make cruise vacations more appealing to a younger market demographic. It is the third largest cruise ship in the world, boasting 2,090 cabins. Since this ship is meant to be an example of the latest and greatest of what the cruise industry has to offer, RCCL wanted to move away from conventional keycards by replacing them with something more in line with their vision of the future of passenger comfort and safety. In partnering with ASSA ABLOY Hospitality, RCCL can allow passengers of the Anthem of the Seas to effortlessly gain access to cabins, as well as other areas and a host of services throughout the ship, using just one RFID wristband provided free-of-charge.
ASSA ABLOY Hospitality has delivered its Signature RFID door locks, RFID cabin-access wristbands and RFID Remote Controllers to the ship. In adopting RFID technology, the Anthem of the Seas joins a rapidly expanding number of both hospitality properties and cruise ships that offer guests the benefits of the solution. With VingCard Signature RFID, passengers and staff can rely on powerful anti-cloning technology that prevents unauthorized access through its encrypted program. The RFID-operated locks also have the added benefit of allowing access readers to take virtually any shape or form, providing the potential for a range of additional services and conveniences.
“As the cruise industry moves to develop ships with ever-increasing passenger capacities and services, cabin and passenger security will no doubt play an integral part in ensuring continued satisfaction, safety and convenience,” said Gerald McMillan, Vice President Marine at ASSA ABLOY Hospitality. “By fully leveraging RFID capabilities, we are pleased to provide the technology that allows MS Anthem of the Seas to provide the newest generation of cruise ship vacationers with the augmented services that they increasingly demand.”
For more information, please visit www.assaabloyhospitality.com.
