Princess Cruises has turned a terminal it uses at Port Everglades into an interactive entryway designed to be more comfortable, convenient and entertaining than the industry standard.
It is the first terminal equipped to work with the Ocean Medallion device and Ocean Compass app that Princess has started using on the Regal Princess and that it plans to activate on six more ships next year.
Seating has been improved, interactive TV panels have been installed, design elements have been upgraded and a theater has been added to play Carnival's custom cruise programming.
"When our guests arrive at the terminal excited about their cruise, that's a great opportunity for us to begin immersing them in a more personalized and hassle-free vacation experience," said John Padgett, chief experience and innovation officer for Princess parent Carnival Corp.
"We have completely transformed the arrival so that our guests can board at a pace that's more relaxed and convenient for them," Padgett said.
What makes the terminal different is that Carnival has installed a network of sensors attuned to the Ocean Medallion, an electronic disc about the size of a quarter designed mainly to activate services on a ship.
Passengers boarding a ship that is Medallion-enabled can have the disc mailed to them before their cruise. They can also input key embarkation information through the app before their arrival.
If they do, upon arrival at Terminal 2 in Port Everglades, passengers will be able to board the Regal Princess without stopping to exchange information at a check-in desk. The Medallion identifies the passenger to the sensor network, which checks against the app for the required check-in data.
Another striking feature of the Terminal 2 remodel is an arched, illuminated portal framed by an 8-foot-by-53-foot LED screen. The screen becomes the first public place passengers can see their Tagalong displayed.
The Tagalongs are electronic avatars that passengers can create and customize through SocialOcean, another app. Three basic models — a sea turtle, a seahorse and a butterfly fish — can be personalized by changing their color, pattern, body shape and other attributes.
When passengers with Medallions pass near the LED screen, their Tagalongs appear on the display and start "swimming" among the other avatars on the giant screen.
Terminal 2 has also been given more stylish, comfortable bench seating, custom light fixtures, contemporary carpeting, tile-like wall covering and other design upgrades to make it more inviting than the basic, functional port terminal.
Padgett said the idea is to encourage passengers to feel more at ease throughout the boarding process and to provide a good atmosphere for taking advantage of the Medallion's capabilities to make precruise reservations for restaurants, entertainment, shore excursions and other cruise services.
The terminal has also been modified to provide the high-speed internet service called MedallionNet that will be used on Medallion-enabled ships. Among other things, it lets guests play mobile games developed by Carnival, including ones that evolve into wagering games once the ship reaches international waters.
On the second floor of the terminal, which is exclusive to Princess, another interactive Tagalong experience enables passengers to direct their "creatures" through a series of screens by moving their arms and hands to control the creature's swimming motions and direction.
Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald said the company will go slow and get feedback from customers as it rolls out the Ocean Medallion because it doesn't want to alienate past passengers with too many changes.
"When guests walk thorough that terminal, it doesn't feel like what they're used to," Donald said, "so we want to manage all the unintended reactions."