Costa Cruises’ ship Costa Diadema welcomed the cruise industry’s first guest-relations robot today. Meet Pepper.
Pepper has been specially designed to interact with cruise guests and its environment. Five Pepper robots will be operative on the ship’s seven-day western Mediterranean cruises to entertain guests, and make the onboard experience even more memorable.
Launched in 2014 in Tokyo, Pepper has a interface for communicating, using the latest advances in voice and facial recognition. Aboard Diadema, it speaks three languages – Italian, French, and English. The ship’s guests can meet the robots in five areas onboard. Pepper will answer direct questions, and even start up interactions on its own when people are nearby. The robot’s most fun features include dancing with guests, playing games with cruisers, and asking to take selfies with them.
The robots aren’t entirely for entertainment, though. They can also provide guests with information about the ship and onboard services, like restaurants, excursions, activities, shopping, and more. Pepper can also give provide tips and guidance about destinations on the itinerary, including Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Majorca, Cagliari, and Rome. It can also ask guests their opinion on the cruise and Costa’s onboard services.
Following this trial, five additional 47 inch tall, 60+ pound Pepper robots will join the Costa fleet aboard Costa Fascinosa.
To read our previous post on Pepper, click here.
