The cruise industry has always been about grandeur, from world-class dining to lavish onboard entertainment. And with the North American debut of Princess Cruises’ newest ship, Sun Princess, the cruise line turned to what we’re calling the grandest sort of debut ever: a drone show.
Princess Cruises isn’t the first cruise line to incorporate a drone into its embarkation celebration, but its incorporation makes it clear that drone shows are a bold new trend in cruise entertainment.
Sun Princess embarked on its first North American journey on Friday, Oct. 11 as part of a special sailing for media, travel agents and other invite-only guests. And to kick it off, hundreds of drones took to the sky in a stunning choreographed performance on the shore just across from the ship. They display incorporated nods to Princess Cruises, from the overt (like the cruise line’s logo) to the nerdy (like hearts). Those are a nod to the 1970’s-era sitcom The Love Boat, to which Princess played a starring role. And yes, the drone show even included The Love Boat theme song.
I was there to document the whole thing. Check it out on my Instagram account, or watch it below:
Brands turn to drone shows for buzz
Once considered a high-tech novelty, drone shows are fast becoming a signature way for brands — cruise lines or otherwise — to create buzz.
And particularly or cruise lines, it’s a perfect fit. Unlike traditional fireworks, drones offer customizable, entertainment that can be tailored to tell a story – in this case, one of luxury, adventure, and innovation.
Drones are also seen as more environmentally-friendly than fireworks. And Princess Cruises is one of the leaders in sustainable cruising. Its practices include using cleaner-burning fuels, advanced wastewater treatment systems, and energy-efficient technologies across its fleet. Princess Cruises has also made major efforts to reducing single-use plastics (you won’t find paper plates or silverware). It’s also invested in cutting-edge technology like shore power, allowing ships to plug into local electrical grids and reduce emissions while docked.
If the Sun Princess is any indication don’t be surprised if drone shows become a fixture on cruise lines, setting sail into a new era of embarkation entertainment.
The post Are drone shows the new must-have amenity for cruise debuts? Sun Princess thinks so appeared first on The Drone Girl.