A few years ago, people would have scoffed at the idea of virtual cruises. After all, how is anyone supposed to get the relaxing and enlightening atmosphere of a huge ship floating in the middle of the ocean from home? However, there is a massive societal shift taking place, with more people than ever welcoming the idea of virtual experiences. So many industries have already shown that live streaming can be a worthy replacement for actually being in a place, and there are certain advantages to this as well. The question is, can virtual cruises take off in the same way that other industries have?
Some Industries Have Shown That Virtual Can Offer a Superior Experience
The fact that a lot of industries have managed to recreate experiences for people in their own homes shows that virtual cruises could potentially take off. In the early days of online casinos, for instance, players believed that it would be impossible to fully replicate the atmosphere of the gambling house in their homes. New technology has silenced these initial doubters. This is highlighted by the numerous casino games at sites like William Hill which are brought to players through live streaming. These include offerings like Quantum Roulette, Casino Hold’em Poker, and Spin A Win.
Flight simulators are another example of a virtual experience that has proven to be almost equal to the real thing. This is underlined by the fact that these computer programs have long been used to train pilots to fly before they actually enter an aircraft. Microsoft Flight Simulator has also been a hit in the entertainment industry, enabling anyone to feel as though they are a pilot. The same can be said for rollercoaster and racing car simulators. All of these examples show that virtual experiences can be just as exciting as doing them in real life.
Live Streaming of Cruise Ships is More Common Than Ever
It is apparent that the use of live streaming and virtual experiences is beginning to be introduced in the cruise industry. One of the ways that people can get a cruise experience from their own home at the moment is to access the various video streams on YouTube. Some have been uploaded by cruise lovers, while others come from official cruise companies like Carnival Cruise Line.
The next step on from live streaming would be for people at home to put on virtual headsets and actually have the ability to walk around the cruise ship themselves. This could be achieved through a combination of recorded footage of the ship and virtual reality.
What Are the Main Advantages to Virtual Cruises?
Cruise holidays have always appealed to the wealthier sections of society, meaning that those who can’t afford them have often been left out. This could be set to change, though, if virtual cruises start to enter the mainstream. The average cost of a cruise fare per person, according to Cruzely, is between $1100 and $1675. Considering how the average weekly salary in Canada is just under $1000, this would be quite an outlay for most holidaymakers in the country. However, the price of an Oculus Rift headset is only $599 in comparison, so using this to enjoy a virtual cruise experience is much more accessible to the general population.
This form of holiday would also be advantageous to disabled people, or those who are unable to travel for any reason. Although cruise ships do provide extra assistance and have the infrastructure to cater to people in wheelchairs, it would be much easier for these people if they could get a similar experience from home.
With live streaming and virtual reality appearing to be the main technologies of the future, they will be seen in a vast number of industries. The combination of the two could make virtual cruises a reality, and it could be a major boost to the cruise industry.
