Cruises go for virtual reality

Cruise vacation fans will soon be in for high tech treats as companies go big for virtual reality.

You might say cruises are already a kind of virtual reality, a world where everything happens seamlessly and without effort; from food to fun to cleaning.

But there is more in store.

Royal Caribbean recently showed off its new virtual reality plans, among them virtual reality dining.

According to CNet, the experiences are weirdly theatrical. You put on a visor and suddenly you are in an authentic Japanese tea house. In front of you glows a blue orb for you to eat. You put it in your mouth and the paper doors of the tea house explode into paper cranes. Now, as you chew, you are in a garden with a stream. The scene suits the bite of tuna tartare you just consumed.

And with every glowing bite, your surroundings change to suit the taste and mood.

Virtual reality experiences in entertainment, as well as dining, are coming to every cruise line. Swiss-based MSC will offer virtual reality shopping, letting guests see how they look in different outfits without the bother of actually having to try them on.

And how about those inside rooms, which are cheaper, but don’t offer ocean views? Royal Caribbean has rolled out LED options for staterooms that let you project the ocean or turn your room into a rainforest.

Other technologies offer phone-based location services that let you order a drink on your phone from a waiter who finds you wherever you are. There are also self-driving cars to shuttle people down the long walkways at ports.