Put a Ring on It

Carnival Firenze is set to debut in a few weeks, on April 25, 2024, and it seems that his Vista-class ship has a few new tricks upon its sleeve.

Are you a fan of shopping and technology? Good news for you, then. Carnival Cruise Line has partnered with Effy Jewelry, offering passengers a fresh way to shop and explore their favorite products. Effy Fine Jewelry, found on every Carnival ship, showcases stunning rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings ranging from $100 to thousands of dollars. Their collection includes black diamonds and a wide variety of precious gemstones.

AR is coming your way

Carnival will introduce digital kiosks for guests to purchase items from Effy and even virtually try them on using AR technology. However, there's a catch. It seems the kiosks will only support the browsing and testing of rings. That's correct, you can browse through a vast selection of rings, choose one you like, and then see a visual representation of how it looks on your finger.

“Showcasing Effy’s timeless pieces in this way, leveraging technology, creates a truly innovative and personal shopping experience for our guests. Our guests love Effy jewelry, and this new virtual component gives them the ability to quickly visualize how several perfectly sized pieces will look in a fraction of the time it might take to try on multiple items throughout the store,” said Carnival’s vice president of onboard guest commerce, Luis Terife.

But do we actually need this?

There are definitely advantages to this approach. First, you can leisurely browse at your own pace without needing to wait in line to inquire about specific pieces that may be out of stock. Second, even if an item is unavailable, you can still visualize how it would look on you. Additionally, it's a fantastic way to explore multiple options simultaneously, and you might even discover a style you hadn't considered before.

There are also some disadvantages to this approach, in my opinion. Firstly, these kiosks often experience glitches and can be very laggy, especially considering they're operational all day and used by many guests. Secondly, you miss out on the aspect of human contact, which I personally value. I'm wary of machines and kiosks gradually taking over, so I hope these additions remain just that: additions to assist us when needed.

Carnival has also indicated their intention to expand the availability of kiosks to more ships in the future. It's likely they'll assess passenger feedback and response to this new browsing method before proceeding with their strategy.