Parents might have an easier way to keep tabs on their kids while on a cruise ship.
A passenger on Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas shared on social media a new test underway that allows parents to track the location of their kids.
Shannon Sinclair posted photos of a new "Kidfinder" that is available in a limited test at the Adventure Ocean kids club.
The device is a waterproof bracelet that allows parents to track the bracelet's location via the Royal Caribbean app.
Read more: Royal Caribbean app guide and walkthrough
"We just got on the Icon of the Seas today and they are piloting Kidfinder," she wrote on Facebook.
According to Ms. Sinclair, the Kidfinder is for kids under 12 years old and under and parents can sign up for the option at Adventure Ocean.
When you sign up for the Kidfinder, parents can choose which cruise ship passengers can track the kids. This means potentially parents, older siblings, or friends and family can opt into it as well.
You put the bracelet on the kids, and it works anywhere around the ship.
Ms. Sinclair likes the idea for the peace of mind it provides, "My son is 11 and with his older sibling exploring. It’s nice I can track them now. Also if your child is with the other parent or family member you could track them."
This test isn't meant to replace parenting, but rather, give parents another tool to know where their kids are located. It's not uncommon to hear an occasional announcement over the public address system requesting a certain guest go to Guest Services, and the Kidfinder could reduce the need for such announcements.
She added there is no cost to use it, it's free to register at Adventure Ocean.
This is the first we've heard of such an option, and it sounds like it's only being tested at the moment on Icon of the Seas. There's no indication yet if the Kidfinder will be available on other ships, or even subsequent Icon of the Seas sailings.
One commenter on the Facebook post added this is similar to what Princess Cruises offers already with their Medallion program.
"Everyone gets one of these, on Princess cruise line. We love them! You walk up to your cabin, and your door unlocks automatically. You can also order food and drinks from anywhere on the ship, and have it brought right to you, no matter where you are. They're very convenient," wrote Summer Schoolfield.
Unlike Apple Airtags, the Kidfinder seems to have the ability to better geolocate itself across decks of the ship and within certain venues. Moreover, Kidfinder intergrates into the Royal Caribbean app.
Read more: I tried AirTags to track my luggage on a Royal Caribbean cruise
Liz Whitfield wrote she tried Airtags previously, but with poor results, "We tried to use AirTags for our whole group (adults included) and it was a disaster. They never updated properly. So, this is great."
More new tech on Icon of the Seas
While it remains to be seen if Kidfinder will become a regular option for guests, Royal Caribbean has packed Icon of the Seas with plenty of other innovations.
Being the first in the Icon Class, Royal Caribbean developed a number of improvements and innovations because of Icon of the Seas.
Read more: Icon of the Seas is the best cruise ship ever
Some of these innovations are quite notable by passengers, such as the destination elevators.
Traditional elevators on a cruise ship tend to get overwhelmed quickly, resulting in long waits. Royal Caribbean recognized this known issue, and set about to solve it with Icon.
With destination elevators, a passenger indicates which floor they want to go to and are assigned an elevator by the computer. The result are more efficiently routed elevators and less waits.
Other innovations are not as noticeable, but still have an impact. Crew members that service each cabin have a new stateroom attendant app to track their progress between cabins.
Read more: Icon of the Seas cabins and suites
Stateroom attendants can use the application to not only track which cabins have been cleaned, but get real-time alerts if a guest has requested an item.
Artificial intelligence is being employed in the cruise ship's kitchens to reduce food waste, and better account for supply needs. AI takes into account unused food scrap weight and predicts how much food the ship will need for the next sailing.
Read more: How over 6,000 people are served meals every day on the world's largest cruise ship
