It almost sounded too crazy to be true, when Royal Caribbean announced that it would begin installing virtual balconies in windowless rooms on its latest cruise ships. Giant screens that simulate breathtaking ocean views in real time sound crazy! The travel company was not lying, though, and now they've got video to prove it.
Royal Caribbean's new Quantum of the Seas ship—which is basically one big, giant floating gadget—features virtual balconies on every single one of its interior staterooms. They're surprisingly simple, too. The virtual balconies are just 80-inch 4K screens bolted to the far wall of the room that stream live footage from high-speed cameras positioned around the ship. A newly released video from Royal Caribbean offers the tiny peek at the camera rig as well as the screens in the new video.
Again, the Quantum of the Seas looks absolutely bonkers. In addition to the countless virtual balconies, the ship also features a robot bartender, bumper cars, more giant screens, and an indoor sky-diving facility. Oh and this moveable crows nest that dangles you out over the ocean. It's called North Star, and it looks awesome. [Royal Caribbean]