Some cruise fun with an AI chatbot

[bakingbad3]

I am a tech nerd through and through, so in addition to following cruise news, I follow the world of tech.  There was a huge development this week in the world of artificial intelligence when OpenAI released its latest iteration of its chatbot to the general public.  ChatGPT is, in my opinion, incredibly impressive.  It leaps past what is possible with Siri or Alexa and makes Google search results look outdated.  Sometimes it feels like pure magic, but mostly, it's just a lot of fun to play with.  So we had a little chat about cruising, and I thought I'd share for anyone who is interested.

First off, to give a sense of what this can do, I asked it to describe the differences between Royal, MSC, Carnival, and NCL.  

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There are many differences between Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Line, and MSC. Some of the main differences include the size and type of ships they operate, the destinations they visit, and the amenities and activities they offer onboard.

Royal Caribbean is known for its large and modern ships, which are often packed with a wide range of amenities and activities, such as rock-climbing walls, ice-skating rinks, and surf simulators. The cruise line offers itineraries to destinations all over the world, including the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia.

Carnival is another popular cruise line that operates a fleet of large and mid-sized ships. The cruise line is known for its fun and lively atmosphere, with a focus on entertainment and activities. Carnival offers a wide range of itineraries to destinations such as the Caribbean, Mexico, and Alaska.

Norwegian Cruise Line is known for its more casual and relaxed atmosphere, with a focus on freestyle cruising. The cruise line operates a mix of large and small ships, and offers a wide range of itineraries to destinations such as the Caribbean, Europe, and the South Pacific.

MSC is a European cruise line that operates a fleet of modern and stylish ships. The cruise line offers a wide range of itineraries to destinations in Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Caribbean. MSC is known for its Italian heritage and style, and offers a range of authentic Italian dining and entertainment options onboard.

Pretty impressive, I thought, but also fairly basic and not much farther than a Google search result.  So I got more specific and asked it to tell me more about the kinds of people each cruise line was best for.

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Each of the four cruise lines you mentioned -- Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Line, and MSC -- caters to a different type of passenger.

Royal Caribbean is known for attracting a wide range of passengers, including families, couples, and singles. The cruise line's large and modern ships, packed with a wide range of amenities and activities, appeal to passengers who enjoy a lively and active onboard experience.

Carnival is known for attracting a more budget-conscious and fun-loving crowd. The cruise line's ships are known for their party atmosphere, with a focus on entertainment and activities. As a result, Carnival is popular with younger passengers, including families with children and groups of friends.

Norwegian Cruise Line is known for its more casual and relaxed atmosphere, which appeals to passengers who want a more laid-back and flexible cruising experience. The cruise line's mix of large and small ships, with a focus on freestyle cruising, attracts a wide range of passengers, including families, couples, and singles.

MSC is known for attracting passengers who appreciate its Italian heritage and style. The cruise line's modern and stylish ships, with a range of authentic Italian dining and entertainment options, appeal to passengers who enjoy a sophisticated and elegant onboard experience. The cruise line is popular with couples and families, as well as passengers who are interested in European destinations.

Cool stuff.  Then I tried to get a little more philosophical, so I asked it why there are so many ridiculous and absurd negative reviews on cruise critic.

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It's natural for people to be more likely to leave a review or post a complaint online if they had a negative experience, rather than if they had a positive one. This can make it seem like there are more negative experiences than there actually are. Additionally, people may be more likely to post about absurd or ridiculous experiences because those are the ones that stand out the most in their memory.

Now that's rather profound! 

I wanted to stretch the limits of what the tool can do in terms of predicting future developments.  You kind of have to trick the tool into making predictions, so I set up a query to ask it to fill in the rest of the names of the Icon-class ships.  Here is what it proposed:

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2. Majesty of the Seas
3. Crown of the Seas
4. Glory of the Seas
5. Legacy of the Seas

Then I asked it to come up with a new class of ship for what comes after Icon.  This is where we can see the limitations of the tool and where it starts to break down:

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A new class of ship could be named the "Voyager-class ships," with potential names including:

1. Voyager of the Seas
2. Adventurer of the Seas
3. Explorer of the Seas
4. Journey of the Seas
5. Quest of the Seas

Journey and Quest though... those are new!  I shifted to Perfect Day and Coco Cay and asked it what the next few additions on the island should be:

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Adventure Park: an outdoor adventure park with zip lining and rock climbing

Luxury Spa: a full-service spa offering massages, facials, and other relaxation treatments

Golf Course: a championship-level golf course with stunning ocean views

Tennis Complex: multiple courts for guests to enjoy a game of tennis

Cultural Village: an interactive area showcasing the local culture and traditions of the island.

And then I completely broke it when I asked it to suggest some "new and innovative features which have never been on a cruise ship before" to add to future cruise ships:

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1. An outdoor adventure park with zip lining and ropes courses
2. A treehouse village with winding walkways and hidden nooks
3. An aqua park with floating obstacle courses and water-based challenges
4. A surf pool with simulated waves for surfing and boogie boarding
5. A full-size sports stadium for hosting live games and tournaments
6. A petting zoo with a variety of exotic animals
7. An indoor botanical garden with a wide variety of plants and flowers
8. A glass-bottom pool that allows passengers to see the ocean below
9. A full-size casino with slot machines, card tables, and other games of chance
10. A luxury spa with a variety of treatments, including massages, facials, and saunas.

A casino on a cruise ship!? Can you even imagine!?  This is when things kind of clicked for me and some of the "magic" of the tool disappeared.  Don't get me wrong, this chatbot is amazing and I could never build one myself that even came close to what this could do. But really all it is doing is rearranging existing knowledge into new patterns.  It can appear to be creative, but it is not truly innovative.  But it was a lot of fun to play with!  To close, I asked it to write a limerick, a haiku, and a poem about cruising.

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There once was a man from Peru,

Who went on a cruise in a canoe,

He paddled with glee,

Until it capsized, you see,

Now he's swimming with the sharks, it's true!

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Sail across the sea

Gentle waves rock the boat along

Nature's peace found here

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As the waves gently rock the boat,

I stand at the rail and take in the view.

The ocean stretches out before me,

Endless and vast, a deep blue.

 

The sun is shining bright in the sky,

And a gentle breeze blows through my hair.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath,

And let the stress of daily life just fade away.

 

On this cruise, I am free,

To explore and discover new things.

I'll dance the night away on deck,

And make new friends with whom I'll share.

 

As we sail to distant lands,

I'll make memories that will last.

For this is the life of a cruiser,

Free to roam and have a blast.

 

[adreajoy713]

Love this! 

I think the golf course and spa at Coco Island are good ideas it generated. However, I'm not sure about the idea of having a petting zoo on board. My mind jumps to llamas and goats getting loose and wandering around

[mom2mybugs]

This was so interesting!  Jane

[smokeybandit]

2 hours ago, adreajoy713 said:

Love this! 

I think the golf course and spa at Coco Island are good ideas it generated. However, I'm not sure about the idea of having a petting zoo on board. My mind jumps to llamas and goats getting loose and wandering around

That was one of the original cruise ships. Noah's Ark of the Seas. The MDR only had tables for two.

[Traveler]

The ChatBoot is excellent, it's save allot of time for application and DevOps people as it can write small applications and save time to find which libraries needs to be included for some tasks.

It still not perfect but it's on the right direction. I also tried to aks it some cruise question and foundout he do not have updated DB . It new to answer about Symphony but not about Wonder. Seems that it is based on offline DB search without online updates yet.

[Cactus527]

I loved reading this! Such a fun conversation. I love the idea of a pool with a clear bottom to see the ocean below, and can you imagine a petting zoo at sea?!?!?? PLEASE make sure my stateroom is NOWHERE NEAR the animals!