Costa Group is the first cruise company to start trialing humanoid robots

The Costa Group signed an exclusive agreement, worth more than a million euros, with the French company ALDEBARAN, a subsidiary of the SoftBank Group, for the use of "Pepper" robots. Pepper is the world’s first robot that reads main human emotions. He is ideally suited to help and delight guests on board of cruise ships. Pepper humanoid robots will improve guest experience and provide help and entertainment on board the ships of the Costa Group’s cruise brands: AIDA and Costa.

"With an emotional robot on board our cruise ships we are once again continuing our tradition of innovation. For us, this is an important step towards a digital future for our brands. I am confident that our guests will love Pepper,"said Michael Thamm, CEO of the Costa Group.

"I am very happy that the Costa Group gave us this opportunity. Pepper is built to interact with humans, their emotions and needs. We hope that it will improve AIDA’s and Costa’s travelers’ experience,"said Fumihide Tomizawa, President of Aldebaran and SoftBank Robotics Corp.

Pepper has already completed an internship on board of AIDAstella with flying colors, demonstrating his seaworthiness while engaging with customers and crew.

The first batch of Peppers will join the crew and start helping on board of AIDAprima and Costa Diadema in spring 2016, guiding guests when they embark and while onboard. They will also be on hand to provide recommendations and tips on restaurants, events and excursions. Of course, all while speaking impeccable German, Italian and English.

By the summer of 2016 the rest of the robots will be joining the crew aboard the Costa and AIDA fleet where they are sure to delight guests of all ages.

Who is Pepper?

Launched in June 2014 in Japan by SoftBank and Aldebaran, Pepper is the first humanoid robot in the world capable of recognizing the main emotions and to take his environment into account and proactively act accordingly.

Pepper is well equipped with features and a high-level interface for communicating with those around him, to move fluidly and analyze expressions and voice tones using the latest advances in voice and emotion recognition.

Pepper in figures:

- Pepper is 120 cm and weighs 28 kg

- 17 joints for graceful movements

- 3 omnidirectional wheels to move with agility

- 1 3D camera for detecting people and their movements and interact with them

- A 10-inch touch screen