Starting this week, all Costa Cruises’ Costa Diadema seven day sailings in the Western Mediterranean will have ‘Pepper’ humanoids on staff. Pepper is the first robot in the world with the ability to recognize main human emotions and proactively interact with the surrounding environment.

Costa has aquired five Peppers from the SoftBank Robotics. Each one will cover a different area on the vessel.
Pepper will provide guests with information about the ship, and the amenities communicating in English, French or Italian.
The appeal of this robot is that it will initiate conversations with passengers, asking about their experiences, as the robot is recognized for its ability to adapt behavior to the mood of the person it is communicating with.
Neil Palomba, president of Costa Cruises stated, "Thanks to the introduction of these robots on board Costa Diadema, Costa Cruises confirms once again its great spirit of innovation. Our goal is to amaze people that choose to spend their holidays with us and to go beyond their expectations offering something unforgettable. I am convinced that being able to interact with Pepper will be an incredible experience for all our guests."
After the summer trial another Costa vessel, the Costa Fascinosa will sail in September with Peppers on its seven-day cruises in the Mediterranean.