LSN : Daily Signals : Virgin Voyages launches unlimited cruise pass for 2025

CES 2025 daily recap: Robo-dogs, new cities and 2025 tech trends

Toyota’s chairman and former CEO Akio Toyod at CES 2025, Las Vegas, US

US – The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has landed in Las Vegas for another year of product launches, panels and keynotes from the world’s most influential tech leaders.

CES 2025 boasts more than 4,500 exhibitors, including 1,400 start-ups and 300+ sessions led by 1,100 speakers.

The event kicked off with a media preview on Sunday 5 January. In a presentation entitled Tech Trends 2025, The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) highlighted home security, longevity and smart home comforts as topics to watch in the coming year.

Led by CTA’s senior director of innovation and trends Brian Comiskey, and vice-president of marketing and communications Melissa Harrison, the talk concluded with both hosts agreeing that the two key trends that will define the next year are human-centric tech and quantum computing: ‘If the 2020s are the intelligence decade, the 2030s will be the quantum decade,’ concluded Comiskey.

On Monday 6 January, press conferences and panel discussions began across the city. In an exciting press conference, Toyota’s chairman and former CEO Akio Toyod announced that residents will soon start moving into the Woven City – an innovation hub at the foot of Mount Fuji. ‘It’s a living laboratory where the residents are willing participants… giving inventors the opportunity to freely test their ideas in a secure, real-life setting,’ explained Toyod. The Woven City was first announced at CES in 2020.

Elsewhere, robots and AI dominated exhibitions and conversations. Enchanted Tools showcased its orange care assistant robot Mirokaï, while Tombot Inc won crowds over with robo-puppy Jennie, designed to keep elderly people company.

To read more about how technology (including robots) is evolving to be more human-centric, head to The Synthocene Era macrotrend report.

Strategic opportunity

AI is a democratiser, not a differentiator; consider how your brand can stand out and make a difference by developing human-centric technologies that focus on emotional intelligence, intuitive interfaces and real-world needs

Virgin Voyages launches unlimited cruise pass for 2025

Global – In time for the new year, Virgin Voyages has introduced a new Annual Pass allowing travellers to enjoy unlimited cruises throughout 2025 for £95,900 ($120,000, €115,500).

The adult-only cruise line, part of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, announced the offer on Good Morning America to coincide with Travel Tuesday (3 December 2024). Pass-holders will have access to Virgin’s fleet of Lady ships departing from Miami, Barcelona, Athens and San Juan. Destinations include St Kitts in the Caribbean and Ibiza.

Available on a first-come, first-served basis until 31 March 2025, the pass includes perks such as priority boarding, concierge support, complimentary laundry, unlimited wifi and an £80 ($100, €96) bar tab credit per voyage. Pass-holders can also bring a plus one on all trips.

In a cruising first, Virgin Voyages will accept Bitcoin as payment for the Annual Pass.

'Now, sailors can jump aboard any of our ships… for an entire year,’ said Branson in a statement. ‘We’re offering unlimited opportunities for adventure in a way that has never been done in cruising before.’

For more insights into the latest trends and innovations aboard cruise ships, check out our Cruise Ship Market and Cruise Retail’s Mega-Opportunity reports.

Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady

Strategic opportunity

Explore the potential of high-end subscription services across the travel, hospitality and leisure sectors. Could you create annual or seasonal passes for luxury experiences, flights or accommodation, providing ongoing value and exclusive perks to customers?

Stat: Korean gamers favour mobiles and consoles as PC gaming declines

Ikea Brännboll, Sweden

South Korea – The gaming landscape is shifting as mobile and console games surge in popularity, leaving PC gaming in decline, according to the Korea Creative Content Agency’s (KCCA) annual content users report.

A survey of 8,000 gamers in South Korea revealed that mobile game usage jumped by 7.1 percentage points to 91.7% in 2024, while console gaming rose 2.6 points to 26.7%. Meanwhile, PC gaming fell significantly, by 7.2 points to 53.8%.

Gamers reported spending more time playing overall, with average weekday playing time reaching 171 minutes and weekend playing time hitting 253 minutes – both increasing by 12 minutes compared to the previous year.

The survey also highlighted the growing interest in indie games, with 28% of gamers exploring titles created by independent developers. Players were drawn to these games for their creativity (49%), accessibility (54%) and ease of play (34.8%).

In other news, the 2024 Comics and Webtoons survey found that 89.1% of respondents read comics online, with nearly half paying for access, spending £0.55–1.64 (₩1,000–3,000, $0.68–2.05, €0.65–1.97) monthly. Merchandise and events tied to webtoon IPs also drove significant engagement.

Explore our Women Who Play report and our Gaming topic to understand this group’s consumer behaviour and how to provide an enriched gaming experience with greater personalisation and online safety.

Strategic opportunity

Capitalise on the surge in mobile gaming by investing in mobile-first game development or expanding existing titles to mobile platforms. Could you focus on freemium models and in-game purchases, for instance, to drive revenue?