HAL Navigator App - Do We Have to Download It?

[curtdesilets]

We are on the Aug 7th Nieuw Amsterdam Alaska Sailing.  Question: 

 

Question for those in the know:  Is it imperative to download the HAL Navigator App?

We are not big App people. In fact we sort of like to keep our cell phones off and social media off for  a week and just enjoy the Cruise.  That's our thing.   I sort of feel it might  be more of a COVID tracker in case people test positive.  Any thoughts? 

[jimgev]

The app is strongly suggested but not required.

 

[kazu]

27 minutes ago, curtdesilets said:

We are on the Aug 7th Nieuw Amsterdam Alaska Sailing.  Question: 

 

Question for those in the know:  Is it imperative to download the HAL Navigator App?

We are not big App people. In fact we sort of like to keep our cell phones off and social media off for  a week and just enjoy the Cruise.  That's our thing.   I sort of feel it might  be more of a COVID tracker in case people test positive.  Any thoughts? 

 

The Navigator app has been around for quite a while and been upgraded.

It’s not a covid tracker but a means to check your on board account, make reservations, see what’s going on, etc.

 

Pre-cruise it can be used for boarding passes, etc.

 

There is no cost to use it on board.  Part of the ship’s internet system so you don’t need to buy internet.

 

It’s recommended but not mandatory.

[CruiserBruce]

You can read the QR codes (menus) with a phone or tablet without having the app, or using internet.

[curtdesilets]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

 

The Navigator app has been around for quite a while and been upgraded.

It’s not a covid tracker but a means to check your on board account, make reservations, see what’s going on, etc.

 

Pre-cruise it can be used for boarding passes, etc.

 

There is no cost to use it on board.  Part of the ship’s internet system so you don’t need to buy internet.

 

It’s recommended but not mandatory.

Thanks for the info.   I sort of like to disconnect on my cruises.  Dunno if anyone else here does.  Too much info, noise, etc during my work weeks.   

 

[Tampa Girl]

Can I assume that this app works on Android phones, as well?

[Crazy For Cats]

1 minute ago, Tampa Girl said:

Can I assume that this app works on Android phones, as well?

It does

[Roz]

36 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

Can I assume that this app works on Android phones, as well?

 

You can find it and download it from the Google Play store.

[zgscl]

I would suggest downloading even if you don’t plan to use it much or at all. The ability to order on your phone for NG Pizza or Dive in is a huge benefit over waiting in line to order. Additionally it is free to download on shore but would require paid internet to download on the ship. Once on your phone you can use it or not depending on your preference. 

[Tampa Girl]

2 hours ago, zgscl said:

I would suggest downloading even if you don’t plan to use it much or at all. The ability to order on your phone for NG Pizza or Dive in is a huge benefit over waiting in line to order. Additionally it is free to download on shore but would require paid internet to download on the ship. Once on your phone you can use it or not depending on your preference. 

 

Thank you all for answering my question.  Now . . . all I need is cruise I can't live without.  

[zgscl]

3 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

Thank you all for answering my question.  Now . . . all I need is cruise I can't live without.  

That is always the tough choice! 

[Dismomx5]

3 hours ago, zgscl said:

I would suggest downloading even if you don’t plan to use it much or at all. The ability to order on your phone for NG Pizza or Dive in is a huge benefit over waiting in line to order. Additionally it is free to download on shore but would require paid internet to download on the ship. Once on your phone you can use it or not depending on your preference. 

I can honestly say that I have never used an app to preorder my food, but the Dive-In fries make my mouth water. Can you walk an old gal through the process, please? After I order, does it tell me what time to pick up my food? Is there a designated line to pick up the food?  Anything else I need to know? Thanks! 

[curtdesilets]

3 hours ago, zgscl said:

I would suggest downloading even if you don’t plan to use it much or at all. The ability to order on your phone for NG Pizza or Dive in is a huge benefit over waiting in line to order. Additionally it is free to download on shore but would require paid internet to download on the ship. Once on your phone you can use it or not depending on your preference. 

That's what my TA said and recommended, so we will go ahead and download the App from home.   But seriously,  we keep our phones off for the majority of tine on the cruise as we are on vacation...from everything! 

[mightycruisequeen]

5 hours ago, curtdesilets said:

I sort of like to disconnect on my cruises.  Dunno if anyone else here does.  Too much info, noise, etc during my work weeks.   

 

Yes!  While cruising, the cell phones sit in the safe.  I want no part of phones or ipads or laptops while decompressing at sea.

[Crazy For Cats]

We have used the app on past cruises and found it very helpful.  Once on board you can select the activities you want to do and use the app as a reminder of where to go.  Using the messenger feature was only mildly helpful but now it is supposed to give you an alert when you get a message.

[zgscl]

46 minutes ago, Dismomx5 said:

I can honestly say that I have never used an app to preorder my food, but the Dive-In fries make my mouth water. Can you walk an old gal through the process, please? After I order, does it tell me what time to pick up my food? Is there a designated line to pick up the food?  Anything else I need to know? Thanks! 

I will be onboard in 3 weeks and will definitely report back!! 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

The app is strongly suggested..

[golfbagger]

Speaking of the ship's network: Can  Nav  be used from my Laptop, while on board?  Can it be downloaded before sailing?  I also like to turn off the phone, as soon as getting on board.

[zgscl]

4 hours ago, golfbagger said:

Speaking of the ship's network: Can  Nav  be used from my Laptop, while on board?  Can it be downloaded before sailing?  I also like to turn off the phone, as soon as getting on board.

As I recall from my previous sailings you can do things like shore ex and dining reservations online. Hopefully someone onboard can advise if this has changed. Not sure if the app based ordering for example would work from a laptop. 

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, zgscl said:

As I recall from my previous sailings you can do things like shore ex and dining reservations online. Hopefully someone onboard can advise if this has changed. Not sure if the app based ordering for example would work from a laptop. 

The difference between internet and intranet. You can do a number of things via HAL's intranet,  for no cost or minutes or data...look at menus, book excursions,  see activities onboard,  look at your room bill. You are not "online". You don't need the app from a laptop. In fact, for those things, you don't need the app at all. We have done them all from our tablet...we don't have the app.

 

 

 

[zgscl]

3 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

The difference between internet and intranet. You can do a number of things via HAL's intranet,  for no cost or minutes or data...look at menus, book excursions,  see activities onboard,  look at your room bill. You are not "online". You don't need the app from a laptop. In fact, for those things, you don't need the app at all. We have done them all from our tablet...we don't have the app.

 

 

 

Thank you for clarifying & the added info! 

[Cruising Is Bliss]

19 hours ago, curtdesilets said:

We are on the Aug 7th Nieuw Amsterdam Alaska Sailing.  Question: 

 

Question for those in the know:  Is it imperative to download the HAL Navigator App?

We are not big App people. In fact we sort of like to keep our cell phones off and social media off for  a week and just enjoy the Cruise.  That's our thing.   I sort of feel it might  be more of a COVID tracker in case people test positive.  Any thoughts? 

 

It's not new and it's also not social media. It has the daily schedule, the day's menus, dining reservations, and tours. Summer 2019 on Amsterdam I used it to book all of our shore excursions.

[Caribbean Chris]

14 hours ago, curtdesilets said:

That's what my TA said and recommended, so we will go ahead and download the App from home.   But seriously,  we keep our phones off for the majority of tine on the cruise as we are on vacation...from everything! 

As one who still used a cheap Jitterbug flip phone until a few years ago and also prefers to decompress on a ship, I hear you.
 

However, I am coming around to thinking of the phone as a tiny tool kit that often proves useful to have in my tote bag.  It’s a flashlight in an emergency as only one example. 
 

When we sailed then-new Celebrity Edge with friends, we all used it to compare menus by the pool and decide where we wanted to go for lunch on a sea day. On that ship, my smart phone even turned lights on, raised the room shade, served as a room key and so on.

 

HAL has hardly been a first adapter but people on board the first Alaska cruise now have reported the need to scan a code at the dinner table to see the evening menu. (I’m sure paper ones are available, but many restaurants on land started this trend after the pandemic began.)

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

It is a new world ..

[cruisemom42]

17 hours ago, mightycruisequeen said:

Yes!  While cruising, the cell phones sit in the safe.  I want no part of phones or ipads or laptops while decompressing at sea.

 

I find it a lot more stressful to waste my precious vacation time standing in lines to accomplish things that can be done in a moment on my phone or ipad or laptop....