VeriFly

[allinthesameboat]

Received email from HAL claiming using the VeriFly app can expedite embarkation. Has anyone used it? My TA did not seem to know much about it as it seems to be pretty new. I called HAL customer service and the agent was clueless! If they are going to roll out something new they should at least be able to train their reps to have some knowledge about the app.

[Florida_gal_50]

It likely depends on the port but it doesn't appear to be in use.  It isn't new. I did mine for my Nov cruise and they had stopped using it at least a month before.  Hal seems to have misplaced the button to stop these notifications.

  

[CruiserBruce]

There are many threads here on the topic. It's not required, and many reports almost indicate it's being quietly phased out.

 

We boarded 3 cruises in 2022 easily without using VeriFly. 

[cbr663]

Here is the link to the app's website.

 

https://myverifly.com/#/how-it-works

 

I have never used it, and don't plan to use it for our upcoming cruise.  I think it was of more use when you had to provide proof of COVID testing results.  

 

BTW:  I don't plan to use HAL's Navigator app either.

[FrankieSue]

21 minutes ago, cbr663 said:

Here is the link to the app's website.

 

https://myverifly.com/#/how-it-works

 

I have never used it, and don't plan to use it for our upcoming cruise.  I think it was of more use when you had to provide proof of COVID testing results.  

 

BTW:  I don't plan to use HAL's Navigator app either.

The Navigator app is needed on the ship for many things including buying and using  internet, checking your account, booking specialty dinners, etc

[Florida_gal_50]

17 minutes ago, FrankieSue said:

The Navigator app is needed on the ship for many things including buying and using  internet, checking your account, booking specialty dinners, etc

Absolutely, I think it's a must have and much less painful than verifly.

[RuthC]

2 hours ago, FrankieSue said:

The Navigator app is needed on the ship for many things including buying and using  internet, checking your account, booking specialty dinners, etc

And yet, passengers without smart phones can sail perfectly well without Navigator. 

Is Navigator desirable? Perhaps. Essential? For some people, I suppose. Needed? Not at all. 

[mightycruisequeen]

51 minutes ago, RuthC said:

And yet, passengers without smart phones can sail perfectly well without Navigator. 

Is Navigator desirable? Perhaps. Essential? For some people, I suppose. Needed? Not at all. 

I couldn't agree more.  No way am I going to be tethered to a phone while I'm cruising!

[Florida_gal_50]

Welcome to the 1950’s 😂.

[cbr663]

3 hours ago, RuthC said:

And yet, passengers without smart phones can sail perfectly well without Navigator. 

Is Navigator desirable? Perhaps. Essential? For some people, I suppose. Needed? Not at all. 

 

For the first 150 years passengers sailed on HAL without an app.

[cbr663]

5 hours ago, FrankieSue said:

The Navigator app is needed on the ship for many things including buying and using  internet, checking your account, booking specialty dinners, etc

 

The app may be great for those things.  We book most of those things before we even step foot on the ship and when I need to check my account I can call the Concierge and request it.  

[REOVA]

48 minutes ago, cbr663 said:

 

For the first 150 years passengers sailed on HAL without an app.

And we used to climb a pole to connect to operator as long as no one else was on the line. And we used to have 4 letters for our phone number. And we used to not hear what was happening with relatives until the pony delivered their letters....🤷‍♂️

 

The app is great if you want to check something onboard (show time, dinner, etc) while sitting around the ship. Also, since HAL is paperless, you won't get excursion tickets, be able to contact your cabin mates easily, ask a question or resolve an issue (unless you like standing in lines)....it's not required but does make cruising alot easier and you don't have to be tied to it. It's just a tool. 

[oakridger]

You can also view your account on the cabin TV.

[Florida_gal_50]

56 minutes ago, cbr663 said:

 

The app may be great for those things.  We book most of those things before we even step foot on the ship and when I need to check my account I can call the Concierge and request it.  

Not everyone has a suite. I don't want to visit guest services and stand in line but those that do enjoy that its all good.

[REOVA]

7 hours ago, allinthesameboat said:

Received email from HAL claiming using the VeriFly app can expedite embarkation. Has anyone used it? My TA did not seem to know much about it as it seems to be pretty new. I called HAL customer service and the agent was clueless! If they are going to roll out something new they should at least be able to train their reps to have some knowledge about the app.

It depends on the port and the itinerary. COVID is still big in some areas and those Countries require testing (for some reason). Verifly worked great in the chaos at Boston port but wasn't necessary in Port Everglades (smoother embarkation). I use it just in case. Also copy everything digitally and paper in case one or the other is needed. There is no consistency with boarding. 

[pghflyer]

Boarding in Sydney, they asked to see our Verifly status specifically to enter the port check-in area. It was super easy to upload our vaccine cards and self test results and zero problems, glad to have it. 

[Windsailer]

So in Sydney if you don't have Verifly you can't enter the port check in area?

[FrankieSue]

You can only access WIFI through the Navigator… good luck trying to do it without Navigator

[boeckli]

10 hours ago, Windsailer said:

So in Sydney if you don't have Verifly you can't enter the port check in area?

 

Yes you can by supplying printed details of vaccination status and testing results. Just takes longer.

[boeckli]

5 hours ago, FrankieSue said:

You can only access WIFI through the Navigator… good luck trying to do it without Navigator

 

I'm sure I accessed WiFi without the app on my old phone on Westerdam in November. I had Navigator on my tablet but my phone was too old to run it.

[Daniel A]

On 1/22/2023 at 2:03 PM, Florida_gal_50 said:

It likely depends on the port but it doesn't appear to be in use.  It isn't new. I did mine for my Nov cruise and they had stopped using it at least a month before.  Hal seems to have misplaced the button to stop these notifications.

 

On 1/22/2023 at 2:14 PM, cbr663 said:

I have never used it, and don't plan to use it for our upcoming cruise.  I think it was of more use when you had to provide proof of COVID testing results.  

 

I got extremely frustrated when I tried to use VeriFly; I would only get so far in the process and then come to a screeching halt.  I gave up on it.  This week somebody else on my roll call who was experiencing the same difficulty, posted that they were now able to enter the information.  Our sailing is now less than a month away and has the Enhanced Protocols (Proof of vaccination and negative test within 3 days of boarding,)

 

Only because I was bored and somewhat masochistic 😈, I tried again over a couple of beers 🍻, and voila! VeriFly accepted my documentation very easily.  I will try to put the test results in 3 days before my sailing, but I'm still bringing hard copy originals to the terminal.  I am wondering if HAL is only using a VeriFly lane for sailings that have the Enhanced Protocols since the Standard Protocols no longer require proof of vaccination or testing.  

 

If they don't have a VeriFly lane at my embarkation, it's no worry, I'll still get onboard the ship - no harm, no foul....  If they do have the lane, I'll post it here. 🛳️ 

[cbr663]

2 hours ago, Daniel A said:

 

 

I got extremely frustrated when I tried to use VeriFly; I would only get so far in the process and then come to a screeching halt.  I gave up on it.  This week somebody else on my roll call who was experiencing the same difficulty, posted that they were now able to enter the information.  Our sailing is now less than a month away and has the Enhanced Protocols (Proof of vaccination and negative test within 3 days of boarding,)

 

Only because I was bored and somewhat masochistic 😈, I tried again over a couple of beers 🍻, and voila! VeriFly accepted my documentation very easily.  I will try to put the test results in 3 days before my sailing, but I'm still bringing hard copy originals to the terminal.  I am wondering if HAL is only using a VeriFly lane for sailings that have the Enhanced Protocols since the Standard Protocols no longer require proof of vaccination or testing.  

 

If they don't have a VeriFly lane at my embarkation, it's no worry, I'll still get onboard the ship - no harm, no foul....  If they do have the lane, I'll post it here. 🛳️ 

 

This is my concern with all travel apps - some are hugely unreliable and problem prone.  I had to run once to catch a flight because the airline changed the gate and didn't update the change in their app.  Foolishly I relied on the app and not the information screens at the airport.  Lesson learned.  🙂

 

I am seeing lots of posts of passengers having issues with Verifly and Navigator.  There are, of course, lots of reasons that people have issues.  Some may be caused by the user, some by the app.  My take away though from my own experience is that when travelling you need paper copies of all your documentation.  Apps and devices can fail for many, many reasons.

[cbr663]

16 hours ago, FrankieSue said:

You can only access WIFI through the Navigator… good luck trying to do it without Navigator

 

So how does someone with a laptop access wifi?

[0106]

4 hours ago, cbr663 said:

So how does someone with a laptop access wifi?

Post#3 on this thread should help.

 

[Casey65]

We sailed out of Fort Lauderdale in January. No one asked for Verify and there was no special Verify line. Without needing to provide vaccination status or results of a covid test, there isn't much use for verifly.