Royal Caribbean Navigator App?

[RoyMartin]

I'm new to cruising. My wife and son are too. We're going on our first cruise in September.

Since the ship, Ovation of the Seas, is quite huge, I'm wondering how we'll keep track of each other without access to cell phone service. We're planning to take the week off from the internet so we have no plan to purchase a wifi package. I'm wondering if Royal Caribbean offers an app that allows us to message each other without also purchasing wifi service. Someone in another thread said HAL does so I'm wondering about RCL. Thanks.

[firefly333]

Yes download the app. Menus and activities are in there. There is also a messenger which is free. 

 

You dont need to purchase wifi to use this. It's free.

[RoyMartin]

1 minute ago, firefly333 said:

Yes download the app. Menus and activities are in there. There is also a messenger which is free. 

 

You dont need to purchase wifi to use this. It's free.

Thank you! That's awesome. I'm looking at the app now. I see a little bubble in the upper right hand corner. I assume that's it. Doesn't work now. Says I need to connect to ship wifi. If I can do that without purchasing a plan, that's super.

[Tree_skier]

2 minutes ago, RoyMartin said:

Thank you! That's awesome. I'm looking at the app now. I see a little bubble in the upper right hand corner. I assume that's it. Doesn't work now. Says I need to connect to ship wifi. If I can do that without purchasing a plan, that's super.

Yes you have full app functionality without purchasing the internet package. 

[RoyMartin]

8 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

Yes you have full app functionality without purchasing the internet package. 

Thank you. Sets my mind at ease.

It's funny. I've traveled to places far and wide, typically with just a pack on my back and a prayer. Places where no one spoke a word of English. Without reservations at hotels or even knowing where my next meal or place to settle my head for the night would come from. I've looked forward to the adventure and had incredible experiences, being invited into people's homes and lives. Met my second ex-wife on one of those journeys and, though we only lasted five years as a couple, it was one of the great experiences of my life, one without which I'd be infinitely poorer. And yet despite all of that ease with the unknown, I find myself anxious over this cruise, which promises to pamper my family in every conceivable way. It's not because it's on water. We own half of a 38 foot sailboat which gets tossed around a lot more than any cruise ship. I'm sure once we're onboard, it will seem like a piece of cake (while they're stuffing us with cake). Obviously, humans are not completely rational creatures.

Edited February 1, 2023 by RoyMartin

[crzndeb]

Hey neighbor….You will love the Ovation. She’s my fave, and I board her again on Mar 27 in Sydney, and bring her all the way back to my home port, Seattle.

Since cruising is new for you, take some time to read over the FAQ’s on the website. You can skip over ones that aren’t of interest, but you will be able to get a lot of info from some of them.

 

PS With the free app, make sure to turn on notifications for the app. You may or may not see the text on your phone, but having notifications on helps. Sometimes you may just need to go into app and check for messages.

Edited February 1, 2023 by crzndeb

[RoyMartin]

33 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

Hey neighbor….You will love the Ovation. She’s my fave, and I board her again on Mar 27 in Sydney, and bring her all the way back to my home port, Seattle.

Since cruising is new for you, take some time to read over the FAQ’s on the website. You can skip over ones that aren’t of interest, but you will be able to get a lot of info from some of them.

 

PS With the free app, make sure to turn on notifications for the app. You may or may not see the text on your phone, but having notifications on helps. Sometimes you may just need to go into app and check for messages.

Looks like notifications are already turned on. Must have downloaded that way. Maybe it asked for permission and I gave it when downloading; don't remember. Will check out the FAQ. Thanks. PS: I see you live right up the road in Lynwood. -- Thus, the "neighbor" tag. Just realized. Duh! :0)

Tell me what you love about Ovation. You must really love her to take a trans-Pacific journey.

Edited February 2, 2023 by RoyMartin

[crzndeb]

13 minutes ago, RoyMartin said:

Looks like notifications are already turned on. Must have downloaded that way. Maybe it asked for permission and I gave it when downloading; don't remember. Will check out the FAQ. Thanks. PS: I see you live right up the road in Lynwood. -- Thus, the "neighbor" tag. Just realized. Duh! :0)

Tell me what you love about Ovation. You must really love her to take a trans-Pacific journey.

I personally like bigger ships, and while I like the variations of shows on Oasis class, I like the openness of Quantum class, although I’ve only been on Ovation. I like the Solarium and Two70 the best. I am a solo traveler, and I think these 2 places in particular are great for just hanging out. Everybody likes certain classes of ships, some bigger, some smaller, so I hope you like it.

[RoyMartin]

3 hours ago, crzndeb said:

I personally like bigger ships, and while I like the variations of shows on Oasis class, I like the openness of Quantum class, although I’ve only been on Ovation. I like the Solarium and Two70 the best. I am a solo traveler, and I think these 2 places in particular are great for just hanging out. Everybody likes certain classes of ships, some bigger, some smaller, so I hope you like it.

Thanks. Safe travels home!

[Spurschick]

If you connect to wifi and select use app for free and you are on airplane mode AND you are on apple device you can text for free. It is how I stay in touch with DD when we leave her home sulking that we’ve gone on another cruise without her!!!

[IRMO12HD]

8 hours ago, RoyMartin said:

I'm new to cruising. My wife and son are too. We're going on our first cruise in September.

Since the ship, Ovation of the Seas, is quite huge, I'm wondering how we'll keep track of each other without access to cell phone service. We're planning to take the week off from the internet so we have no plan to purchase a wifi package. I'm wondering if Royal Caribbean offers an app that allows us to message each other without also purchasing wifi service. Someone in another thread said HAL does so I'm wondering about RCL. Thanks.

Just a reminder --- make sure you put all phones into AIRPLANE MODE before leaving the port!  The Wifi and messaging will still work on the ship, but you won't receive a nasty surprise in the form of a humongous cellular bill when you get home!  Also, check with your carrier to see if they have coverage in the ports in Alaska that you visit.  Not that I've learned this from family member experience (cough, cough!).

[RoyMartin]

1 hour ago, Spurschick said:

If you connect to wifi and select use app for free and you are on airplane mode AND you are on apple device you can text for free. It is how I stay in touch with DD when we leave her home sulking that we’ve gone on another cruise without her!!!

I wonder if that works on our Androids.

[RoyMartin]

28 minutes ago, IRMO12HD said:

Just a reminder --- make sure you put all phones into AIRPLANE MODE before leaving the port!  The Wifi and messaging will still work on the ship, but you won't receive a nasty surprise in the form of a humongous cellular bill when you get home!  Also, check with your carrier to see if they have coverage in the ports in Alaska that you visit.  Not that I've learned this from family member experience (cough, cough!).

Thank you.

[Biker19]

5 hours ago, RoyMartin said:

I wonder if that works on our Androids.

What internet traffic gets by without a Voom package seems to vary by ship and even device. You are likely to get some inbound traffic (notifications, varies by app), but unlikely any will go outbound. 

[RoyMartin]

8 hours ago, Biker19 said:

What internet traffic gets by without a Voom package seems to vary by ship and even device. You are likely to get some inbound traffic (notifications, varies by app), but unlikely any will go outbound. 

Ideally my wife and I will be able to chat when we're not together on board. We'll see. Hoping for the best. Preparing for the possibility we'll be doing it the old fashioned way. Just talking about where and when to meet up.

[Biker19]

12 minutes ago, RoyMartin said:

Ideally my wife and I will be able to chat when we're not together on board.

The free texting option within RCI the app can work for that - you don't need a Voom package for it.

[RoyMartin]

2 hours ago, Biker19 said:

The free texting option within RCI the app can work for that - you don't need a Voom package for it.

Very cool. Thanks!