Need for cell phones on Oasis of the Seas

[the_dylaness]

Hello,

Our family of four (myself, husband, and kids aged 8 and 11) sailed on Oasis last month.

It was my second Royal Caribbean cruise but the first one was Legend of the Seas in January 2002, so effectively, the first one for all of us.

 

One thing I noticed and SERIOUSLY disliked is that RCCL seems to imagine that folks are constantly taking their phones everywhere on the ship. So many places you could not even find a drink menu (other than 3-4 featured drinks) on paper- the only option was a QR code.  

 

Do they track your location around the ship somehow with the app? (Sorry if that is a silly question but I don't know enough about how these things work to know if that is a possibility or not.) What is the other possible reasoning for this? I can't imagine it is "environmental conscientiousness" when they filled our room with printed garbage for art sales and jewelry talks every day.

 

If you are at the pool, what are you supposed to do with your phone while you're swimming?

 

I come on a cruise to put my phone away, relax, and enjoy my family and surroundings. No judgment towards those who enjoy using their phones (quietly please!) while on vacation but it's just not my cup of tea.  I would like to put it in the safe for a week and only take it out when I want to take a photo.  

 

The entire RCCL experience was not for us for a variety of reasons mostly to do with personal preferences, but this "no printed menus" situation was really irritating for us.  

[Biker19]

Just now, the_dylaness said:

Do they track your location around the ship somehow with the app? 

What is the other possible reasoning for this? I

No (yet).

RCI wants to be with the times, even if some customers don't like it.

[the_dylaness]

Just now, Biker19 said:

No (yet).

RCI wants to be with the times, even if some customers don't like it.

I don't mind offering a QR code at all, but a printed menu should be available upon request.

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, the_dylaness said:

I don't mind offering a QR code at all, but a printed menu should be available upon request.

To be fair, even when they had them, the printed bar menu hardly included all the drinks on the "menu" and I'd venture to guess few land-based bars have full printed drinks menu either.

[cruiselvr04]

You can put your phone in your safe if you want to.  Ask your steward for a printed copy of the compass.  The app is usually but not always more up to date with times.  We have used our sea pass card or the phone to get into reserved shows.  
 

The DH carry’s his but I like to leave my phone in the safe.  I’ve always found a bar menu or asked for one.  Menus are in the app but posted outside the MDR daily.  Royal is forcing it somewhat but I too don’t like to carry my phone on the ship.  Since I don’t connect to the internet it holds no interest for me.  I don’t always have a pocket either. Just saying it’s possible to unplug if you want to.

[njkruzer]

3 hours ago, the_dylaness said:

I don't mind offering a QR code at all, but a printed menu should be available upon request.

Without even asking had printed menus on the Voyager in January.   That was the old menu.  Not sure what's doing now.  Will continue asking for them.  And i asked and received paper daily cruise compass.

[Bailey & Sophie]

 

We put our phones in the safe. I'm not carrying it around on vacation. I usually don't have a pocket for it. We show our sea pass cards for shows.

We ask for a paper compass and have been able to receive one each day. I also keep a list of my favorite drinks handy and ask if they can make them. It does make it more difficult to experiment with new drinks but we no longer get the drink package once it priced itself out of the market.

I'm not looking forward to the day it becomes mandatory.

[Russ Lomas]

Agreed.  I leave my phone in the cabin and request printed menus every evening and a printed Cruise Compass on the bed every evening.  I vacation to disconnect, and being forced to constantly stare at a screen is not my idea of a vacation.

[TwinMamainMN]

"I would like to put it in the safe for the week and only take it out when I want to take a photo."

-- By the time you retrieve your cell phone to take the photo, the opportunity may be gone entirely. The sunset isn't going to wait.

 

To each their own. We carry our cell phones with us to take photos when we are on the ship. When we swim or sit in the jacuzzi, we leave it in a small tote bag along with sunscreen, etc. We still find plenty of time to relax, enjoy our vacation and talk to each other. Just because we use them doesn't mean we are ignoring each other or our kids. It's entirely possible to do both.

[Sunshine3601]

Impossible for every bar to list every drink they can make.   I know the pub does have a small list of their specialty drinks.   Just ask for what you want to drink and they should accommodate you.

Paper Menus are provided in dining rooms and specialty restaurants.

Paper compass can be delivered to your cabin, just ask room steward on 1st say for them.

No they do not track you.

A lot of people cannot imagine a day without their phone so royal has an app (that did come in handy during covid).   It is Not a requirement for you to cruise but does have some features that are nice to view.

 

[matj2000]

I have never had any WIFI on all of my cruises.

 

However I do carry my device because I take photo's with it.

 

Ever since the phones started taking much better pictures than my camera.

[Floater4life]

I turn mine off and put it away.