Are the app developers working for the competition?????

[skynight]

Post 25 is interesting. My question. What percentage of Princess' passengers would know how to do all this stuff or even know what what it all means? Half? Customer service has to be seamless and very simple, not complex.

 

[capriccio]

On 8/25/2023 at 9:14 AM, Pickels said:

I work in IT, have for over 50 years, [yeah, might be time to retire], whenever we need to roll out an update to an app, it's first tested in Development, then sent to the QA team, who do more testing, [try to break it], if there's any issue, it goes back to the Development team for correction.  When it's again tested in QA and accepted, then, and only then does it get rolled out to Production.  I don't think Princess IT fully tests the updates before they roll it out.

The weakness or, more likely, lack of system testing has been an issue since the get go.

 

Take a step or two back back to the very beginning of the app development process.  I see no signs of them ever doing a requirements analysis.  How do you develop a new app without talking to current stakeholders? Not knowing how the current system works nor having even a clue about the requirements for the new system is a recipe for disaster and that is what we have experienced  from the beginning.

Edited August 30, 2023 by capriccio

[skynight]

1 minute ago, capriccio said:

The weakness or, more likely, lack of system testing has been an issue since the get go.

 

Take a step or two back back to the very beginning of the app development process.  I see no signs of them ever doing a requirements analysis.  How do you develop a new app without talking to current stakeholders? Not knowing how the current system works nor having even a clue about the requirements for the new system is a recipe for disaster and that is what we saw from the beginning.

Princess probably spent large sums to develop the app during the shutdown. Was that really a smart use of money when they had no income? How were they to test when ships were not sailing? Has the app brought in new customers, or just frustration from old and potential ones?

[ontheweb]

13 minutes ago, skynight said:

Princess probably spent large sums to develop the app during the shutdown. Was that really a smart use of money when they had no income? How were they to test when ships were not sailing? Has the app brought in new customers, or just frustration from old and potential ones?

But if you read their advertising, it is the single greatest development ever in the history of the cruise industry. 🤦‍♂️

[skynight]

37 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

But if you read their advertising, it is the single greatest development ever in the history of the cruise industry. 🤦‍♂️

I have no reason to believe that a phone app isn't the present & future for leisure industries. My question really is was it smart to spend development funds during a time when there was no or limited income to pay for a proper development, and no way to really test the system? Princess better get it right soon.

Edited August 30, 2023 by skynight

[TopofWorld]

I do not think they can or will get it right anytime soon. Cruise Personalizer experiences technical difficulties - as we speak. The app is a nightmare even for tech savvy people. Who in their right mind abandon the "traditional" website concept in favor of a temperamental app? If my upcoming cruise turns out perfect with only minor issues that can easily be forgotten, then all is well, otherwise these problems will be added to the list and probably discourage me from trying Princess again.

[Musky Ike]

1 hour ago, skynight said:

I have no reason to believe that a phone app isn't the present & future for leisure industries. My question really is was it smart to spend development funds during a time when there was no or limited income to pay for a proper development, and no way to really test the system? Princess better get it right soon.

Not much of a choice other than to go backwards to cruise cards. It was already well into implementation. They had to try and have it ready and working well for the restart, in that they failed. 

[PacnGoNow]

12 minutes ago, Musky Ike said:

Not much of a choice other than to go backwards to cruise cards. It was already well into implementation. They had to try and have it ready and working well for the restart, in that they failed. 

They started in 2018 and it was simplistic, in the fact that the OB experience worked very well and was carefully rolled out about 2 ships at a time for testing with OB IT techs living on the ships.

 

Problems began after the restart, adding too much, too soon without much testing. Painstakingly trying to fix each issue.
 

I haven’t really had App issues, like others have posted. It’s also worked without any problems once OB for me.  I mostly use my iphone precruise, which I continually keep it updated and clear cache/history.

 

So, don’t understand why so many have corrupted data files.

It seems to coincide with IT fixes and their inability to correct them.

 

The other problem, is all the changes that PCL has made with beverage packages, price increases, etc.  This has kept IT busy trying to update the App.  They’ve also redesigned the App a few times.  No excuse, just that they have not been capable of keeping up.  The website is full of old information. 

 

 

 

 

 

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, skynight said:

I have no reason to believe that a phone app isn't the present & future for leisure industries. My question really is was it smart to spend development funds during a time when there was no or limited income to pay for a proper development, and no way to really test the system? Princess better get it right soon.

And what I was commenting on was in their brochures we only hear testimonials to how wonderful it is.

[capriccio]

7 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

And what I was commenting on was in their brochures we only hear testimonials to how wonderful it is.

That's not surprising.  it is called marketing and Princess gets to pick and chose which testimonials to include and that giving them the benefit of the doubt that they didn't just make them all up.

[Bollycats]

The first and only time I used the app was Dec 2019 on the Royal. I couldn't get it to work on my 2 year old Android phone. My mom's iphone worked just fine. I went to the tech desk onboard or whatever they call it, and he fiddled with my phone for the longest time. Finally he said he'd write my info down in his book so someone behind the scenes could "look into it". As he was writing down my phone type, version number, etc I saw pages and pages of other people's phones, Android and iphone both. Apparently they were having a lot of problems even then. I never did get it to work on that cruise. After years of sailing Carnival I'm finally back on Princess in November. I'm not real excited to try again, still have a bad taste in my mouth.

 

On the other hand, Carnival's app works very well. It doesn't have all the features that Princess does like order food from anywhere, but it works. Just like a restaurant you can check in for dinner when you're ready to eat and it will let you know when your table is ready. As we're finishing getting ready in the cabin I check the app and it says 10-20 minute wait and I check in then. By the time we make it to the dining room our table is ready. Everything just seems to work with few, if any, glitches. 

 

OP-every time I scroll by this thread your title makes me laugh! 

[redbaroness]

My favorite - schedule the same table, same time for dinner every night of the cruise. Occasionally it comes up with a time, but no options so I tell it to make the reservation. After a long delay it returns the message can’t make that reservation because it’s not available 1 or more nights. Then why did it show it in the first place?

 

I finally gave up on the app for everything. For as long as this app has been in use it shouldn’t have as many problems as I see posted. 

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, redbaroness said:

My favorite - schedule the same table, same time for dinner every night of the cruise. Occasionally it comes up with a time, but no options so I tell it to make the reservation. After a long delay it returns the message can’t make that reservation because it’s not available 1 or more nights. Then why did it show it in the first place?

 

I finally gave up on the app for everything. For as long as this app has been in use it shouldn’t have as many problems as I see posted. 

Just go back into the App, DMW and book each night individually. Click on each night and reserve best time for you and dining room.

 

If you still can’t book it, go on the website and try the website version of the App on your cruise personalizer.  

Edited September 12, 2023 by PacnGoNow

[redbaroness]

Already did that for any night that had something available. I’ll fix it when I board by visiting the maitre d’.
 

The point is I wanted the same table and dining companions on a 15 day cruise, and the app didn’t work because it offers that option then gives the message one or more nights aren’t available so you can’t reserve it. Ridiculous! It was so much better when your travel agent let Princess know what you wanted. Travel agent told me it now has to be arranged through the app or I have to call Princess with long wait times. Now it’s extra work for the maitre d’. What a waste of time for everyone!

[Steelers36]

17 minutes ago, redbaroness said:

Already did that for any night that had something available. I’ll fix it when I board by visiting the maitre d’.
 

The point is I wanted the same table and dining companions on a 15 day cruise, and the app didn’t work because it offers that option then gives the message one or more nights aren’t available so you can’t reserve it. Ridiculous! It was so much better when your travel agent let Princess know what you wanted. Travel agent told me it now has to be arranged through the app or I have to call Princess with long wait times. Now it’s extra work for the maitre d’. What a waste of time for everyone!

Are you saying you want to be at a Sharing table with other guests, or you have your own group of guests to fill a table?  If the former, you should know that DMW doesn't assemble the same group of people at a mixed sharing table (it is impossible for the app to do that).  DR Mgmt doesn't do it either - UNLESS you get lucky on night 1 and all at your table want to dine there together every night (except for SD visits) and you could then ask DR Mgr if they can block you all into that table.  

 

Otherwise, YOU could potentially be blocked in there, but will see a different bunch of people each night.  Also, some/all of the guests you are seated with on Night 1 could be random walk-ups, or not intending to eat at same time each night, etc.  Assembling a Sharing table of stranger guests for full voyage is not at an easy thing to do (like herding cats).  If you are interested, try asking in the Roll Call if there are 2 or 3 other couples interested and you could present as a set group to the DR Mgmt or DR Hosts and they should be able to set you up.

[DrSea]

On 8/30/2023 at 3:51 AM, TopofWorld said:

A quick update. Deleted the app and reinstalled it, rebooted the phone (Samsung S23 Ultra), cleared the app cache, cleared the app data, and the app still refuses to get Dining Reservations working. Next step is to go back to uni, learn programming and app hacking and code/work around the problem 😀😀😀. Just kidding, I will probably try to recharge the old phone I had and see if the app works there - just to satisfy my curiosity as to where the problem lies.

Happy cruising ev1

Don't worry. The app is only voluntary, riiiiiiight?

 

Jk jk. 

[hawk/hornfan]

Who ever is in charge of PCL's IT should be fired immediately. My wife and I spent several hours today trying to book excursions on the PCL website for our 10/24 cruise. We got timed out at least a dozens times while searching for excursions that met our expectations, causing us to have to resign in to the account numerous times. We got 2 booked before our patience waned. If this the future of cruising with the stupid app, count me out.

[SCX22]

7 hours ago, hawk/hornfan said:

My wife and I spent several hours today trying to book excursions on the PCL website for our 10/24 cruise.

 

It took you hours to book 2 excursions?  That's not a website problem. 

 

7 hours ago, hawk/hornfan said:

My wife and I spent several hours today trying to book excursions on the PCL website for our 10/24 cruise.

 

7 hours ago, hawk/hornfan said:

If this the future of cruising with the stupid app, count me out.

If you were on the website, what does that have to do with the app?

[Rick&Jeannie]

11 hours ago, hawk/hornfan said:

Who ever is in charge of PCL's IT should be fired immediately. My wife and I spent several hours today trying to book excursions on the PCL website for our 10/24 cruise. We got timed out at least a dozens times while searching for excursions that met our expectations, causing us to have to resign in to the account numerous times. We got 2 booked before our patience waned. If this the future of cruising with the stupid app, count me out.

I have a similar complaint about "timing out".  If you are in a chat session for more than about 10 minutes you will get a pop-up that you're going to be logged out of the website...even though you are actively using chat.  I understand why this is happening (I'm retired IT.) The chat software does not "know" about activity happening over in the main site...but I don't understand the need for them to log you out at all.  So what if you take an hour to look up things in another window?  (I do that all the time...)

[SCX22]

4 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I have a similar complaint about "timing out".  If you are in a chat session for more than about 10 minutes you will get a pop-up that you're going to be logged out of the website...even though you are actively using chat.  I understand why this is happening (I'm retired IT.) The chat software does not "know" about activity happening over in the main site...but I don't understand the need for them to log you out at all.  So what if you take an hour to look up things in another window?  (I do that all the time...)

 

Use a different browser for each function.  The "are you still there?" pop-up will still populate after 15 minutes, though.  No work around for that.

[antsp]

On 8/30/2023 at 4:51 AM, TopofWorld said:

A quick update. Deleted the app and reinstalled it, rebooted the phone (Samsung S23 Ultra), cleared the app cache, cleared the app data, and the app still refuses to get Dining Reservations working. Next step is to go back to uni, learn programming and app hacking and code/work around the problem 😀😀😀. Just kidding, I will probably try to recharge the old phone I had and see if the app works there - just to satisfy my curiosity as to where the problem lies.

Happy cruising ev1

Your in IT, why is everyone in IT refuse to use Apple, I find that interesting 

[TopofWorld]

Because, IMHO, Apple products are not user friendly and not intuitive to use. I am kinda old, and I like simple to use products that will not send me back to uni for another degree.

[CrazyLlama]

5 minutes ago, antsp said:

Your in IT, why is everyone in IT refuse to use Apple, I find that interesting 

Sorry to tell you but Android has 70%+ of the world mobile OS market. It would be a stupid move to cut off the majority of the market. 

[antsp]

19 minutes ago, CrazyLlama said:

Sorry to tell you but Android has 70%+ of the world mobile OS market. It would be a stupid move to cut off the majority of the market. 

My point was, IT workers don't like Apple

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, antsp said:

My point was, IT workers don't like Apple

This is admittedly some generalization, but Apple seems to be more used in artistic type settings.  Regular business offices have been Microsoft Windows and MS Office for eons.  Not likely to change.