You can message other pax using the HAL Navigator "app" - for FREE! Who knew?

I stumbled across this very well done video on the Holland America Navigator "app" which is really an intranet site. It has schedules, activities, excursion booking, account viewing and....

You can use it to message other people at no charge. The caveat being that there are no sound notifications like you have with text messaging. You have to go to the Navigator site and look. However it's free as opposed to the $9.95 per device we paid on NCL last year.

Anyway....

I hadn't seen this before and it only has 413 views, so I'm guessing a lot of people haven't.

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I knew, but I didn't know all those details. There's still one thing that I'm wondering about for the messaging. Is it based on your telephone number, cabin number, or what do we need to know to connect with each other?

Good to know about the texting feature; we (I) used the Navigator app the past couple of cruises to check shore excursions, and entertainment options. Now to convince DH to use his phone . . .

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

I knew, but I didn't know all those details. There's still one thing that I'm wondering about for the messaging. Is it based on your telephone number, cabin number, or what do we need to know to connect with each other?

That video is made by a family. The dad did the narration on this one and the mom does the narration on some of the others. They have awesome announcer voices.

Could be helpful with any changes to the M/G, I'm the contact and wondering how to get word to the group if something changes.

I knew, but I didn't know all those details. There's still one thing that I'm wondering about for the messaging. Is it based on your telephone number, cabin number, or what do we need to know to connect with each other?

You connect with them by their name (I think the name they booked the cruise under). I think each person needs to go on Navigator after they board and set up an account. It is frustrating that there is nom”alert” that you have a message. You need to sign on to Navigator to check to see if you have any messages.

We used that free Navigator to communicate among our group on the NA this past spring. Once you get signed on, you add the people you want to connect with. I know this is not enough info but I forget all the details. It was easy....that much I do remember.

Bit of a pain that there are no audio notifications for new messages, but we adapted and just checked our phones regularly for msges. It was quite handy at times.

We used this last year but be careful of “bugs”. For example, on the App it had two ports mixed up with their times and activities. Also the all aboard was wrong one day and a couple was late getting back and I am wondering if it was because they trusted the App not the printed program.

We found it helpful to look up our account and a few other things. We tried the messaging but unless you constantly checked it just wasn’t worth it for that.

We couldn’t be bothered after the initial fun of using it.

You connect with them by their name (I think the name they booked the cruise under). I think each person needs to go on Navigator after they board and set up an account. It is frustrating that there is nom”alert” that you have a message. You need to sign on to Navigator to check to see if you have any messages.

We just got off the Zuiderdam yesterday. It was our first HAL cruise, but by no means our first cruise. I found the Navigator app very useful, as it allowed me to have the daily schedule in my pocket. It was also easy to check our account on the app, as well as that evening’s dinner menu.

My wife and I set up the Chat feature, but found it to be virtually useless without an audio alert.

One neat feature some folks may not notice: Feedback. You can use the app to send a message to Guest Services, and get a same-day telephonic reply (if you want).

I was the only one to download/set up the app (in my group of nine). I think my DH did install it but wasn't into carrying his phone and checking for messages, too happy not to have that 'leash'. So we used the analog method of messages under a magnet on the door! (Our five cabins were all in a row.)

I wear my phone in a neck wallet on vacation, a waterproof one in the Pacific Northwest, so I was always checking the schedule (if only to know where to look for dr'spin), and checking the menu at least once a day ahead of time. The only glitch I encountered was somewhere around Kodiak, the menu didn't update! Oh no! I had to go to the MDR without preconceived notions!!!

Thank you everyone for all the information you all have provided.

I prefer ti keep my phone in the safe. DH doesn't have a phone.

We have used it 3 times now. I think the lack of notification sound is frustrating, but substantially better than 1,000 'pings, dings or beeps' as half the pax message the other half.

The family who made the videos did several on the Nieuw Amsterdam. One of the things I thought was kind of cool was that the TV shows you what's at each section of the Lido. I don't think it got down to the ice cream flavors level, but you could see the carving station, entrees, pasta (the carbing station), etc.

We just got off the Zuiderdam yesterday. It was our first HAL cruise, but by no means our first cruise. I found the Navigator app very useful, as it allowed me to have the daily schedule in my pocket. It was also easy to check our account on the app, as well as that evening’s dinner menu.

 

 

 

My wife and I set up the Chat feature, but found it to be virtually useless without an audio alert.

 

 

 

One neat feature some folks may not notice: Feedback. You can use the app to send a message to Guest Services, and get a same-day telephonic reply (if you want).

The feedback option is great and works. I’ve reported issues with ship board credits along with other issues and all were resolved without the need to talk with someone at the front desk.

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Thank you everyone for all the information you all have provided.

I prefer to keep my phone in the safe.

I used to feel that way, but having my phone with me now on the ship means that I always have a fairly decent camera with me at all times.

We have used it 3 times now. I think the lack of notification sound is frustrating, but substantially better than 1,000 'pings, dings or beeps' as half the pax message the other half.

I agree. I'm very pleased with NO "pings, dings or beeps" as I don't need the extra sound effects on vacation. Now if EVERYONE could be trusted to put notifications on vibrate … but we know that isn't going to happen.

I used to feel that way, but having my phone with me now on the ship means that I always have a fairly decent camera with me at all times.

Yep, and that is why DW's phone cost $600 and mine was only $150. Her phone takes exceptional pictures while mine aren't that great.

It is perfect for her since she could care less about owning a camera, and she can quickly send pictures to friends and family.

Welcome home.

I didn't or couldn't use it on our Amazon Fire.

But it worked great on the iPad. I signed us both up. One of us was for surfing only, and the other for paid internet.

I wish they had a message alert. A couple of years ago, our M&G organizer alerted us to the M&G by putting business card reminders on every passenger that had signed up for the M&G. Quite a job!

I liked having access to the dinner menu in advance without having to go to the MDR (Zaandam does not yet have menus on the TV). It would also be nice to have the Lido menu.

There is a web version and a downloadable PDF. The PDF from Day 1 onward showed the same menu every day (2nd Gala Night menu). Not realizing this, I called room service on the 1st Gala Night and started ordering. The man taking my order became confused and then we realized what happened. We had a good laugh, and from then on I disregarded the pdf version. For whatever reason, it was never fixed. ;)

Yep, and that is why DW's phone cost $600 and mine was only $150. Her phone takes exceptional pictures while mine aren't that great.

It is perfect for her since she could care less about owning a camera, and she can quickly send pictures to friends and family.

Welcome home.

LOL, and the same to you. (I'll send you some pics. :D)

We used the Navigator function our our cell phones on our Panama cruise in April on the Maasdam. It was easy to set up and we really like it for account information, MDR menus and the Chat function. I agree, the Chat function, without some type of audible or vibration functions, limits its effectiveness. We cut and pasted the evening menus into a word doc instead of photographing each menu nightly. Loved the ability to look at our onboard account instead of going down to the front desk/kiosk and printing the account on paper. Did not use the excursion booking function but will try it on our Oct. cruise on the Prinsendam. I think that will be great since the Excursion desk is not open very often.

I did also notice incorrect info on the Navigator, so its wise to double check boarding times. The IT people on board need to double check their daily input of info into the Navigator. We still used the hard copy of the daily When & Where instead of the one on the Navigator.

When we were on the Masdaam in June there was a young woman onboard who was texting non stop. I thought "oh my! wait until she gets her phone bill", but sometime later I could see she was using the navigator app. So apparently it worked very well communication needs.

I didn't or couldn't use it on our Amazon Fire.

...

Could your Fire not "see" the ship's network or was it that the Fire's Silk browser? DW's Fire 8 HD has both Chrome & Firefox loaded, so if Silk doesn't work, she'll be fine. (I side-loaded the Google Play store so she could have access to a wider selection of apps.)

Can you sign up and use the app on multiple devices? I would like to use it on my iPad when in the cabin and also use it for messaging on my iPhone when out of the cabin.