iConceirge app on Gem?

[Valen9]

I really liked using the iConcierge app on Breakaway, but I know it's a new thing.

 

Does iConceirge work on Gem? Has anyone used it there?

[Demonyte]

No, Gem will get iConcierge only after the next dry dock (late this year). Only old ships that have already been retrofitted are Jewel and Pearl that already were on dry dock.

[LiLBxQt]

I downloaded the app and it says it's for use on the gem... Why would they say that if its not on there already?

[shof515]

I downloaded the app and it says it's for use on the gem... Why would they say that if its not on there already?

The network infrastructure might not be upgraded for the app to work on the ship

 

From the google play store:

Now Norwegians can unwind, unplug and still stay connected. Our Norwegian iConcierge app informs you about everything happening on board, lets you make reservations for Shore Excursions, keeps you in contact with friends, and more, on board Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Jewel and Norwegian Pride of America. You can plan your playtime with just one hand—which is great because your other hand will probably be holding an umbrella drink.

Edited February 9, 2015 by shof515

[mking8288]

My best guess is the iConcierge app will have limited functionality on the GEM and other "older" ships in the NCL fleet without the satellite & intranet upgrade - most likely, the "interactive" features like reservations or anything with live updates will NOT work properly on the slower old network hardware on those ships. We used both the iOS and Android apps on the BA, latency & intranet were quite fast & reliable - wirelessly over the faster N mode, and the apps themselves continued to get updated & enhanced. The internet or upload/download were the bottleneck due to bandwidth and loads being balanced, etc.

The online version of the dailies and deck plans and other basic info would most likely be "usable" to some extent, just don't expect things like the Phone or Messenger feature in the APPs to work flawlessly or work at all, or, perhaps only worked in certain designated public area with strong & overlapping WiFi coverage. Just download & update to the latest versions in the "Store" before sailing and register once onboard ... if anyone is sailing soon on the GEM, kindly sharing your actual user experience would be nice for the CC community as a whole.

[Demonyte]

I downloaded the app and it says it's for use on the gem... Why would they say that if its not on there already?

 

Human error probably. NCL's iConcierge page doesn't mention Gem yet either.

 

http://www.ncl.com/downloads/iconcierge

 

My best guess is the iConcierge app will have limited functionality on the GEM and other "older" ships in the NCL fleet without the satellite & intranet upgrade - most likely, the "interactive" features like reservations or anything with live updates will NOT work properly on the slower old network hardware on those ships.

 

It's not just about building a separate, dedicated WiFi network that works well with VoIP (in my experience on Epic, it even didn't do that), it's about upgrading also ship's billing, reservation and telephony systems because integrations to at least all three are needed for full functionality of iConcierge app.

 

Also "old" 802.11g (max 54Mbit/s) is plenty enough for all iConcierge functionality to work, if the base stations are upgraded to 802.11n, that's just to keep up with current technology - for example upgrading to 5GHz frequencies does not do any good on a steel ship, lower frequencies are better in that kind of enviroment. :)

Edited February 9, 2015 by Demonyte

[Valen9]

Thanks folks. I was hoping that someone who'd been on the Gem recently might have something to report.

 

If not, I'll have to let you know in March when we get back from our much-needed trip.

[theonlywaytogo]

We used the texting option onboard the Breakaway with our teens and loved it! Hopefully someone will answer. If not, I'll let you know when I get back at the end of Feb.

[twokids0204]

Do you need to pay for a Wifi plan, or is it free for the on board content?

[Demonyte]

Do you need to pay for a Wifi plan, or is it free for the on board content?

 

 

There is no WiFi plan per se, one pays for access to internet - for example using WiFi for browsing ncl.com is free, for other sites one needs to pay.

 

So no, there is no fee for using iConcierge other than possible $7.95/device activation fee if you want to use the onboard calling/texting functionalities.

[Cattie]

Just off Gem yesterday, no IConcierge.

[theonlywaytogo]

Just off Gem yesterday, no IConcierge.

 

:(. Thanks for the info!