Princess mobile app

[Mary Ann 2]

The gent in the internet cafe on Emerald told me 'coming in April',

but you never know.

 

The is the link in the google play store:

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gcm.princess.messenger

 

From the description:

"The app can be downloaded for free prior to boarding. The purchase of an internet package may be necessary to download once onboard and at sea."

 

I don't understand why they don't put it on princess.com,

where the download would be free-at-sea.

That would be great! I am just hoping they have it up and running by the time the Emerald heads to Europe for the summer cruises.

[pablo222]

The app isn't really needed to use the service onboard. The only thing the app does is to provide push notifications that you have a message.

 

I think most people would be pretty cranky if their phones

on land never had any notifications, and they had to constantly

check them. Same with messenger app; better with notifications.

[Camelia-]

Was able to download the app in the playstore and it said it was only working on the Regal Princess. Can anyone confirm it working on any other ship?

 

and was told that only the Regal and the Royal have it available presently but that the plan is that it will be on all ships by the end of the year.

 

Camelia

[caribill]

I think most people would be pretty cranky if their phones on land never had any notifications, and they had to constantly

check them. Same with messenger app; better with notifications.

 

As long as the notifications were not audible and thus heard by and distracting others in the dining room, at shows, at lectures, while resting by the pool, etc.

[kelly94942]

Was able to download the app in the playstore and it said it was only working on the Regal Princess. Can anyone confirm it working on any other ship?

 

I had the iPhone app on my Regal cruise last week (3/8 - 3/15) and it really didn't do anything. When you opened the app, it just flipped you straight into Safari to the regular Princess@Sea option.

[pablo222]

I had the iPhone app on my Regal cruise last week (3/8 - 3/15) and it really didn't do anything. When you opened the app, it just flipped you straight into Safari to the regular Princess@Sea option.

 

Were you able to receive notifications?

 

How embarrassing for the developers, that that was what they came

up with.

 

It is sort of what this page says, but not what anyone reading

it would really think:

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/ships/gp/top-10/reason-7/#.VQ2OTo7F98E

[kelly94942]

Were you able to receive notifications?

 

Nope, no notifications.

 

Also, we noticed that we often received an error message as though a message didn't send - but they DID always send. So we would end up with 2+ of the same message every time when we tried to resend them. Eventually we learned to just send it once and assume it went through.

[debuskjt]

Nope, no notifications.

 

Also, we noticed that we often received an error message as though a message didn't send - but they DID always send. So we would end up with 2+ of the same message every time when we tried to resend them. Eventually we learned to just send it once and assume it went through.

 

Are you sure you had notifications on and that you had the brand new Princess Messenger app and not the old Princess app? The app just released to the store on 3/7 and the latest update was on 3/20. But it clearly says in he description on the App Store:

 

"Push notifications on your device when you receive a message"

Edited March 23, 2015 by debuskjt

[Tedferg]

I am new to Messaging, if two passengers have iPhones wouldn't Apple Messaging app work ? Assuming you have access to WI FI. Having said that would you need an internet package or does inter ship WI FI come free ?

[debuskjt]

I am new to Messaging, if two passengers have iPhones wouldn't Apple Messaging app work ? Assuming you have access to WI FI. Having said that would you need an internet package or does inter ship WI FI come free ?

 

Apple iMessages or SMS messages would work within Messages while onboard if using *Inter*net accessed via a Princess data plan (very expensive and by the minute) or a cellular data plan (even more expensive and usually by the kilobyte). VZW used to have a 100MB for $20 plan that worked on cruise ships and I used it for this purpose, but alas that plan is no more. (As long as you didn't go over data allowance you could turn it on the day you were boarding and turn it off once off the ship and they would only charge you $0.67 a day for the period it was on your plan.)

 

The Princess Messenger app works over the ships Intranet without an Internet plan and is totally free.

 

Hopefully the Princess Messenger works well. One of the most annoying aspects of cruising on a larger ship is trying to coordinate a group that has sprawled out during the day. You can use walkie talkies, but the channels are so congested and the constant static is so annoying that IME no one ever turns them on. Cell phones work way better, if everyone has data.

Edited March 23, 2015 by debuskjt

[thinfool]

 

 

 

From the description:

 

"The app can be downloaded for free prior to boarding. The purchase of an internet package may be necessary to download once onboard and at sea."

 

 

 

I don't understand why they don't put it on princess.com,

 

where the download would be free-at-sea.

 

 

Apple and Google do not allow 'easy' offsite hosting of apps.

[Tedferg]

Thanks Debuskjt I think I understand now.:)

Edited March 23, 2015 by Tedferg

[VibeGuy]

Definitely not working on Grand until at least early May.

 

Crown had the intranet function with patters/etc, but I didn't have the app installed yet.

[kelly94942]

Are you sure you had notifications on and that you had the brand new Princess Messenger app and not the old Princess app? The app just released to the store on 3/7 and the latest update was on 3/20. But it clearly says in he description on the App Store:

 

"Push notifications on your device when you receive a message"

 

I am positive that I had notifications turned on and that I had the Princess Messenger app. I had been checking daily, waiting for it to be released to the app store, which it was just prior to my cruise. Since there was a new version released on 3/20, hopefully the version that I had was just some sort of a test and the new version is working properly with notifications. :D

[pablo222]

Apple and Google do not allow 'easy' offsite hosting of apps.

 

It's very easy to install android apps from outside the play store.

There is a setting to always allow it, or you can approve each time.

 

The opposite is probably true for apple. That is the way they are.

[debuskjt]

It's possible through the Enterprise Program, but not really for this use case. And for good reason. People like that iOS isn't a heap of malware like Android and they don't need anti-virus/anti-malware installed.

 

Also not all Android devices will have the ability to side load apps. For instance, phones distributed by a company and administered centrally can disable that option and not allow the phone user the ability to turn it on.

[pablo222]

...

 

Gee, such a harsh reply.

 

I just think it would be nice if there were a way for folks to

download/install the app when they are on the ship, without

having to pay princess for internet time to do so.

 

Sorry that offended you.

[debuskjt]

I don't see how it is harsh. It's just accurate.

 

Princess could allow unmetered access to mobile app stores but it would also allow people to download other apps and updates as well, which I guess is why they don't. That may change once the Carnival owned lines upgrade all their Internet in 2016. I imagine we will soon have some signage in the room on embarkation day advising people to find and download the app on cellular data prior to leaving port once they're ready to do a broad roll out.

 

I got a notification from Princess and their first advertised roll out is I think this coming Sunday on the Regal only.

Edited March 25, 2015 by debuskjt

[pablo222]

I got a notification from Princess and their first advertised roll out is I think this coming Sunday on the Regal only.

 

That's funny, as the the app has been available to use on Regal (only)

for a month or two.

 

And in the original press release, Princess said that both the android

and ios apps would be available in November 2014.

[debuskjt]

The apps have not been available that long. The messenger app hit on 3/7. Barely two weeks ago. And as other users in this thread noted features like push weren't working on the last sailing. I'm sailing on the Regal Sunday so I'll let you know.

 

Before that messenger was web browser only. But I'm talking about getting push notifications on your phone.

Edited March 25, 2015 by debuskjt

[pablo222]

The apps have not been available that long. The messenger app hit on 3/7. Barely two weeks ago.

 

I'm sorry, but that is incorrect.

 

The App for android was available in early february.

 

Here is a link and some discussion.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=45588001&postcount=9

[pablo222]

I imagine we will soon have some signage in the room on embarkation day advising people to find and download the app on cellular data prior to leaving port once they're ready to do a broad roll out.

 

In Ft. Lauderdale, for instance, they already have signs prohibiting

cell phone use in the terminal, so it seems unlikely that they would

add signage encouraging passengers to do the opposite.

[-Lew-]

 

I'm sorry, but that is incorrect.

Version 1.0 for iOS first appeared in the iTunes App Store on March 7th.

 

Lew

[pablo222]

Version 1.0 for iOS first appeared in the iTunes App Store on March 7th.

 

Lew

 

I'm sure you're right, Lew.

 

However, the post I was referring to said:

 

"The apps have not been available that long."

 

Plural.

 

Obviously incorrect, as the Android app has been available since early February.

Edited March 25, 2015 by pablo222

[caribill]

In Ft. Lauderdale, for instance, they already have signs prohibiting cell phone use in the terminal, so it seems unlikely that they would

add signage encouraging passengers to do the opposite.

 

On the ship before sailaway one can use their smartphone to download what they need without connecting to Princess WIFI, just their usual carrier's signal.

 

And aren't those signs in the terminal prohibiting cell phone usage in the areas you go during disembarkation? Immigration and customs areas in ship terminals and airports forbid cell phone usage all over the world.