Princess Messenger App/ Walkie Talkies

[bonandmick]

I am trying to find out if Princess Messenger service will be working on the Golden on June 21st. When I called Princess I received two different answers, one yes and one no. One of the nice folks who was doing a live report said she wasn't sure because she was personally unable to make it work, but wasn't sure if it was up and running. If its not working, I wondered what the best way would be to stay in touch with my family while on the ship. Do people recommend walkie talkies?

[Times Prince]

Had a cruise in May this year where I asked the same question. The answer was "No" as the messenger feature has only been installed on the new megaships - Royal and Regal Princess.

 

There may, however, be a shipwide intranet which enables you to see ship activities (ala Princess Patter) and your cabin's account on a wifi enabled device. It is not used for person to person communication.

Edited June 14, 2015 by Times Prince

[bonandmick]

Had a cruise in May this year where I asked the same question. The answer was "No" as the messenger feature has only been installed on the new megaships - Royal and Regal Princess.

 

There may, however, be a shipwide intranet which enables you to see ship activities (ala Princess Patter) and your cabin's account on a wifi enabled device. It is not used for person to person communication.

 

Thanks, that would make sense that Princess at Sea might be working, but messenger is not ready yet. That would explain the different responses that I got from Princess when I called.

 

What is the best way to communicate with your family while on board when you are doing different activities?

[towhee]

We carry FRS (family radio service) handhelds with us. You don't need a license for them and can pick them up at most stores that carry electronics. Practice at home, so you know how to use them.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Definitely don't use walkie talkies.

 

We used the simple method of having a paper on the door that each of us will update. Even our teen. There's also a desk in each cabin -- you can have a notepad and pen there. Also, there are courtesy phones from which you can call any cabin and leave a message.

 

You can also look over the Patter for each day and tell each other what you might do. Then arrange for a time to meet (maybe dinner?).

[Putterdude]

Post 'm Notes, voice mail and white boards work great....walkie talkies are very annoying to your fellow passengers.

[satxdiver]

Ships are made of metal. The walls in your cabin are metal etc. Radio waves do not do well going through metal which acts as a radio wave shield. They have 22 separate channels and no more. Everyone who has a FRS/GMRS radio can hear every word you say. They are limited to 500 MW or 1/2 watt. In most countries such as Central America and the Caribbean islands they are illegal to use. Pax tend to shout into them which makes reception on the other end garbled. They are just plain a pain in the posterior to your fellow pax.

[Colo Cruiser]

Do people recommend walkie talkies?

 

We carry FRS (family radio service) handhelds with us. You don't need a license for them and can pick them up at most stores that carry electronics. Practice at home, so you know how to use them.

 

 

We have seen many use these. Certainly an option. :)

[paul929207]

We plan time and place to meet. Leave notes on cabin door or on a bed in the cabin

[thinfool]

An Alaskan cruise with a large number of young people onboard?

 

Good luck with walkie-talkies. :o

[Potstech]

If you insist on using walkie talkie please get the earphones that go eith them snd put them to use. No one near you needs to hear your conversation. Also talking loudly does NOT increase the range or help at all. Best to leave them home.

[RocketMan275]

We carry FRS (family radio service) handhelds with us. You don't need a license for them and can pick them up at most stores that carry electronics. Practice at home, so you know how to use them.

 

You may or may not need a license to use them while in port in a foreign country. You certainly need to check otherwise you might be in for a nasty surprise.

[West Coast Gal]

There were 8 of us and we used walkie talkies on one cruise. We picked up well rated and battery operated. While they worked pretty well while we were out and about on the ship, they did not work very well in the cabins.

[Colo Cruiser]

There were 8 of us and we used walkie talkies on one cruise. We picked up well rated and battery operated. While they worked pretty well while we were out and about on the ship, they did not work very well in the cabins.

 

 

Someone had posted they are sporadic in the theater as well.

[sherryf]

Someone had posted they are sporadic in the theater as well.

 

Nobody should ever be using them in the theater anyway!! :eek:

[Putterdude]

Nobody should ever be using them in the theater anyway!! :eek:

 

You think! I mean people have to keep in touch with their friends and family...I mean 5 minutes is 5 minutes...the heck with people sitting around them.:D

[Opua Kiwi]

You think! I mean people have to keep in touch with their friends and family...I mean 5 minutes is 5 minutes...the heck with people sitting around them.:D

Precisely.

 

Just another device to annoy your fellow passengers around you; those who may wish to enjoy their surroundings, not listen to the Brady Bunch inform everyone where they are and what they are doing.

Edited June 14, 2015 by Opua Kiwi

[Cruisin' Chick]

Nobody should ever be using them in the theater anyway!! :eek:

 

Reminds me of the people who seem to be constantly on the phone...and from overhearing their side of the conversation (and not by choice:eek::rolleyes:) and from their body language, many of their conversation doesn't seem to be of any urgent matter.

 

Many of us wouldn't want to be lugging those walkie-talkies around the ship and it isn't necessary.

[jagsfan]

Bought expensive wallow-talkies 5 years ago, never used them because I figured it would bother other pax. They're going to GoodWill this week.

[satxdiver]

You may or may not need a license to use them while in port in a foreign country. You certainly need to check otherwise you might be in for a nasty surprise.

 

It is illegal to use the radios in most countries outside the US/Canada. In Europe several countries use those frequencies for emergency response. Do you want to interfere with life or death paramedics?

 

There were 8 of us and we used walkie talkies on one cruise. We picked up well rated and battery operated. While they worked pretty well while we were out and about on the ship, they did not work very well in the cabins.

 

The cabin walls are made of metal which is great for our magnets holding papers. However metal is an excellent shield to stop radio waves.

 

Shouting into the radios causes the input circuitry to be overloaded and causes distortion on the output. The receiving radio cannot understand what you are trying to say. The radios are designed for normal speech only. Don't shout into them annoying those around you.

[Holomoku]

We have used them on every cruise. In a balcony cabin they only go through the sliding doors and out to sea or that side of the ship. In the hallway they cover the entire ship very well.:) We just say "where are you" & you come here or I'll go there or something to that effect. You are correct, you do not need to talk loudly into them, just like you cell phone. The microphone is very sensitive. Keep the volume down low and turn them off when you are seated with a group or show or something. All the same as a cell phone.;)

 

On one cruise it kept me from almost missing the ship, a very, very close call that day!:eek:

 

On a side note you can listen in on the docking manuvers as the ship goes into or out of a port. Very interesting. Super useful in any port and doesn't cost anything to use.

 

I agree the Pricess App would be better but I do not own a smart phone, just an old flip phone.

Edited June 15, 2015 by Holomoku