Love the new on board app!

[stairMaster]

Actually you do need to down load the app, That's what make the "program" that automatically pops up fully functional. Be sure and opt for push notifications and adjust your settings accordingly. Most smart phones and tabs gave push notifications somewhere in the setting menu, but if you don't, you can download an app. On android devices you can down load Pushbullet if you are using chrome or the Desktop Notifications app from Google Play for other browsers. They both will work with princess at sea you just need only one, so you might as well have one that works when connected to the internet at home.

 

Once you learn to manage push notifications you will wonder how you lived without them ...

 

My experience with the app on the Grand Princess is more what pablo222 described in an earlier post ( quoted below). Push notification did not work for me. I needed to open up the app to check for messages which defeats the purpose of the messenger feature. This was back in December 2015; I doubt that anything has changed since then.

 

With the android app, you get notifications ... with sound!

 

That's the good news.

 

The bad news is they are pretty useless.

 

You have to be connected to shipboard wifi to send/receive a message.

You have to be connected to the internet to get a notification.

...

 

For the current system to work, they need to allow Google Cloud messages

to pass inbound to the shipboard system.

 

Maybe that's in a plan for some faster satellite connection...

Fingers crossed!

[pablo222]

My experience with the app on the Grand Princess is more what pablo222 described in an earlier post ( quoted below). Push notification did not work for me. I needed to open up the app to check for messages which defeats the purpose of the messenger feature. This was back in December 2015; I doubt that anything has changed since then.

 

I wish TNTLAMB were right, but no notifications on shipboard wifi

was my experience. I took a look at pushbullet, but unfortunately,

I don't see it changing the current situation.

 

I was very interested in google cloud messaging, and I spent a lot

of time analyzing the app, so I have a pretty good idea of how it works.

 

And, during the cruise, I was watching my network traffic using

an analyizer on my laptop.

 

The princess developers talk about princess @ sea in this video:

 

https://events.drupal.org/losangeles2015/sessions/drupal-sea-princess-cruises

 

Towards the end of the video, they even mention getting some rough

feedback from posters on a site called 'cruisecritic'.

 

To me, the messaging is great, and works well -- it just needs a little

more polish, to allow notifications.

[GUT2407]

I wasn't keen on it.

[GUT2407]

Woukd love o see a lot of extra things posted.

 

Menus would be a great start.

[Justprettynpink]

You can get your FCC using the app also.

 

My DH and I used the chat feature when one of us got lost :-)

[stairMaster]

I wish TNTLAMB were right, but no notifications on shipboard wifi

was my experience. I took a look at pushbullet, but unfortunately,

I don't see it changing the current situation.

 

I was very interested in google cloud messaging, and I spent a lot

of time analyzing the app, so I have a pretty good idea of how it works.

 

And, during the cruise, I was watching my network traffic using

an analyizer on my laptop.

 

The princess developers talk about princess @ sea in this video:

 

https://events.drupal.org/losangeles2015/sessions/drupal-sea-princess-cruises

 

Towards the end of the video, they even mention getting some rough

feedback from posters on a site called 'cruisecritic'.

 

To me, the messaging is great, and works well -- it just needs a little

more polish, to allow notifications.

 

I believe you are on the right track re: Google Cloud -- for notification to work properly the Android device needs to communicate with a Google notification server ( iPhone has its own server ) which requires a data connection outside of the Princess ship. So, I don't have high hopes in this ever working unless one has an internet plan onboard.

 

A search of 'push notification' will bring up some interesting sites which provide technical details on how notification works.

[pablo222]

I believe you are on the right track re: Google Cloud -- for notification to work properly the Android device needs to communicate with a Google notification server ( iPhone has its own server ) which requires a data connection outside of the Princess ship. So, I don't have high hopes in this ever working unless one has an internet plan onboard.

 

The app has the GCM (google cloud messaging) registration code in it.

If you have a pending message, and connect to the internet, you

will receive a GCM notification.

 

Somewhere, I saved a screenshot of this. I will try and post it.

 

I thought perhaps with some future satellite connection

(or presumably higher speed) they might pass the GCM messages.

[tiessa]

Just returned from the Regal and I love the new app you can load on your smartphone. You can access your account, see all the activities (basically everything that's in the Patter) and my favorite feature- messaging! I was able to message my family throughout the day to let them know my whereabouts, which table we were seated at, etc. It's terrific!

 

 

I liked it too! My main problem was I could never get the texts to make a sound so I either had to continually look at my iPad or miss texts until much time had passed.

 

I also wish they would put the menus on the app but I imagine they will expand it as time goes on.

 

It's a great concept.

[Sacto Rick]

We just returned from the Grand. I was anxious to use the Princess@Sea app but to my disapointment it would not work. It just kept disconnecting every time we logged on. The purser tried to help but had the same problem. I went to the Internet Cafe and was told that Samsung phones won't work with their app. He said the wi-fi will keep disconnecting. I don't know anymore than that but it was completely useless for us. :(:(

[RhondaC]

Will the app work if my iPhone is set to airplane mode?

[Colo Cruiser]

Will the app work if my iPhone is set to airplane mode?

 

When you turn on wifi.

[TNTLAMB]

Just got off the CB all worked fine including notifications for the 11 of us on-board together. Not sure why others are having problems.......

[rzmz89]

Just got off the Emerald and used the app and I have a iphone 6. I could never figure out how to message another passenger but I did like the patter being accessible and also your stateroom bill was always up to date and you could check it every day.

[pablo222]

Just got off the CB all worked fine including notifications for the 11 of us on-board together. Not sure why others are having problems.......

 

Can you describe the notification?

 

Not a challenge to you, I'd just like a little more information,

so I can look harder.