How useful is the Hub app. And does the chat feature work well?

[Drummer72]

Not a big fan of using my cell phone on vacation. We are traveling with a group of 5 cabins.  I figured the hub is the best way to stay connected with each other while on board. Your thoughts?

[Bostwick girl]

4 minutes ago, Drummer72 said:

Not a big fan of using my cell phone on vacation. We are traveling with a group of 5 cabins.  I figured the hub is the best way to stay connected with each other while on board. Your thoughts?

The chat feature is great, especially if you have a large group. It has a few quirks, doesn’t always let you know you have a message, so you should check it occasionally. I’ve used it since inception and believe me, it’s evolved into a very useful way to keep up with friends and family. It’s been well worth the $5 cost.

 

[csm5986142]

I agree, with a teenager the chat feature is a necessity (especially on a big ship like Mardi Gras - I would have had a terrible time keeping track of her without it).  As mentioned, it's not perfect, but for $5 is way better than the sticky notes we used to bring.  🙂

[IntrepidFromDC]

We haven't used the chat because we are either together or know where each other are and when we'll meet up again.  But the functionality of the HUB makes cruising better!  It just takes a while to learn everything it has to offer, and to accept/embrace it.

[ehyup71]

Love the HUB app!  Have found the $5 activation for chat feature really useful.  Not only can we message between family, but when we meet new people on the ship we can add them to our contact list in hub chat to keep in touch, meet up for a drink, etc.

 

I also really liked that each morning, while lounging in our cabin having a morning tea, we could use the HUB app to browse the dining room menu for the evening, menus for specialty dining.

 

You can see all the activities going on for the day, and set reminders for the things you don't want to miss. It's great. 

[evandbob]

You can use the hub to register for breakfast (and avoid waiting on line) as you get ready to leave your cabin and go to sea day brunch or MDR breakfast.  By the time you get from your cabin to the dining room, you should have a table # assigned.

 

It's certainly feasible that future meal orders will go thru the app and eliminate waiters taking your dining requests.

 

Paper and photo inks are relics, digital will take over..

[MCC retired]

The HUB App is not only usefull , but without it and your phone , you will have problems..

Reservations , menu's , enterainment and more.

Had no need to try the Chat features on our recent Mardi_Gras cruise.

 

[stellarose]

refresher-  must put on hub app prior to sail and pay for chat once aboard. right?

[pinto18]

We find the chat option not so great because you have to have app open to receive a message. But also, my husband bad about checking his texts in "real life" so Im not surprised it didn't work well for us! The Hub app itself is super helpful 

[stellarose]

we used the chat in 2019 on the breeze. its been awhile. lol

[sparks1093]

The chat was hit and miss but the app itself was very useful. The Funtimes are on it as are the menus (and you can even reserve times in the MDR with it). 

[nascartim]

The chat feature is hit or miss depending on your ship, we didn't always get our mags in a timely fashion as you would a text. The hub app is definitely useful.

[firefly333]

23 hours ago, MCC retired said:

The HUB App is not only usefull , but without it and your phone , you will have problems..

Reservations , menu's , enterainment and more.

Had no need to try the Chat features on our recent Mardi_Gras cruise.

 

Agree especially if you have anytime dining. The waiters were not great about paper menus. The waiter in the steak place lectured us about learning to scan and never did get menus. If you want to see what there is to eat, necessary. Especially for dinner imo. 

 

I think carnival guarantees a table by computer matching within 10 minutes after you push the button. Also a option to click to share a table. 

[my kids mama]

Question...If you have the hub app on your phone from past cruises a couple of years ago, is it still the same?  Should we uninstall and reinstall on our phones to get the latest version? 

[HarborHermit]

2 hours ago, my kids mama said:

If you have the hub app on your phone from past cruises a couple of years ago, is it still the same?  Should we uninstall and reinstall on our phones to get the latest version?

 

You will probably have to update. If you have an Android phone, the app now requires Android 7 or higher. I had to buy a new phone because my old phone was an Android 6. (I needed a new phone anyway because I couldn't use the new Starbucks app on the old phone either, LOL!)

[crewsweeper]

We found it very useful.  You can reserve dining. See what is scheduled for each day in advance. Ship deck plans. trip map/chart/  All sorts of other information.  And yes chat works fine so long as both parties are open to chat or check it frequently.

[CookieShip]

I would say almost essential if you plan on dining at all in MDR, need it to check in for table and viewing menu. Technically you can scan the QR code that takes you to an address that downloads a PDF.

 

You can mark off activities you want to do and the app will pop up reminders.

 

You also get to see the entire sailing of events rather than just the next day like with the old paper Funtimes.

 

[stellarose]

we have to eat in the MDR. both teens have food allergies. 

[wgeddings]

I suggest you delete the HUB app and reinstall it before you go to ensure you have the latest.  The HUB app and chat are wonderful, helpful and useful.  Some notes:

 

1 - Keep your phone on airplane mode!  You do not want roaming charges in port or on ship with your phone trying to connect to something other than WiFi.   Plus it helps with the battery because if not on airplane mode, your phone will probably keep searching for a phone signal. 

 

2 - The HUB app does not work until you are on the ship and connected to the ship WiFi.  There is no charge to connect to the WiFi but all you can get for free is the HUB connection or a few websites like carnival.com.  If you pay the $5 for chat, you can chat too.  The first time I used the app, I was very frustrated because it would not work and I could not log in but that was because I did not have my folio number (which is uses instead of your cabin number or booking number).  Folio number is on your Sign and Sail card so you will get it and know it pretty quickly when on board.  

 

3 - The HUB app has a lot of possible uses and functions.  In addition to seeing the MDR menu you can see the MDR menu for every other night of the cruise!  You can check/like (click the heart) activities and it will remind you when they are coming up.  Others in your party can see what you "liked" if you select that option.  

 

4 - Chat allows you to chat with others who have paid for the chat feature.  It is easy to select members of your party and then their names, or groups of names, are easy to text in the future.  You do not use your normal text app, you use the HUB app.   As mentioned above, sometimes it does not give you notice that you have a message and I do not know if it is just my phone, the app or a setting but keep it in mind.  

 

5 - It is easy to select the chat option.  In the HUB app, you make the selection and the $5 charge goes on your sign and sail account.  The $5 is for the entire cruise, not per day.  

[Aplmac]

On 12/20/2021 at 11:32 AM, firefly333 said:

Agree especially if you have anytime dining.

The waiters were not great about paper menus. The waiter in the steak place

lectured us about learning to scan and never did get menus.

If you want to see what there is to eat, necessary. Especially for dinner imo. 

 

God, how I hate having to oder a meal from my phone!

 

Very soon it'll be R2D2 and C3PO bringing the food to table.
WTH is going on in this crazy world? I want a hard copy Menu

and a human waiter or two, if you don't mind!

[bguppies]

I usually board and my phone goes straight in the safe.

I hate usiing it at  home, why woul;d i want to l;ug it around on vacaiion?

Can you still get paper funtimes or menus?

[pinto18]

38 minutes ago, Aplmac said:

 

God, how I hate having to oder a meal from my phone!

 

Very soon it'll be R2D2 and C3PO bringing the food to table.
WTH is going on in this crazy world? I want a hard copy Menu

and a human waiter or two, if you don't mind!

You dont order from the phone..there are still humans plus you can ask for a paper menu..

[sparks1093]

49 minutes ago, Aplmac said:

 

God, how I hate having to oder a meal from my phone!

 

Very soon it'll be R2D2 and C3PO bringing the food to table.
WTH is going on in this crazy world? I want a hard copy Menu

and a human waiter or two, if you don't mind!

Reducing contact points reduces the risks of disease spread (and reduces the need for the staff to clean those items between uses).

[Guest BasicSailor]

1 hour ago, Aplmac said:

 

God, how I hate having to oder a meal from my phone!

 

Very soon it'll be R2D2 and C3PO bringing the food to table.
WTH is going on in this crazy world? I want a hard copy Menu

and a human waiter or two, if you don't mind!

This was my room service in Brunswick Georgia, yes  tipping is allowed . 

[crewsweeper]

1 hour ago, bguppies said:

I usually board and my phone goes straight in the safe.

I hate usiing it at  home, why woul;d i want to l;ug it around on vacaiion?

Can you still get paper funtimes or menus?

At Guest Services.  Cabin stewards don't bring them any more.  But you can ask.  Evening cleaning might have them.