What happens with guests who "don't do technology?"

[Vagabond Knight]

So, I did my online check-in, which then then told me I had to download the Celebrity app to input my vaccination info, which I did.   However, I got to wondering about older friends of ours who don't have computers or smart phones (we have some older friends with nothing but flip-phones... and for one of these guys, it's his first cell phone EVER!).  Are these people not allowed to sail on Celebrity these day?

Edited February 14, 2022 by Vagabond Knight

[bEwAbG]

They can submit this stuff during check-in.  It may take longer for them to get on the ship because everything you've done online they have to do in person.

[Torfamm]

My guess is that people without computers must use TA’s. It’s definitely still possible to book a cruise by phone, but I don’t think that confirmations and documents are mailed any more. I think you would need a travel agent to print out your booking information. 

Edited February 14, 2022 by Torfamm

[Arizona Wildcat]

2 minutes ago, Torfamm said:

My guess is that those people must use TA’s. It’s definitely still possible to book a cruise by phone, but I don’t think that confirmations and documents are mailed any more. I think you would need a travel agent to print out your booking information 

Not correct.  We book cruises by phone either X or a TA and give the online checking procedure exactly 2 tries.  The documents can be mailed or people can print out their confirmation.  It can also be sent to a friend.  We often show up with an email from our TA - 1 page confirmation.   Check bags at the curb.

[Torfamm]

2 minutes ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Not correct.  We book cruises by phone either X or a TA and give the online checking procedure exactly 2 tries.  The documents can be mailed or people can print out their confirmation.  It can also be sent to a friend.  We often show up with an email from our TA - 1 page confirmation.   Check bags at the curb.

Interesting. I had no idea that Celebrity was still mailing documents. 

[Vagabond Knight]

51 minutes ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Not correct.  We book cruises by phone either X or a TA and give the online checking procedure exactly 2 tries.  The documents can be mailed or people can print out their confirmation.  It can also be sent to a friend.  We often show up with an email from our TA - 1 page confirmation.   Check bags at the curb.

 

They can't be printed out if the person don't have a computer/printer, so glad X will still mail to those who need it.  They make it sound like you have to do things online or you're stuck.  I was surprised when I did the online check-in and it said I had to load the app in order to finish my check-in.  Thank goodness they're still distributing sea pass cards.  Although I have a very competent smartphone, I don't necessarily want to carry it around with me all the time.  Maybe they'll eventually go to something like the Disney magic band for onboard access/reservations/purchases.

[LGW59]

10 minutes ago, Vagabond Knight said:

 

They can't be printed out if the person don't have a computer/printer, so glad X will still mail to those who need it.  They make it sound like you have to do things online or you're stuck.  I was surprised when I did the online check-in and it said I had to load the app in order to finish my check-in.  Thank goodness they're still distributing sea pass cards.  Although I have a very competent smartphone, I don't necessarily want to carry it around with me all the time.  Maybe they'll eventually go to something like the Disney magic band for onboard access/reservations/purchases.

You can call and book on the phone, if you don't have a computer, have it sent to a friend.  The entire check-in process can be done at port.  The whole I need my luggage tags now, boarding time stuff, yes it matters (insert eye roll), but at the end of the day if checking in at the port, you'll still board the ship.  Just be sure you know who the captain and cruise director are.

[Virginia100]

I’m not sure you can print the Xpress pass. On the App you can complete and view but I saw no print function.

[RBKL]

42 minutes ago, Virginia100 said:

I’m not sure you can print the Xpress pass. On the App you can complete and view but I saw no print function.

Hmmm, We printed our press pass when completing online check in from our computer.

[Denny01]

To the OP about older folks and technology, most of us geezers are doing fine with all the new ways. And even before the X App, you had to use the X website and needed a computer/tablet to get the Fast Pass. And those, old and young, who couldn’t, did it through TAs or by phone with X. And the few who don’t show up w the Pass just work it at the terminal checkin. And uploading the vaccine card isn’t required, and they asked to see mine at the terminal even when I did. 
 

i lead an organization that provides classes to mainly retirees, and we moved all its registration and payments to online. Use to have hundreds show up to register in person and the Pandemic finally moved us to all online. Was very surprised how few called the office to get help or came in because they couldn’t do it themselves and we had close to 300 register. Of course got the “you have to have in person registration for older people” comments. Nope. Worked just fine and helped the few who needed it, but still did it all online. 
 

den

[upwarduk]

4 hours ago, Vagabond Knight said:

Thank goodness they're still distributing sea pass cards.  Although I have a very competent smartphone,

Exactly- although we tried, we couldn’t consistently gain access to our cabin using our phones.

[Alakegirl]

Owning a smart phone it’s not a requirement for cruising. That said, having access to the Internet makes it a lot easier to book your cruise, pick your cabin, view their excursions and so forth.  

[39august]

No high tech here. We print our Xpress passes and luggage tags if X hasn't mailed them. Everything else is at check in at the port Takes very little time.  Most of our cruises are booked while on board. Otherwise, I  book thru' my TA. 

Edited February 14, 2022 by 39august

[dazey]

We have a computer and do print out our Seapass and complete the required forms online.  Not having everything on my cell phone has not been a problem as they take care of it quickly at the terminal.

 

I am not going to carry my phone around the ship nor will my husband agree to carry it for me.  Have not found this to be a problem.

 

I wish I were more savvy with my cell phone but when I ask for someone to show me they just fly through how to do it and then I am still lost assuming I caught what they did.

 

One can have a wonderful cruise no matter what your tech skills are. 

[5waldos]

Many of us old geezers have been on computers since before you youngun's were born! In fact- we INVENTED them. And for the few who are not tech savvy- that's what grandchildren are for. 

[oneputt18]

7 minutes ago, 5waldos said:

Many of us old geezers have been on computers since before you youngun's were born! In fact- we INVENTED them. And for the few who are not tech savvy- that's what grandchildren are for. 

 

I got my Commodore 64 in the early '80s.

[Caribbean Chris]

11 minutes ago, oneputt18 said:

 

I got my Commodore 64 in the early '80s.

Around the same time, we bought an Apple 2e.

[5waldos]

I was running cards through a computer the size of a small house in the early '70s.

 

[jelayne]

10 hours ago, Virginia100 said:

I’m not sure you can print the Xpress pass. On the App you can complete and view but I saw no print function.

You show the Xpress pass on your phone at the port .  Either in the app or by taking a screen shot. The  same for your Covid test results. You can show the emailed result.

[Denny01]

1 hour ago, 5waldos said:

Many of us old geezers have been on computers since before you youngun's were born! In fact- we INVENTED them. And for the few who are not tech savvy- that's what grandchildren are for. 

Love our ‘us old geezers’ talk! I taught a number of classes on iPad/iPhone use and when I asked why they got their device, a high number of responses were: “My granddaughter got a new iPad and gave me this one!”…..My biggest ‘job’ was to help them realize they really couldn’t hurt the thing and just start pushing buttons and see what you get. They did and boy, did I release ‘The Kraken’. In the 2-months class, they’d come back with all kind of good questions and really got into it. Fun.

 

Cruising will always make sure it reaches anyone who wants to be a customer…..even with the Line websites and Apps we complain about so much. 

 

By the way, I did sneak CruiseCritic in as an example of a fun, useful forum. 

 

Den 

[Fouremco]

My oh my, how things have changed.

 

A few years ago, I started a thread asking why cruise lines were so far behind with automation. Airlines had already implemented ticketless boarding using a cellphone, a move that I thought cruise lines could and should introduce. Well, I was roundly flamed by so many CC members, which rather surprised me given the fact that CC is computer/internet based. I would have thought that its members would all be progressive users of technology, but there were clearly a good number of luddites amongst us. It's very interesting to see the strides taken by the cruise lines in such a small period of time, and how quickly the majority of passengers have adapted.

 

At a later date, I painted yet another bullseye on my back when I spoke of the wonderful benefits of a Kindle reader, including my ability to bring a wide selection of books aboard in one small device, but that's a story for another time.  😇 

 

Just for the record, my first home computer was a VIC-20 in 1980. 

[canderson]

14 hours ago, Vagabond Knight said:

So, I did my online check-in, which then then told me I had to download the Celebrity app ...

A very annoying untruth designed to push pax to the app.  

[hrhdhd]

I don't mind the technology . . . as long as it's one option of two or more. I don't mind checking in on a computer, but I don't want to carry my phone around on a cruise ship. Doesn't make me a Luddite. 

[graphicguy]

Can you book, check in and sail without a smart phone? Absolutely.  Celebrity will even mail your baggage tags to you.  Does it take longer and more of a hassle to do so?  Absolutely.

 

Using the app and your smart phone to do most of this is much, much easier.

 

I carried my smart phone on board with me, for no other reason than I didn't want to carry a bunch of papers showing the events on the ship and their times/places.  Easily do that with the app, keep track of activities, my reservations, etc.

 

But, if you don't have a smart phone, it can be done, just not easily, regardless of your age.

 

[CruisinNole]

2 hours ago, jelayne said:

You show the Xpress pass on your phone at the port .  Either in the app or by taking a screen shot. The  same for your Covid test results. You can show the emailed result.

You can print the Xpress pass. I have the app, like it and use it onboard. I'm retired from IBM so I know my way around a computer but I still printed out my Xpress pass for our cruise in November. It was a lot easier to show printouts of the pass and test results and even though our passport info and proof of vaccination was on the app, we still had to show both documents. The woman processing us in thanked us for printouts.