Royal Caribbean's App?

[Ret MP]

I'm an electronic/computing/App geek and wannnabe expert, but not even close.  Having said that, I really think that Royal is trying to stuff 20 pounds into a 10 pound bag with the App.  Way too much going on to make it easy and efficient.  If you want to do this, you have to do that, push this button, and so on.  And for us geriatric types, it gets confusing and have to remember many things to include what you did last.  Which can be a problem at times.  I think if they just keep it simple to making reservations and menus, storing needed documents, maybe even checking-in, that would be fine with me.  Now obviously others, especially the younger folks, won't have a problem with it.  The tiny screen of a normal sized phone just isn't capable of showing whole pages of documents without pinching moving and tapping arrows to move on to the next page.  But, this is my perspective.  

 

In the long run, for me, even though not ecofriendly, I'd prefer many things in/on actual paper.  Paper can always be recycled, my eyes and brain aren't always up to the task.  I want my schedule in my hand, I want news/schedule of event in my hand.  And so on.  

[crzndeb]

You can ask for paper. I’m 71 and have no issue with the app, but sometimes it just takes getting used to. It’s like finding your way around other cruise line websites, if you have only ever cruised one cruise line. Like all new things, there’s a learning curve. I like the app much better, once on the ship.

[HicksRA]

I tend to do just about everything on the website until I’m on the ship to use the app. A lot more intuitive for me that way. 

[Tlbecker1]

I love the app and so does my husband that is 69.  If you want a cruise compass, get one. We enjoy using the app, but if you like the compass then use it, no one is stopping you.  
Enjoy your cruise!

[Ret MP]

56 minutes ago, Tlbecker1 said:

I love the app and so does my husband that is 69.  If you want a cruise compass, get one. We enjoy using the app, but if you like the compass then use it, no one is stopping you.  
Enjoy your cruise!

I can understand that you believe I was talking about the Compass.  And to a small extent, I was.  And, yes, I know I can get a paper Compass.  I've never had to ask for one.  They have always been in our cabin, even post-COVID.  But, there are a lot of other things that are large and hard to see/read if not manipulated somehow.  I neglected to mention above the reliability of the the App, as well.  More in another forum than this one, there is a lot of complaints of it not working - down time, not working properly, incorrect information (don't know if it a human issue or software glitch or both).  

 

But, the posts are opinions and I respect that.  

[rudeney]

I'm not a wannabe - I am an expert.  I have worked in software development for over 40 years, doing everything from programming to managing and owning software companies.  What RCCL IT does is not easy.  While I joke about their issues, in reality I don't blame them.  They are likely designing and implementing software as requested by the business.  For example, I doubt IT decided to try to pack a four-page fine-print cruise planner and other documents into a 6-inch phone screen.  They likely just did what they were told by the line of business managers and VPs.  I think some things could have been better designed by IT, but again, they operate under the constraints placed by on them by the business.  

 

I'm in the middle of a ground-up rewrite of my company's software and it is very challenging.  We spend hours fretting over simple look and feel items - where to place a checkbox, what icon to use, etc.  Our software is not anywhere near the complexity as RCCL's.  And on top of that, theirs is being used constantly by hundred of thousands of people in a live environment.  I wonder how much of this is actually "RCCL's IT" as opposed to subcontractors.  Even though my company writes software, we have subcontracted the rewrite.  Most of that work is done overseas and there are often language barriers (both in spoken words and technical terms).  Again, my team is software development experts so we know how all this works.  I can't imagine the challenges of non-technical RCCL managers trying to communicate with some of these developers.  

 

And I'm not faulting you for your opinion - I'm just offering my viewpoint and experience.  🙂

[Ret MP]

20 minutes ago, rudeney said:

I'm not a wannabe - I am an expert.  I have worked in software development for over 40 years, doing everything from programming to managing and owning software companies.  What RCCL IT does is not easy.  While I joke about their issues, in reality I don't blame them.  They are likely designing and implementing software as requested by the business.  For example, I doubt IT decided to try to pack a four-page fine-print cruise planner and other documents into a 6-inch phone screen.  They likely just did what they were told by the line of business managers and VPs.  I think some things could have been better designed by IT, but again, they operate under the constraints placed by on them by the business.  

 

I'm in the middle of a ground-up rewrite of my company's software and it is very challenging.  We spend hours fretting over simple look and feel items - where to place a checkbox, what icon to use, etc.  Our software is not anywhere near the complexity as RCCL's.  And on top of that, theirs is being used constantly by hundred of thousands of people in a live environment.  I wonder how much of this is actually "RCCL's IT" as opposed to subcontractors.  Even though my company writes software, we have subcontracted the rewrite.  Most of that work is done overseas and there are often language barriers (both in spoken words and technical terms).  Again, my team is software development experts so we know how all this works.  I can't imagine the challenges of non-technical RCCL managers trying to communicate with some of these developers.  

 

And I'm not faulting you for your opinion - I'm just offering my viewpoint and experience.  🙂

No better than to get this type of comment from an actual "expert".  Love it.  

 

After the military, I went into the Corporate world as a General Manager of a very very successful parking management company, as a Human Resource Director and Auditor.  One big thing that I found and was very surprised about was the upper most executives and local County Officials pushed and pushed and pushed to implement something long before it was completed/perfected or even close to perfection, still far too many loose ends.  Not to say everything has to be perfect.  Far too many of those items did nothing but piss off the customers.  Next thing you know, you have state regulators, federal regulators, and media types breathing down your necks because of complaints, many/most of which were inflated beyond belief.  I'm a firm believer that if something isn't ready for prime time, it ain't ready for prime time.   If customers aren't going to be happy with something, don't do that something!  That's actually how I feel about the App!  It wasn't/isn't ready for prime time.  My opinion, obviously!  I've used it pre-COVID and post-COVID and it just didn't work well for me.  And like I keep saying, I don't like to carry my phone with me on a cruise.  But, if the App was close to perfect, it might change my mind a little.  NOTE:  I fully understand there is nothing that is perfect.  But, I hope people will understand what I'm trying to saying here.

 

[rudeney]

1 hour ago, Ret MP said:

No better than to get this type of comment from an actual "expert".  Love it.  

 

After the military, I went into the Corporate world as a General Manager of a very very successful parking management company, as a Human Resource Director and Auditor.  One big thing that I found and was very surprised about was the upper most executives and local County Officials pushed and pushed and pushed to implement something long before it was completed/perfected or even close to perfection, still far too many loose ends.  Not to say everything has to be perfect.  Far too many of those items did nothing but piss off the customers.  Next thing you know, you have state regulators, federal regulators, and media types breathing down your necks because of complaints, many/most of which were inflated beyond belief.  I'm a firm believer that if something isn't ready for prime time, it ain't ready for prime time.   If customers aren't going to be happy with something, don't do that something!  That's actually how I feel about the App!  It wasn't/isn't ready for prime time.  My opinion, obviously!  I've used it pre-COVID and post-COVID and it just didn't work well for me.  And like I keep saying, I don't like to carry my phone with me on a cruise.  But, if the App was close to perfect, it might change my mind a little.  NOTE:  I fully understand there is nothing that is perfect.  But, I hope people will understand what I'm trying to saying here.

 

 

One of the things we are doing with our rewrite is to involve customers.  We have 5 of our customers, who are involved several times a week.  We bring them into our design sessions to give us feedback.  We have made many changes based on their input.  We then have them do user acceptance testing once development of a particular component is completed.  It's not going to be perfect, but it is going to be better than what we have and better because we involved end users.  I wonder if RCCL does this?  Or do they even do any beta testing?  That would be something under the control of IT.  Well, unless the line of business is pushing them to the point that they have no time for that.

[Ret MP]

10 hours ago, rudeney said:

 

One of the things we are doing with our rewrite is to involve customers.  We have 5 of our customers, who are involved several times a week.  We bring them into our design sessions to give us feedback.  We have made many changes based on their input.  We then have them do user acceptance testing once development of a particular component is completed.  It's not going to be perfect, but it is going to be better than what we have and better because we involved end users.  I wonder if RCCL does this?  Or do they even do any beta testing?  That would be something under the control of IT.  Well, unless the line of business is pushing them to the point that they have no time for that.

I don't know if they do or not.  I know I haven't participated in any kind of testing/review/feedback of their IT product(s).  By the comments here and other's, it doesn't seem like it.  

[watcher_62]

So I guess we should give them a break and stop calling it the Royal crApp? 😀

 

[orville99]

51 minutes ago, watcher_62 said:

So I guess we should give them a break and stop calling it the Royal crApp? 😀

 

On the whole, the app works as advertised while on the ship, and matches up quite closely to what is in the paper compass. We typically use the app to map out where we want to eat each evening, and it is usually quite accurate.

 

The only downside is that the app uses the same guest Wi Fi network (without the internet) that those of us who use the Voom packages, and in our experience as the uptake in onboard usage of the app increases, the speed and reliability of the Voom packages degrade significantly.

 

We just got off of a B3B on Mariner, and during the actual cruise legs, the speed and reliability of Voom was flaky at best. On TAD before anyone other than the consecutive cruisers were on board, the Voom speed doubled, and went down hill as the next rounds of passengers boarded.