Dear Oceania

[Nashna]

 

 

We used our Celebrity apps constantly on our 2021 and 2022 sailings.  Celebrity has four different GDRs, each featuring a diverse selection each night.  The menus were listed, allowing you to pick a restaurant to suit your taste that evening.  The app was used for everything, including registration.  We were able to download our health information and arrange for specialty dining reservations on the same day. Since Celebrity had many different activities co-occurring, having them listed on the app was convenient.  One night, we didn't enjoy the band that was performing, we just checked the app and went to another venue.  The feature I enjoyed the most was our complete itinerary on the app.  We could make and follow our schedule.  Example:  Monday   10:00 a.m.  Lecture in lounge 12:15 pm lunch at Tosca 2:00 pm Meet & Greet lounge 4:00 pm Afternoon Tea - 5:00 pm Sunset Sail Excursion, meet at the pier.  Guest could then click on the excursion information.  The app was helpful on the larger Celebrity ships with its myriad offerings.  Typically, at least one of us always carries our mobile phone with us so it is not inconvenient.  We are 76 and 77 years old and embrace the new technology when it makes our lives easier.  O. ships are not large and have fewer options than the mass market ships.  Knowing how well the app can work, we would like to have one offered on O.  However, it is not a deal breaker for us.   

 

 

[basor]

3 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

Then don’t use it. 
Having a choice is a good thing.

Look at the angst created here when Oceania removed OLife “a la carte” choice and replaced it with mandatory simply more.

Choice, as people value different things.

Why did you HAVE to carry your phone around.

I am currently on a ship which has a app.

My phone stays in the safe.

But as you pointed out, just because there is an app which some people CHOOSE to use onboard with their phone, it is not necessary to do so.

The phone can stay in the safe if you wish.

Obviously I am ill informed because I do not know how to use an App while my phone is in the safe.  On the other cruise line,  the App is loaded on my phone and I needed to have my phone with me to use the App.....

[1985rz1]

17 minutes ago, Nashna said:

The app was helpful on the larger Celebrity ships with its myriad offerings.

I think this is a clear distinction of where apps may be most useful and where they are not.

[MEFIowa]

23 minutes ago, Nashna said:

We used our Celebrity apps constantly on our 2021 and 2022 sailings.  Celebrity has four different GDRs... Since Celebrity had many different activities co-occurring, having them listed on the app was convenient.... The app was helpful on the larger Celebrity ships with its myriad offerings....

And that's why we sail O. I'd rather see my dentist or proctologist than think about a cruise on such a ship. As I joke with my wife every time we see one of the giants, "Can you image the urine in the swimming pools and water slides?" So nice that the daily CURRENTS gives me everything I need at my fingertips the night before. And I even self-hosted a Veterans' group on Sirena 11/2022 with the help of the CD.

[Ray4Fun]

Larger ships have their place. We have done all shapes and sizes. With family the uber ships have their place. While traveling with friends we do smaller. Think Connie size and smaller. We do enjoy V Ocean size ships. Less than 1k is nice. We get to know the crew as well as the passengers.

 

With that said, we are looking forward to O and an even smaller passenger base. 

 

Yes? 

[Nashna]

We tend to sail on many different types of ships as we accompany friends and family when they cruise.  Our grands prefer the larger ships, and some of our old friends can't afford the premium lines.  We enjoy all different types of cruising as we love being on the sea.  It will just be the two of us on our following O sailings.

[Woodrowst]

5 hours ago, Ray4Fun said:

Well, APP is needed. Period. Once you use a good cruise app you will not look back. Yes Baby Boomers we are part of this. 

If you can do so without rolling your eyes, could you explain to those of us who are not digital natives why an app is important?  What would you want to do with it that cannot be done otherwise?  Inquiring minds want to know ☺️

[shepherd really]

Since I don't need to reserve waterslides, go carts or tickets to shows on Oceania and my specialty dining is reserved prior to the cruise I have absolutely no need for an app.  None, nada, not at all, zero, nope.

[Pandazoo]

@WoodrowstI wouldn’t mind an app to have my ticket contract travel arrangements, use as a door key, card for drinks, ID etc., have the activities, excursions, port arrival departs, menus….

of course it would probably be handy for exercise music or with earbuds for lounging at the pool…I presently don’t carry my phone around the ship but do check it when in room for messages and emails.  An app would be handy.  Just a modern convenience IMO.

[Tranquility Base]

2 hours ago, basor said:

Obviously I am ill informed because I do not know how to use an App while my phone is in the safe.  On the other cruise line,  the App is loaded on my phone and I needed to have my phone with me to use the App.....

I’ll rephrase.

As you hated carrying your phone around, why did you find it a necessity to use the app onboard ?
Was it by choice, or were there things onboard that you could only accomplish by using the app ?

 

As I mentioned, I am currently onboard a ship which uses an app.

The app is NOT loaded on my phone, hence it remains in the safe.

Nothing I do onboard requires accessing the app.

Edited September 2, 2023 by Tranquility Base

[nuevowavo]

The heck with an app. How about a functional corporate website? Baby steps...

[LHT28]

6 minutes ago, Tranquility Base said:

I’ll rephrase.

As you hated carrying your phone around, why did you find it a necessity to use the app onboard ?
Was it by choice, or were there things onboard that you could only accomplish by using the app ?

 

As I mentioned, I am currently onboard a ship which uses an app.

The app is NOT loaded on my phone, hence it remains in the safe.

Nothing I do onboard requires accessing the app.

so no need for people to use the app  correct??

[Tranquility Base]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

so no need for people to use the app  correct??

Correct, if that is your choice.

However there are some who obviously use it.

Personal Choice.

 

Im still interested to know why some people use it onboard when they clearly ‘hate’ doing so..….???

 

 

[basor]

2 minutes ago, Tranquility Base said:

Correct, if that is your choice.

However there are some who obviously use it.

Personal Choice.

 

Im still interested to know why some people use it onboard when they clearly ‘hate’ doing so..….???

 

 

because there were things, once onboard, that could only be done on the app....after a few days, put phone in safe (where it is on O) and if we couldn't do without app, we didn't partake.  There was no printed daily activity sheet so had to write down from TV the time/place of things we wanted to do during the day (or carry the phone around to find on App - which didn't work 1/2 the time).

[Tranquility Base]

5 minutes ago, basor said:

 There was no printed daily activity sheet so had to write down from TV the time/place of things we wanted to do during the day (or carry the phone around to find on App - which didn't work 1/2 the time).

I agree, that is not good.

Was it a case of the printed sheet not available at all, or still available but by request ?

[ToxM]

 I wonder what percentage of those wanting an O app are cruisers who haven't been on O before? 

 

There really isn’t a lot to put in an app, the need to book activities (apart from spa, trips, specialities etc) don’t really present themselves. Anything that could be booked via an app you will have booked in advance anyway. 

 

The beauty of O is that it’s pretty laid back. 

 

You all need to chill and have a Big O.

 

I realise if you haven’t cruised on O before it can be difficult to envisage just not stressing about things that you may have had to on X or other lines, but you don’t have to. 

 

An app with Currents on it and maybe GDR and Terrace lunch and dinner would be nice, but I don’t think O needs an app.

 

Before anyone shouts at me, I work online and have done for the last 20 years, I am as online as one can get.  

 

 

 

 

[Ray4Fun]

1 hour ago, Woodrowst said:

If you can do so without rolling your eyes, could you explain to those of us who are not digital natives why an app is important?  What would you want to do with it that cannot be done otherwise?  Inquiring minds want to know ☺️

 

HI,, I get it, We always look at the "patter". OK first cruise 500 years ago was P and that name. In no order.

If your paper folks,, WAY cool.  The app is just another tool to utilize.

 

1. We can order drinks and or food from it.

2. At a glance we can review what is happening, both of us even from different locations.

3. We can book excursions from the pool deck.

4. Check our balance from that same pol deck.

5. Find that bar we always wanted to go to but could not find (toooo drunk 🙂 ).

6. View Itenary.

7 Text your fellow family and friends who are onboard with you. 

 

What I am agreeing with is old fashioned paper doc is good to have. Yes we enjoy reading it at night before bed. Paper doc is a nice planning tool.  

 

We utilize that APP during the day. FYI,, We take our phones with us 99.99% of the time. Our focus with the phone is for taking pictures of our trip. After we return they are uploaded for our viewing enjoyment. 

 

Have a blessed Labour day weekend. Remember why we celebrate.  

 

 

[basor]

1 minute ago, Ray4Fun said:

 

HI,, I get it, We always look at the "patter". OK first cruise 500 years ago was P and that name. In no order.

If your paper folks,, WAY cool.  The app is just another tool to utilize.

 

1. We can order drinks and or food from it.

2. At a glance we can review what is happening, both of us even from different locations.

3. We can book excursions from the pool deck.

4. Check our balance from that same pol deck.

5. Find that bar we always wanted to go to but could not find (toooo drunk 🙂 ).

6. View Itenary.

7 Text your fellow family and friends who are onboard with you. 

 

What I am agreeing with is old fashioned paper doc is good to have. Yes we enjoy reading it at night before bed. Paper doc is a nice planning tool.  

 

We utilize that APP during the day. FYI,, We take our phones with us 99.99% of the time. Our focus with the phone is for taking pictures of our trip. After we return they are uploaded for our viewing enjoyment. 

 

Have a blessed Labour day weekend. Remember why we celebrate.  

 

 

All good if it works but it did not work over 1/2 the time our first few days so gave up....also for those of us "eye challenged", trying to read anything on our small IPhones is difficult.  We would have been fine if there was the old fashioned "printed daily" that we could have requested to be delivered.  O ships are so small that bars and food are no more than 15 steps away and lots of servers happy to bring you anything you want, finding any place is easy since they are only 2-3 decks up or down - I think ToxM is right, if you have only cruised on a Mega ship then a working app might have some advantages.  When O creates an App for those that want it, great - just keep my Currents on my bed at night (by request is fine).

[ToxM]

13 minutes ago, Ray4Fun said:

 

HI,, I get it, We always look at the "patter". OK first cruise 500 years ago was P and that name. In no order.

If your paper folks,, WAY cool.  The app is just another tool to utilize.

 

1. We can order drinks and or food from it.

2. At a glance we can review what is happening, both of us even from different locations.

3. We can book excursions from the pool deck.

4. Check our balance from that same pol deck.

5. Find that bar we always wanted to go to but could not find (toooo drunk 🙂 ).

6. View Itenary.

7 Text your fellow family and friends who are onboard with you. 

 

What I am agreeing with is old fashioned paper doc is good to have. Yes we enjoy reading it at night before bed. Paper doc is a nice planning tool.  

 

We utilize that APP during the day. FYI,, We take our phones with us 99.99% of the time. Our focus with the phone is for taking pictures of our trip. After we return they are uploaded for our viewing enjoyment. 

 

Have a blessed Labour day weekend. Remember why we celebrate.  

 

 

 

No need to order food and drink from an app on O - someone is hovering to help. 

There’s not a lot of finding to do on an O ship 🙂 the beauty of the line is that the ships arent big. 

 

I have my phone with me all the time, I hog the internet on a cruise, I post pics all over social media all the time whilst on a cruise. I am sure if I was ever on a mega ship an app would be great. If they bring one out for O than cool, don’t expect to be able to order a drink or book an excursion from it 🙂

[Snaefell3]

1 hour ago, Woodrowst said:

If you can do so without rolling your eyes, could you explain to those of us who are not digital natives why an app is important?  What would you want to do with it that cannot be done otherwise?  Inquiring minds want to know ☺️

As I said above, I liked on [mumble] the ability to see each nights MDR menu for the entire voyage.  That much info wouldn't be practical to present on the TV.

 

...and I'm already carrying my library -- err, smartphone -- loaded with ebooks going back to 1999.

[Ray4Fun]

I like your story. Remember we are O Virgins. 

[Snaefell3]

12 minutes ago, basor said:

also for those of us "eye challenged", trying to read anything on our small IPhones is difficult.

A whisper from a fellow eye-challenged:  You can adjust the font size, no? 😉

[ToxM]

3 minutes ago, Ray4Fun said:

I like your story. Remember we are O Virgins. 

Exactly!

 

Your experience of cruising is about to have a paradigm change. 

 

So maybe, and please don’t take this the wrong way, but maybe the best way to experience O when you travel on it is to experience it as it is … rather than explain why it should be like the line you just travelled on, before you even travel on it… 

 

 

[basor]

Just now, Snaefell3 said:

A whisper from a fellow eye-challenged:  You can adjust the font size, no? 😉

Already do that but , my phone is the small 12 and when the font size is bigger than I can only see a small part of the page......I use my laptop for almost everything and my phone for calls, pictures, text and emails...each of us do what works for us!  My work requires using IT all day so not a newbie to this.   My DH does not even own a smart phone.  Thanks for the help, though😉

[shepherd really]

48 minutes ago, basor said:

Already do that but , my phone is the small 12 and when the font size is bigger than I can only see a small part of the page......I use my laptop for almost everything and my phone for calls, pictures, text and emails...each of us do what works for us!  My work requires using IT all day so not a newbie to this.   My DH does not even own a smart phone.  Thanks for the help, though😉

I've regretted buying the iPhone mini for exactly that reason.  "It fits in my pocket" turned out to be a poor reason to purchase it.  I don't need glasses. I just need a bigger phone  😎.