Each cruise line has an app, however Royal Caribbean’s is by far the very best one within the business proper now.
Everytime you’re evaluating apps, it is a subjective train. However I feel Royal Caribbean’s is so a lot better due to what number of options they’ve rolled into it.
Whereas the app has existed in varied varieties since 2017, a renewed focus and push to make the app actually helpful started in 2020 and has continued to in the present day.
It is not an ideal app, however I feel a few of the options added over the past two years have actually stood out from different traces. And that is given the app separation from the pack, given how different cruise line apps lack so a lot of this performance.
Royal Caribbean’s app is free to obtain for Apple and Android customers – and it’s shortly grow to be a must have for cruising.
From a streamlined onboarding course of to bettering the onboard cruise expertise, right here’s why Royal Caribbean’s app has grow to be the gold commonplace of cruise expertise.
1. Really easy to plan all the things earlier than the cruise begins
One of many key options that units Royal Caribbean’s app aside is its performance previous to even stepping onboard your cruise ship.
Earlier than your trip begins, you should utilize the Royal Caribbean app to plan excursions, buy web, reserve specialty eating and purchase drink packages. This implies you do not want to go surfing to the cruise planner, as a substitute using the app for fast purchases. This lets you plan extra conveniently out of your cellphone, comparable to while you’re on the go and away out of your laptop.
As compared, I discover Norwegian Cruise Line’s app nugatory earlier than you sail onboard. Even with a latest refresh, many report fixed glitches and freezing with trying to pre-cruise plan.
Moreover, Carnival Cruise Line’s app solely redirects you from the app to the browser on-line for pre-boarding planning, making the app really feel much less practical.
2. A digital security drill is contained in the app
Embarkation day has enormously improved due to the eMuster with Royal Caribbean’s app.
Maybe one of many least elements of cruising, all cruise passengers are required to finish a security briefing underneath legislation earlier than the ship can set sail. Gone are the times of crowding onto the promenade deck within the scorching warmth for the necessary muster drill. This painful security drill by no means felt like the easiest way to begin your trip.
Royal Caribbean revolutionized the best way muster drills are performed by incorporating the drill into its app. to Now, company watch the pre-cruise security video, hear the emergency horn sound and settle for security tips on Royal Caribbean’s app.
Friends can full the protection briefing at their comfort now, so long as all necessities are accomplished by a sure time on embarkation day (normally within the late afternoon). You must go to your muster station in particular person as soon as onboard, however you have got a timeframe to finish this step.
3. It will possibly get you into your cabin
A few of Royal Caribbean’s latest cruise ships enable company to unlock their staterooms with a digital key via the app. For instance, Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas and Icon of the Seas, enable company to make use of the app to unlock their stateroom. Though this performance has been accessible within the lodge business for some time, Royal Caribbean is likely one of the first cruise traces to combine this expertise.
The digital key setup is easy and solely requires three steps earlier than you can begin utilizing the app in your stateroom key. This implies you don’t have to fumble round a seaside bag on the lookout for your SeaPass card.
Additionally, some new ships enable company to make use of the Royal Caribbean app of their stateroom. It’s also possible to use the Royal Caribbean app to regulate the stateroom TV, together with streaming content material out of your cellphone on to the TV. As well as, you may management the room temperature, lights and curtains in some staterooms.
4. Going “curb to bar” shortly
Boarding day could be hectic no matter which cruise line you’re crusing with. Fortunately, Royal Caribbean’s app supplies easy accessibility to check-in, add safety pictures, full the well being questionnaire, scan your passport photograph and generate a cellular boarding go. It’s also possible to choose your arrival occasions for embarkation.
When you’re on the terminal for cruising, you may proceed accessing your boarding go throughout the app or obtain the go to your cellphone’s pockets.
In contrast to Carnival Cruise Line, which nonetheless requires company to print their boarding passes for embarkation day, Royal Caribbean’s app is way more handy on this manner.
5. Free chatting onboard
One other main perk of Royal Caribbean’s app is having the ability to chat with different company throughout your cruise – without spending a dime! Beginning in January 2023, Royal Caribbean introduced that every one company might use the chat characteristic on its app as a complimentary perk transferring ahead.
This permits for simple communication onboard the ship, particularly while you’re at sea and away from cell service. In spite of everything, web on a cruise ship continues to be very costly. Friends can chat with their journey group with no need to buy web entry. On choose ships, company may also chat with Visitor Providers via the app, avoiding lengthy traces on the desk
Different cruise traces, together with each Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line, cost every visitor to entry onboard chat whereas cruising. Carnival Cruise Line prices $5 per particular person to make use of their HUB app’s chat characteristic.
6. Future cruise planning
Not solely does Royal Caribbean’s app present an enhanced onboard expertise, however you can too e-book future holidays! One of many newer options of Royal Caribbean’s app is the power to plan a future cruise instantly in your cellphone. With a brand new search performance, potential cruisers can simply search for their subsequent cruise trip.
This characteristic makes it straightforward to plan your subsequent cruise instantly out of your cellphone, avoiding the necessity to navigate a browser. You may even buy present playing cards within the app in your future cruise and have your new reservation booked with only a few clicks.
For those who’re crusing on a Royal Caribbean cruise, you can too make the most of NextCruise offers with no need to go to the workplace on the ship. There is no higher method to recover from the post-cruise blues than reserving your subsequent crusing earlier than disembarking!
7. See your pictures with out the group
Bear in mind when cruise traces would print out each photograph taken and show them in a gallery every night? Whereas some older vessels nonetheless use conventional photograph galleries, Royal Caribbean’s app integrates digital photograph capabilities in your crusing. The app supplies extraordinarily easy accessibility to your skilled pictures taken throughout your cruise.
Whereas onboard, you’ll present the photographer together with your stateroom quantity after pictures are taken. It will hyperlink the digital pictures on to your profile, which is accessible in your Royal Caribbean app. You may view the entire pictures you’ve taken, together with downloading and buying pictures on the app. Now, you don’t have to waste time combing via lots of of pictures of strangers to seek out your photos!
8. Handle your loyalty standing
Royal Caribbean’s loyalty program – the Crown and Anchor Society – can also be accessible within the cruise line’s app for all loyalty members. Contemplating Royal Caribbean has among the finest rewards program for loyal cruisers, it is essential to maintain monitor of what number of factors you have got and the advantages you are entitled to.
First, cruisers can now enroll within the Crown and Anchor Society although Royal Caribbean’s app. This characteristic makes enrollment fast and handy for newer cruisers. Instantly in your cellphone, you can too view your present loyalty tier and related advantages for the Crown and Anchor Society. The app additionally shows your complete cruise factors and variety of cruise nights for fast entry, so you may keep up-to-date in your standing.
9. E book eating places with a couple of clicks
One of many largest highlights of cruising with Royal Caribbean is having so many eating choices to select from, together with each complimentary and specialty eating places. Nonetheless, the bigger the cruise ship, the extra essential it’s to plan your eating reservations prematurely. With extra company vying for reservations on the eating places onboard, ready till the final minute for making specialty eating reservations isn’t an excellent technique.
The Royal Caribbean app means that you can browse onboard eating places, reserve specialty eating, and schedule My Time Eating reservations. This may be particularly useful for these desirous to keep away from a protracted line for My Time Eating in the principle eating room every evening.
Those that buy a eating package deal, such because the Final Eating Package deal, may also reserve all eating places in Royal Caribbean’s app as properly. This newest replace has been a highly-anticipated change, as many cruisers scrambled to make reservations on embarkation day.
10. Try all the things taking place onboard
Earlier than Royal Caribbean launched its app, the cruise line handed out each day schedules, referred to as the Cruise Compass. With the inception of the app, Royal Caribbean has basically ditched the bodily Cruise Compass (until company request one particularly) for its digital platform. The app means that you can browse each day actions, headliner showtimes, themed events and extra.
With Royal Caribbean’s app, company are empowered to handle their cruise experiences and each day onboard actions. Cruisers can bookmark sure actions to create a customized, customized schedule for every day. The app additionally sends 15-minute reminders in your bookmarked occasions, guaranteeing you gained’t miss a factor.
11. See the menus to determine the place you wish to eat
Whereas it might seem to be a small element, I like that I can see the menu within the Principal Eating Room for day by day of the cruise prematurely.
As a substitute of getting to attend to see the menu till you present up, you may entry every menu at some point of your crusing.
The benefit right here is having the ability to plan out while you wish to skip the principle eating room and e-book specialty eating places as a substitute. For example, I plan to e-book our specialty eating on the evenings when the principle eating room menus are much less interesting. However, nobody desires to overlook lobster evening within the eating room!
Though Carnival Cruise Line has the identical characteristic for his or her app, Norwegian Cruise Line does doesn’t present nightly menus for his or her important eating room of their app. As a substitute, the night menu is barely accessible for viewing outdoors the restaurant, posted within the afternoon on the identical day. This isn’t an enormous situation, however it’s a nuisance!
12. E book flights
One other characteristic that differentiates Royal Caribbean’s app from opponents is the power to e-book flights in your upcoming sailings. Royal Caribbean’s app has a brand new characteristic to e-book flights instantly of their app. The app additionally contains choices for exploring transportation and lodging, although these redirect customers to a web based browser.
Air2Sea means that you can e-book flights in your cruise via Royal Caribbean. This supplies further help if points come up together with your journey, which could be useful should you encounter surprising journey challenges tying to get to and from the cruise port.