Anyone else NOT excited about the new navigator and chat?

[ocspartan]

I don't know what the issue is? Nobody is making you use it. There will still be paper Navigators.

agree... it's an added feature, if you weren't planning on using the app anyways b/c you've "disconnected" what's the difference??

for me personally I love it and can't wait for it... Just think before just to walk around the ship you'd have to carry:
- a Navigator (to keep organized or remember what time that character meet is at)
- A camera (for those random pictures that end up hanging on the wall forever)
- Wave Phone (to keep in contact with others in your party)

now you can just carry your iphone... simple what can be wrong with that...

and as far as being disconnected, if you're using your phone just for the app you're still disconnected from the rest of the world but it helps keep your family a bit more connected onboard.

All in all it's a new feature where's the bad part of this?

 

[stitchlovestink]

I dunno, I have more problems getting my teenagers to stop talking. LOL!

Me Too!! I have one that just goes on and on and on....like the energizer bunny!

In total agreement. We have a little ceremony when we shut them all off and lock them away in the safe. We love being disconnected. I don't want that to end.

Keep your ceremony then. No one is forcing anyone to use it!

sorry, I did not mean my kid at the table, my kid does not have a phone and wont for a long time, but it is just seeing people in restaraunts with everyone sitting there texting and no one talking. I always enjoy watching families by the end of cruises, it is an interesing phenomenon, either everyone hates each other because of the togetherness, OR they realize that they actually get along and that mom and dad are not the dumbest people on the planet!

By day 2 teenagers can make a lot of friends on the Mickey Ship!!!

We may continue to be unplugged.... We will see

Why are you so concerned with what other people are doing? It's a texting app so it's not like a conversation on a phone where you would potentially have to listen to one side...
Seems people need to mind their own business when it comes to what others are doing. Someone else using the app is not going to affect you.

I don't know what the issue is? Nobody is making you use it. There will still be paper Navigators.

EXACTLY!!

I'm neither excited nor not excited about the app.

We still only have a cell phone for making phone calls, when necessary, so it gets turned off and put in the safe for the duration. And we only check our e-mails every 2 or 3 days.

The issue I have with the app is where previously we were allowed to take photos in the WDT during performances as long as you didn't use the flash, with the advent of digital cameras and the video displays on them causing much irritation and distraction during performances, cameras/photos are now not allowed in the theatre.

So, now we have an app that means there are random video displays being turned on/viewed and distracting all over the ship, including during performances in the theatre.

I just don't get why it's so important that everyone have immediate contact with others in their party at all times. If you need to know what each other is doing, why not just hang with them at all times? Or just say "I'll see you after (whatever)".

My $.02 worth.

Maybe because it is SO MUCH easier to meet up. I don't have to go back and use a stupid dry erase board or post its. Or if my plans change, I can inform my fellow travelers. We do not do the "see you after" game. That doesn't work for us. But it maybe work very well for another group. This is a new option and is not required but will be great for some groups.
Me? I don't check my email at all!!

agree... it's an added feature, if you weren't planning on using the app anyways b/c you've "disconnected" what's the difference??

for me personally I love it and can't wait for it... Just think before just to walk around the ship you'd have to carry:
- a Navigator (to keep organized or remember what time that character meet is at)
- A camera (for those random pictures that end up hanging on the wall forever)
- Wave Phone (to keep in contact with others in your party)

now you can just carry your iphone... simple what can be wrong with that...

and as far as being disconnected, if you're using your phone just for the app you're still disconnected from the rest of the world but it helps keep your family a bit more connected onboard.

All in all it's a new feature where's the bad part of this?

I AGREE 110%
NO One is being forced to use it.

 

[macfather]

In total agreement. We have a little ceremony when we shut them all off and lock them away in the safe. We love being disconnected. I don't want that to end.

This is exactly how I feel.

 

[Michellynn]

Why are you so concerned with what other people are doing? It's a texting app so it's not like a conversation on a phone where you would potentially have to listen to one side...
Seems people need to mind their own business when it comes to what others are doing. Someone else using the app is not going to affect you.

Maybe because it is SO MUCH easier to meet up. I don't have to go back and use a stupid dry erase board or post its. Or if my plans change, I can inform my fellow travelers. We do not do the "see you after" game. That doesn't work for us. But it maybe work very well for another group. This is a new option and is not required but will be great for some groups.
Me? I don't check my email at all!!

NO One is being forced to use it.

I agree. It is a choice for each group to choose to use it or not. Not sure why it matters whether someone else is using it, to the group that is choosing not to use it.

As for me...very happy about it. I would like the freedom to change what I am doing, and be able to easily let the other portions of my party know I have changed plans without having to meet up or run to a whiteboard, etc. What a waste of time, IMO. This lets us all go with the flow while keeping everyone else up to date so they are also not wasting time waiting around for us somewhere. Groups aren't going to be in each other's pockets the whole entire cruise...sometimes you have to run somewhere on your own...and it is just nice to be able to let the rest of the group know if something is holding you up (unexpected lines at a gift shop or event, etc.) and you can easily say..."held up...don't wait..I'll meet you at x place instead".

Also, I agree with the comment about the convenience of just carrying my own phone at times. No extra wave phone to worry about carrying or losing.

 

[MousseauMob]

If you have children who have been given freedom onboard, it is definitely beneficial for them to be able to contact you. The kids let us know when they are leaving the club, arrive at the room, if they would like to do something other than what was discussed like get a snack on deck or go to a movie. It is part of them learning responsibility. It's no different than the wave phone that lights up when you get or send a message.

Agree! This is why we use it.

Does anyone know if the app can text a wave phone? DS and I have smart phones but DD doesn't, if the app can text a wave phone it saves us getting a 3rd wave phone for her to check in.

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

I think I'm in the "torn" camp until I see how it works and how others use it as well. I totally agree - it's a great thing as far as the technology goes and for that I think it's awesome.

My reservations about it - I'm assuming that phones will be ringing and text tones going off pretty often whereas the Wave phones were silent. Someone pointed out to me a concern I didn't think of at first, how with DCL handle phones going off during the shows? If it's not controlled in some way there could potentially be phones glaring throughout the show and phones ringing from texts but perhaps that's on the exaggerated end of things - lol. I'm sure DCL would make an announcement to silent phones as a courtesy to other guests. I think more people will use their own phones compared to the wave phones so I think we'll just have to see how it goes.

At the end of the day, I do think it's a good thing even though we very rarely used the wave phones.

Heather

 

[storknurse13]

The nice thing about it is you don't have to use it if you don't want to! Wave phones will be readily available!!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I think I'm in the "torn" camp until I see how it works and how others use it as well. I totally agree - it's a great thing as far as the technology goes and for that I think it's awesome.

My reservations about it - I'm assuming that phones will be ringing and text tones going off pretty often whereas the Wave phones were silent. Someone pointed out to me a concern I didn't think of at first, how with DCL handle phones going off during the shows? If it's not controlled in some way there could potentially be phones glaring throughout the show and phones ringing from texts but perhaps that's on the exaggerated end of things - lol. I'm sure DCL would make an announcement to silent phones as a courtesy to other guests. I think more people will use their own phones compared to the wave phones so I think we'll just have to see how it goes.

At the end of the day, I do think it's a good thing even though we very rarely used the wave phones.

Heather

Not real exaggerated. On our recent cruise the woman next to me was pulling out her phone and texting someone every couple of minutes during the show. Yes, there was no ring, so I'm thinking she had the ring turned off, but the screen lighting up so often during the show was distracting. There was no announcement to silence personal phones at the shows.

 

[dryvithome]

I'm not too excited about it and probably won't use it. It would be easier to text from a phone you're used to rather than trying to use the wavephone, for those that aren't used to an old phone setup. That being said, I don't want to have to keep my phone on me. I don't like carrying the wave phone either. I go on vacation to disconnect, not to stay in touch.

I also am interested in seeing if thefts will start being reported when people leave their expensive phones laying around on accident. Or if they start getting dropped in the pool without a waterproof case. One worry that I won't have!

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

Not real exaggerated. On our recent cruise the woman next to me was pulling out her phone and texting someone every couple of minutes during the show. Yes, there was no ring, so I'm thinking she had the ring turned off, but the screen lighting up so often during the show was distracting. There was no announcement to silence personal phones at the shows.

Yikes - you've already experienced it, lol. I'm going to remain positive that the majority will use good judgment and DCL will "adjust" as needed as well. Yeah, that's what I'm going with

Heather

 

[MsJiminyCricket]

Of course it's a choice you have to make. However, with this new ability, people who didn't carry cell phones before may not choose to because it's available. If it were just about the texting others in the party, I wouldn't care if my whole family had it - that would be fine. But the fact that you can now use your own cell to do it doesn't just add the onboard texting...it adds candy crush, picture apps, and anything else that takes away from being together.

Before I get flamed from the posters telling me that I shouldn't do it if I feel this way and what do I care what other people do...I'll remind you that the OP asked if anyone else wasn't thrilled about this new capability and I answered.

 

[Zandy595]

You are not getting free use of the internet on the DCL Navigator app. This is totally separate from the data plans you have to pay for. There's no candy crush, unless you pay for it.

 

[MC0810]

I understand what many are saying about being on a cruise is nice because you get to relax without distractions of phones and internet during shows and dinner. . BUT..times are changing, and I Guarantee within the next 5-10 years this will be the norm on most all cruise lines in regards to being able to use your phones onboard. The No Phones cruise vacation will be a thing of the past very shortly unfortunately....I think the app is really cool, but I know it comes with a price too.