Disney Cruise Line App -- Reliable?

[MickeyMinnieMom]

First cruise departing next Sat!!!

Have you all found the DCL app to be reliable??

• How about for the texting feature specifically? Trying to figure out how much we should really count on that to be in touch with the kids while on board...
• How about for the maps/location on the ship?

Thanks!!!

 

[Spart02]

We were on the Fantasy last week and had great luck with the app. The only issue we had was that we needed to restart the app several times a day b/c we would go "offline" and then we couldn't send or receive messages. If you were aware of that, a simple restart would work and it was a great way for us to communicate with each other (7 in our group total). You could "heart" the activities you wanted to do and then if you allow for notifications in the app, it would send you reminders about your activity. We also enjoyed looking at the menus. I didn't personally use the maps, but I'm sure they are useful as well.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

We were on the Fantasy last week and had great luck with the app. The only issue we had was that we needed to restart the app several times a day b/c we would go "offline" and then we couldn't send or receive messages. If you were aware of that, a simple restart would work and it was a great way for us to communicate with each other (7 in our group total). You could "heart" the activities you wanted to do and then if you allow for notifications in the app, it would send you reminders about your activity. We also enjoyed looking at the menus. I didn't personally use the maps, but I'm sure they are useful as well.

Very cool -- thanks!! So every now and then, restart the app, then? I'll remember that!! Makes me worry a bit that the kids could try to reach us and not be able to, though...

 

[squirk]

How about for the texting feature specifically? Trying to figure out how much we should really count on that to be in touch with the kids while on board...

I had a problem last May where, several times, I would send my son a text and he never got it. And there was no way for me to know it wasn't delivered. So I would be texting him several times with no response, and not know what the problem was. Eventually, I had to have him paged at Vibe to get a hold of him, which was aggravating for me and no doubt mortifying for him.

The only issue we had was that we needed to restart the app several times a day b/c we would go "offline" and then we couldn't send or receive messages. If you were aware of that, a simple restart would work and it was a great way for us to communicate with each other (7 in our group total).

See, I find that completely unacceptable, especially after all this time (again, I had the same issue almost a year ago) and especially when DCL knows that this feature is used to keep tabs on your kids. Even when not on a cruise ship, any app that has to be restarted several times a day to perform its primary function has something seriously wrong with it.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I had a problem last May where, several times, I would send my son a text and he never got it. And there was no way for me to know it wasn't delivered. So I would be texting him several times with no response, and not know what the problem was. Eventually, I had to have him paged at Vibe to get a hold of him, which was aggravating for me and no doubt mortifying for him.



See, I find that completely unacceptable, especially after all this time (again, I had the same issue almost a year ago) and especially when DCL knows that this feature is used to keep tabs on your kids. Even when not on a cruise ship, any app that has to be restarted several times a day to perform its primary function has something seriously wrong with it.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Is it better to use the wave phones I've heard about, then, do you think?? :-/

 

[squirk]

Thanks for sharing your experience! Is it better to use the wave phones I've heard about, then, do you think?? :-/

I cannot say what is "better". The wave phones are horribly antiquated; texting is a huge PITA and the phones don't offer any of the other features the app does. Other than the inability to place voice calls, the app is superior in every way - when it works.

I thought this "disconnected app" issue had long been resolved until I saw @Spart02's post. As it stands, I would be uncomfortable relying solely on the app to get a hold of one of my kids if I really needed to.

I mean, is everyone using the app supposed to remember to restart it every hour or so just in case they are disconnected? That's asinine. Whoever was in charge of this Navigator app project failed utterly with regard to texting.

 

[c todd]

I thought overall the app worked really well but there were times that the wifi signal was not available. It would tell you in app that the wifi wasn't working with a yellow banner (you could still access info in the app) but if you needed it to reach your child that moment when there was no wifi, then that could be a problem. When it did have signal, the texting worked just as quickly as a typical text.

 

[squirk]

I thought overall the app worked really well but there were times that the wifi signal was not available. It would tell you in app that the wifi wasn't working with a yellow banner (you could still access info in the app) but if you needed it to reach your child that moment when there was no wifi, then that could be a problem. When it did have signal, the texting worked just as quickly as a typical text.

The issue I've seen posted in the past, and the one I had as well, was not one of weak Wi-Fi. Even with several "bars" of Wi-Fi, the texting portion of the app would just disconnect, as @Spart02 put it, and there was no notification to either sender or receiver that there was a message and/or that the delivery had failed.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

It does seem pretty bad that Disney bills this as a way to keep in touch yet it isn't completely reliable -- especially when they know many will use it to keep in touch with their kids.

So is the most reliable to just use regular cell phone calls/service?? From the DCL website it looks like I would need to contact my cell carrier... guess it's time to check with AT&T!?

 

[squirk]

It does seem pretty bad that Disney bills this as a way to keep in touch yet it isn't completely reliable -- especially when they know many will use it to keep in touch with their kids.

Couldn't agree more.

So is the most reliable to just use regular cell phone calls/service?? From the DCL website it looks like I would need to contact my cell carrier... guess it's time to check with AT&T!?

No, just use the wave phones. They are reliable and free, if not the bleeding edge in technology.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

No, just use the wave phones. They are reliable and free, if not the bleeding edge in technology.

Ah, ok -- so at least they are reliable for calls, though! I can just see it... We each carry everything around, text first, then call with the wave phone when that doesn't work! Feels like they should be able to do better... :-/

Helps IMMENSELY to hear everyone's experiences --

 

[squirk]

I can just see it... We each carry everything around, text first, then call with the wave phone when that doesn't work!

Yes, I think that's where we are right now. How much time will be wasted sending text after text, waiting for replies before you realize the other person is disconnected, and you need to call them? Ridiculous.

You can text on the wave phones, but it's that 1990's-era T9 predictive input thing.

 

[TeaBee]

First cruise departing next Sat!!!

Have you all found the DCL app to be reliable??

• How about for the texting feature specifically? Trying to figure out how much we should really count on that to be in touch with the kids while on board...
• How about for the maps/location on the ship?

Thanks!!!

We didn't have any problems with the DCL app on the Dream and used it to keep in touch with the kids in both Vibe and the Oceaneer's Club.

 

[David Federico]

I thought overall the app worked really well but there were times that the wifi signal was not available.

 

[Quellman]

Never had an issue with on board messaging, using the maps, or looking at events and the menus. The only dead spot I found was on Castaway Cay near the start line for the 5k (The Everything Too and the New Frozen Drink stand area).

 

[jennine]

The app worked great for our family to keep in touch. We couldn't seem to get a wave phone that would hold a charge longer than half an hour!

 

[Justin91]

Has anyone used two way radios or walkie talkies successfully on the trips? We have considered this for our trip. Are they even allowed on the ships?

 

[c todd]

I doubt they would well in the huge metal ship. The wave phones work well if you want to talk.

 

[chunkymonkey]

The app worked terribly on the Magic last year in terms of texting, but this Feb on the Fantasy we noticed it has vastly improved. The only thing as some people had mentioned is that you may have to close out of the app and reopen it to "refresh" some of your messages. We only did this if we haven't been on the app for a few hours and/or were expecting a message and hadn't received it yet. I did it about 2-3x a day and we texted quite a bit. I wish it was a bit more reliable but it's a small price to pay for the ability to keep in contact with people in your party. I didn't like carrying the wave phone because they were just too clunky and I didn't always carry a bag with me.

BTW, the Navigator texting app has these cool emojis!

Yes we were 3 adults texting each other Disney/Star Wars emojis all day....

 

[cantontrebor]

We sailed on the Disney Magic 5 weeks ago. We found the app texting feature to be much improved versus our trip in 2015. We had no problems communicating with our daughter.