Navigator App Messaging ?

[picklepantshouse]

Taking our first cruise on the Wonder to Alaska. We will be meeting family onboard and they want to watch our kids board and get announced. Will the Navigator App work in the terminal at Canada Place before boarding to alert them when we will be actually boarding? It is international roaming so we don't want to use phones to text.
Secondly, is the Wave phone still the only means for the Oceaneer Club to communicate with parents or can they use the messaging feature on the App?

Thanks.

 

[kiford]

No, the Navigator app only works when you're connected to the ship's wifi and you can only do that on board. While I've not been in Canada Place, we tried to connect to the ship's wifi when sitting in the port terminal at PC waiting to reboard on a B2B and you can't connect from that distance.

I would imagine that they can also use the Navigator app messaging as long as they have a wifi capable device with them.

 

[missyp]

I did Alaska last summer and were able to connect to the ship's wifi in the terminal. We started using the app and looking at menus and navigators an connecting with each other through our phones. I do not have little kids I have teens, so I cannot answer your second question. We didn't use the wave phones at all, only the app on our phones. No roaming charges on board or in the terminal we had our phones in airplane mode

 

[anricat]

I can't speak to Canada Place, but we weren't able to use it in POM. However, even if it works, here's the rub, if you aren't staying in the same stateroom as someone, you have to exchange codes in order to send messages. So you have to do set it up face to face.

 

[anricat]

Oh, I forgot to answer your second question. The Oceaneer Club/Lab still uses the Wave phones (bummer). I don't know how old your child is, but we gave our 7 year old an old iPhone and loaded the Navigator app on it and she sent us a message when she was ready to be picked up.

 

[DHSbutcher]

This is the first I'm hearing about navigator app messaging, is this available on the magic?? and is it free?

 

[anricat]

This is the first I'm hearing about navigator app messaging, is this available on the magic?? and is it free?

Yes and yes. We found it worked quite well when we were onboard the Magic in October. Just make sure you download the Disney Cruise Line app prior to embarking.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think it's on all ships. It uses free wifi exclusively (it won't accidentally connect to the paid wifi and charge you).

Op my then 9 then 10 year old used his old phone with no SIM. Downloaded the app and he carried it with him to the Lab. There can be a delay in receiving messages so make sure the kids get that, but otherwise it's a great option for kids who are old enough.

 

[DHSbutcher]

Yes and yes. We found it worked quite well when we were onboard the Magic in October. Just make sure you download the Disney Cruise Line app prior to embarking.

Wow!! Fantastic!! I think last time we sailed there was no navigator app onboard so this will be quite the change. Its about time! We will eb on the magic in may for the EBTA so this will be great to communicate with

 

[Seamama]

Pretty sure I remember connecting to the ship's WiFi while still in the terminal at Canada Place. But only when we were close enough we could actually see the ship.

Messaging App is awesome! We put it on the kids' iPods, besides on our iPhones. We did see the occasional delivery delay so have a backup plan to reconnect w/ kids if you're not getting messages. In particular, we were not getting messages when on Decks 9-10. We were practicing independence and responsibility w/ our kid and let him leave us on Deck 9 and go to the Edge on his own, where he was supposed to message me when he got there... but never did. I went to go find him and he swore he'd messaged me. I look at his iPod and there was a whole string of messages he'd sent but I didn't get... which now what I was off Deck 9 started coming in to my phone. So another lesson: don't get mad at your kid for not messaging until you check the evidence

Anyway, it worked great for our daughter to message us when she was in the kids clubs and wanted to leave. Of course kids can always ask a CM to call their parents on a WavePhone, but we all liked she didn't have to bother w/ that. She brought her iPod in a little purse and at least half the time the CMs would ask what was in there and when we said an iPod they did try to discourage bringing it in (probably for concerns over it getting broken or taken) but they didn't resist when we gently said we'd like her to keep it. She's very responsible (and likes to act like mommy) and carries her purse at all times.

One last thing- the CM's don't use the App, so if they need to reach you, they'll still be calling your WavePhone. We didn't realize that till the cruise was almost over! Of course, it doesn't matter unless there's an emergency but you never know. So next time we'll be carrying around the WavePhone when the kids are in the clubs. (I'm one of those "worst case scenario" people, so worst case to me is my kid has a medical emergency and it's so bad she can't message me on her iPod and CM's don't know her password so can't get in to message me, either. All very unlikely, I know, but it'll relieve my mind of that potential problem by simply carrying the WavePhone.)

 

[Steve Dexter]

The messaging feature of the app is definitely getting better, and I love it. It's so nice to be able to just use your own device. We just got off the Wonder, it was the 3rd cruise where the messaging was available. Back when it was new, some on the messages just didn't go through. That never happened on our last cruise, and in fact we grew to depend on it and it worked great. I can't even imagine carrying around those wave phones, would never do it. They are huge, old, gross, and are just so incredibly low tech. I feel sorry for the crew that have to use those nasty things.

 

[missyp]

When we got off the ship in Canada Place we went out for a late lunch nearby and hung around the port area. We watched the next sailing pull away. Initially we were still able to connect to the ship's app and it was a very sad moment when we were cut off. It was even sadder watching them sail away

 

[kelseyledare]

Testing with the Navigator App is waaaayyy better than using the wave phones. Those are awfully out of date and hard to use.