Just out of curiosity...

[QueenofKrakatoa]

Has anyone tried playing Pokemon Go on the ships? We play it with our kids and wondered if any of you other families have been able to do it.

[awestover89]

Haven't been on a ship since the game released but my understanding was it requires an actual cell tower signal, wifi and satellite signals wouldn't allow the GPS to work properly. They also tend to only work in more crowded/populated locations, at least here in Alaska. People out in the bush pretty much never get any Pokemon to spawn without incense, while in the city they are constantly appearing. The ship may be too isolated for anything to pop up.

[QueenofKrakatoa]

Haven't been on a ship since the game released but my understanding was it requires an actual cell tower signal, wifi and satellite signals wouldn't allow the GPS to work properly. They also tend to only work in more crowded/populated locations, at least here in Alaska. People out in the bush pretty much never get any Pokemon to spawn without incense, while in the city they are constantly appearing. The ship may be too isolated for anything to pop up.

 

That's kind of what I figured. Oh well, my kids can live without catching Pokemon for a week on our upcoming cruise, but we'll be in Alaska, so maybe in the ports.

[swoopy2110]

:D

 

Good thought. I wonder how many pokemon are actually planet out in the middle of the ocean though. You'd be able to hatch a shed load of eggs wandering round the ship constantly though!

Edited August 4, 2016 by swoopy2110

[QueenofKrakatoa]

:D

 

Good thought. I wonder how many pokemon are actually planet out in the middle of the ocean though. You'd be able to hatch a shed load of eggs wandering round the ship constantly though!

 

Right? Probably lots of Magikarps...

[awestover89]

That's kind of what I figured. Oh well, my kids can live without catching Pokemon for a week on our upcoming cruise, but we'll be in Alaska, so maybe in the ports.

 

Juneau definitely has a fairly active Pokemon community, not as big as Anchorage. Not sure about the other ports as I don't know anybody living out that way.

 

In Anchorage downtown is a major hotspot.

[QueenofKrakatoa]

Juneau definitely has a fairly active Pokemon community, not as big as Anchorage. Not sure about the other ports as I don't know anybody living out that way.

 

In Anchorage downtown is a major hotspot.

 

Awesome!

[Ourusualbeach]

Has anyone tried playing Pokemon Go on the ships? We play it with our kids and wondered if any of you other families have been able to do it.

 

This was retweeted by Roysl Caribbean.

 

Royal Caribbean retweeted

Justin Blattner

Jul 28

Justin Blattner ‏@jblattner

Catchin them all on the #empressoftheseas

Embedded image

[QueenofKrakatoa]

This was retweeted by Roysl Caribbean.

 

Royal Caribbean retweeted

Justin Blattner

Jul 28

Justin Blattner ‏@jblattner

Catchin them all on the #empressoftheseas

Embedded image

 

Haha nice.

[Ourusualbeach]

Here's the photo.

 

[mattg43]

Niantic Labs is using locations from their earlier game (Ingress) which called them portals. I believe they are called 'Pokestops' in Pokémon Go. There would not be any of these stops/portals in the middle of the ocean, and I would think that like 'XM Matter' in Ingress, there would be little to no game interactions / Pokémon in the middle of the ocean. XM, and I assume Pokémon, are concentrated in areas where more people / cell phones are.

 

 

Some random history...

Niantic Labs, which was originally part of Google, first launched an App called Field Trip which showed locations/descriptions of historical sites which they imported from hmdb.org (Historical Marker Database). Along came Ingress, which used these locations (calling them 'Portals') and kept a description of the historical significance in the Ingress App. A year or so into Ingress, they allowed players to submit new 'Portals' to be added to the game if approved. From what I understand Pokémon Go started out with all the Ingress Portals although the increased traffic has resulted in some being removed by property owner requests.

Edited August 4, 2016 by mattg43

[Scrapnana]

Read an article today about an Olympic athlete who has already run up a $5000 phone bill due to roaming charges while playing. I would be careful about this on a ship.

[zqvol]

That's kind of what I figured. Oh well, my kids can live without catching Pokemon for a week on our upcoming cruise, but we'll be in Alaska, so maybe in the ports.

 

 

My kids found lots in Anchorage and Denali, not so much in Copper Creek area or in Whittier.