Oceania App

[Hawaiidan]

6 minutes ago, WholeNewWorld said:

LOL Oceania gives everyone a tablet to use on board.  Most people could not figure that out-and really REALLY struggled to communicate with family via any technology.  I wonder if an app could be an option for cruisers.  IDK Im not smart enough to figure out the answers, I just felt really bad for the older generation that struggled for 6 months.  😞

Dont feel bad....us older folks have for decades before the gizmos enter the scene and flooded every aspect  with you gott'a have this, been happy and functioned very well without any  of the new tech hype.

   The reality is , for me.  I have never seen the need for one... or been in a position /situation where I needed one.   I  can fly planes, navigate ships and wander  the wilderness just fine without their help....

 No Struggle at all ....People who have allowed themselves to be seduced into total dependency with tech might panic till they discover that all the tech is nice to have but is not a need to have.  But  we older folks  subscribe  to  the "Keep It Simple" solutions to life.....

[WholeNewWorld]

9 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Dont feel bad....us older folks have for decades before the gizmos enter the scene and flooded every aspect  with you gott'a have this, been happy and functioned very well without any  of the new tech hype.

   The reality is , for me.  I have never seen the need for one... or been in a position /situation where I needed one.   I  can fly planes, navigate ships and wander  the wilderness just fine without their help....

 No Struggle at all ....People who have allowed themselves to be seduced into total dependency with tech might panic till they discover that all the tech is nice to have but is not a need to have.  But  we older folks  subscribe  to  the "Keep It Simple" solutions to life.....

While I totally agree with you (and I am also a pilot) I just wonder-in the time of Covid how this will work.  If muster is through an app, or daily papers..ect.  Just wondering.  

[rhohea]

Its the way the world is going...get with the times.  Much better to have an app that is cabin key, pay for drinks, complete Muster Drill requirements, embarkation details complete before boarding.  Health questionnaires completed before arriving at the port (but within a certain time frame).  Documents such as pre embarkation COVID test results could be uploaded to the app before arrival at the port.   

 

Papers and Daily Currents could be on the app also....saving lots of trees.

 

To get around everyone needing WIFI access a second access to Oceania  ONLY  site would  be easy (I imagine).  If passengers do not have 2 phones maybe Oceania could have cheap handsets to loan out.     There would be many ways to get around it.   Got to love technology😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

Edited August 23, 2020 by rhohea

[LHT28]

maybe they will get the bracelets/medallions like Princess/MSC  where you can open your cabin door/buy things/track your location on the ship

possibly check you boarding the bus for tours & at each stop so they do not leave anyone behind

Sign you on/off the ship

That would work for me

 

They could put the electronic sign boards up with the Currents on it  in several locations around the ship (if they do not do that now)

Instead of paper menus present people with a tablet with the menu  at the table then it can be wiped off after each guest

 

JMO

 

 

[Hawaiidan]

10 hours ago, rhohea said:

Its the way the world is going...get with the times.  Much better to have an app that is cabin key, pay for drinks, complete Muster Drill requirements, embarkation details complete before boarding.  Health questionnaires completed before arriving at the port (but within a certain time frame).  Documents such as pre embarkation COVID test results could be uploaded to the app before arrival at the port.   

 

Papers and Daily Currents could be on the app also....saving lots of trees.

 

To get around everyone needing WIFI access a second access to Oceania  ONLY  site would  be easy (I imagine).  If passengers do not have 2 phones maybe Oceania could have cheap handsets to loan out.     There would be many ways to get around it.   Got to love technology😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

 

Why?

[Flatbush Flyer]

12 hours ago, rhohea said:

.....  Got to love technology......

No you don't.

One of the allures of Oceania is the whole "country club casual" emphasis. It's demographic includes "accomplished" retired folks (trades, public service, professionals) who enjoy leaving "work stuff" behind or otherwise unused while on vacation (i.e., ties, smart phones).

Have you noticed that Oceania still sends out luggage tags AND the "blue books?" They could e-mail them for you to print or save as a PDF on your phone. But, in conversations I have had with Connoisseurs Club TAs and O Club Ambassadors, all agree that the vast majority of O passengers prefer that "courteous/refined gesture."

So, don't fix what ain't broken.

[Hawaiidan]

2 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

No you don't.

One of the allures of Oceania is the whole "country club casual" emphasis. It's demographic includes "accomplished" retired folks (trades, public service, professionals) who enjoy leaving "work stuff" behind or otherwise unused while on vacation (i.e., ties, smart phones).

Have you noticed that Oceania still sends out luggage tags AND the "blue books?" They could e-mail them for you to print or save as a PDF on your phone. But, in conversations I have had with Connoisseurs Club TAs and O Club Ambassadors, all agree that the vast majority of O passengers prefer that "courteous/refined gesture."

So, don't fix what ain't broken.

Exactly..... dont bring all that techno hype  to a place where people are trying to get away from it.  It would ruin the atmosphere and social interaction of the "romance of cruising and ocean travel"....Nothing is wrong with the way things are and have been done for over a decade...   People who need their gizmo can look at Bransons Virgin cruises.... in a new age ship...   Fact is  a study recently showed over 50% of the population dosent have any computer   or device at all.   Too, you can pay to go to special intervention groups and weeks where you pay to get un addicted to  techno dependence. 

[ropomo]

I'm not sure why there is such a negative attitued towards an "Oceania App".  If there is one and you don't want to use it, don't.  Viking has a very nice on board app that allows you to review menus for all the venues, your specialty and excursion reservartions and review the daily newsletter for scheduled events, etc., very handy and helpful.  In my cruises on Viking I have never noticed anyone "glued" to their devices or find them offensive.  I think if O added an app as a feature would be a good thing for the afore mentioned functions.  Again, if you don't want an app, don't use it, but don't deny it to those that might find it useful just because you don't want it. 

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, ropomo said:

I'm not sure why there is such a negative attitued towards an "Oceania App".  If there is one and you don't want to use it, don't.  Viking has a very nice on board app that allows you to review menus for all the venues, your specialty and excursion reservartions and review the daily newsletter for scheduled events, etc., very handy and helpful.  In my cruises on Viking I have never noticed anyone "glued" to their devices or find them offensive.  I think if O added an app as a feature would be a good thing for the afore mentioned functions.  Again, if you don't want an app, don't use it, but don't deny it to those that might find it useful just because you don't want it. 

Viking? Instead of an app, they should work on improving their food.

What part of "the vast majority of O's regular cruisers would not use it."? 

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, ropomo said:

I'm not sure why there is such a negative attitued towards an "Oceania App".  If there is one and you don't want to use it, don't. 

The OP was  wanting an APP to do away with paper copies of  menus/newsletters etc

If they have an APP for those that want to use it fine  but if they were do do away with menus in the restaurants it would not be for me

YMMV

 

[Hawaiidan]

13 hours ago, LHT28 said:

The OP was  wanting an APP to do away with paper copies of  menus/newsletters etc

If they have an APP for those that want to use it fine  but if they were do do away with menus in the restaurants it would not be for me

YMMV

 

If your trying to reduce paper... with a an app   your not. 

 All the printed paper on O is recycled and gets recycled when  every cruise.....   your saving nothing 

    My complaint  with all the techno junk is it has become terribly intrusive into our lives and becoming more so every year.   

 Cruising is a defacto escape from that world... a refuge.    Alvin Toffler  in "Future Shock", wrote years ago of  peoples increasing need to escape from ever increasing technology and its potentially destructive effects..   

The reality is much of the tech flooding our lives is not driven by  a need but because developers can make it  and want you to be convinced you MUST have it.   Sort of like the emperors   new clothes. !

[ORV]

On 8/23/2020 at 2:46 AM, rhohea said:

To get around everyone needing WIFI access a second access to Oceania  ONLY  site would  be easy (I imagine).  If passengers do not have 2 phones maybe Oceania could have cheap handsets to loan out.     There would be many ways to get around it.   Got to love technology😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

I don't know about now, but before Oceania gave free Wifi you COULD access their website from a device without buying a package. So it should already be an option. 

 

For those so worried about the environment and paper waste etc they should really educate themselves about where and how the materials used to build electronic devices comes from. Not to mention the conditions where these things are actually made. 

 

I figured out a long time ago I can't save the world. 

[tvmovielover]

The Viking App was handy for checking and/or making reservations and checking excursions, classes etc.  I have no idea if you could check menus, read newsletter etc as I do not want to do that on my ipad or phone.  I like a printed news letter (less inserts would be fine) once a day.  As for menus, I like to check the posted ones on both O and V when I walk around the ship.  On our last O and V cruises re food, O was still better than V but V is better than the huge lines like RCL, HAL etc. I suspect both lines will continue to have people who prefer paper and would put it in a designated recycle area.   I hope our next O cruise will still have most of that good food since some reviews are now less glowing.

[Paulchili]

22 hours ago, ORV said:

I figured out a long time ago I can't save the world. 

Oh no - does that mean that we are doomed? 😀

[walnutcreekcruiser]

On 8/21/2020 at 6:19 PM, WholeNewWorld said:

With the amount of people I saw on ATW 2018 who didn't understand WiFi our bandwidth or basic computer tech- I highly doubt an app will go over well.    

I do agree it would be a great update to loose the paper waste, and have all our info in one spot, but I don't see that happening.  Sadly.  

We’re you able to use WiFi calling at sea?

[WholeNewWorld]

On 11/8/2021 at 3:56 PM, walnutcreekcruiser said:

We’re you able to use WiFi calling at sea?

Very rarely…

[Flatbush Flyer]

On 11/8/2021 at 2:56 PM, walnutcreekcruiser said:

We’re you able to use WiFi calling at sea?

This is actually a difficult question to address without a complicated answer.
Suffice to say that your device’s native phone app can still incur charges when cell service is not available and the phone (not in airplane mode) auto-switches to WiFi.  

Using independent apps over ship WiFi (airplane mode on for cellular) can also have issues varying from streaming restrictions to satellite latency et al.

IMO, unless it’s an emergency, stick with email.

And before anyone posts “Just use free WiFi  in port shops”: Google and watch the NBC news segment on WiFi at cruise ports/resorts.

[mauibabes]

Agree, the Free Port WiFi was the only place I can surely say I was hacked. 
We just FaceTime with family and stay away from calling as it can get awfully expensive.

T Mobile has been only $.25 a minute and free texting so that is our on board MO if our Face Timing has had satellite issues. And yes the satellite has been down in specific ports for TV and such. 
Yes everyone, phone in Airplane mode when on the ship because receiving all those junk calls at 3:00 a.m. can be annoying and expensive, Airplane Mode ON!

Mauibabes

[pinotlover]

Be interesting in how Oceania does it. On our cruise this summer it was all QR codes. No paper menus at the table, QR code sitting on the table. No daily activities sheet, QR code sitting on your desk in the cabin with all the activities. Etc, etc.

 

One could read the posted menu before entering a restaurant, or carry their phone  or tablet to read the QR code themselves.  My wife carried the phone, I typically read the menu out front and decided.

[Flatbush Flyer]

57 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Be interesting in how Oceania does it. On our cruise this summer it was all QR codes. No paper menus at the table, QR code sitting on the table. No daily activities sheet, QR code sitting on your desk in the cabin with all the activities. Etc, etc.

 

One could read the posted menu before entering a restaurant, or carry their phone  or tablet to read the QR code themselves.  My wife carried the phone, I typically read the menu out front and decided.

With a fare share of non-tech geezers onboard, I assume QR codes may challenge a few (particularly those with older operating systems on their cell phones which don’t have built-in QR code readers.

[Jancruz]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

With a fare share of non-tech geezers onboard, I assume QR codes may challenge a few (particularly those with older operating systems on their cell phones which don’t have built-in QR code readers.

Oh wow talk about Geezers what is QR??

Jancruz1

[pinotlover]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

With a fare share of non-tech geezers onboard, I assume QR codes may challenge a few (particularly those with older operating systems on their cell phones which don’t have built-in QR code readers.

None of the restaurants we went into on shore had paper menus. Nada! Menu posted outside, QR codes at the table. Some had a single blackboard posted inside, but you had to sit where you could read it! 

[Flatbush Flyer]

44 minutes ago, Jancruz said:

Oh wow talk about Geezers what is QR??

Jancruz1

It’s that jumbled geometric square  maze picture that you see in all sorts of advertisements. If your phone has a built in QR scan function (or an add-on app), you open that function (e.g., click on it in an iPhone if you see it or add it to “control panel”) and point the phone’s camera at it. If you do it right, tour web browser will open and take you to whatever the QR code is for (like a menu!).

Edited November 15, 2021 by Flatbush Flyer

[Jockocruiser]

I had a QR code app on my iPhone.  It would take me other places.

I found it much easier to just open the camera app and focus on the QR code. That is much easier than fumbling for other apps.

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 minutes ago, Jockocruiser said:

I had a QR code app on my iPhone.  It would take me other places.

I found it much easier to just open the camera app and focus on the QR code. That is much easier than fumbling for other apps.

Depends on how new is your iOS (Apple) or other OS.