Oceania App

[mexicobob]

On 11/21/2021 at 8:27 AM, pinotlover said:

The world is getting smaller, times are changing!
 

Several countries are now instituting Health Passes. You need them to get into the country, enter public buildings, and crowded pedestrian areas. They are apps on your phone! You won’t be able to walk around without your cell phone or tablet! 
 

This past summer, going into restaurants in France, the French had to “ swipe “ their cell phone over a bar code upon entering. It was for contact tracking in case of a reported infection. Not having the app yet, we had to fill out a form, in the restaurant, giving all our contact information. Next year, we’ll need the health pass & app to enter the country. Going to Chile in two months. We have to have the pass and carry it with us on our phones.
 

The days of being a Traveling Luddite are nearly over. Travel and Luddite will be mutually exclusive. 

As you and Bob Dylan have stated "the times are a changing". The world is quickly transforming into a digital place and the pace will pick up. Unfortunately, some people will be left behind and have to struggle in their travels and in ordinary life. 

I am 69 and sometimes have a challenge with learning the new technology but consider it the best thing since sliced bread. 

[WholeNewWorld]

Im currently in Chile-waiting to board a Hurtigruten cruise to Antartica.  Chile has mandated 3 apps for all citizens and tourist.  It was a PIA to get into the country taking me and my family 3 hours to get out of the airport.  One sister was detained and sent back to the US...yep sent back.. because she did not have the required 'paperwork' (QR code sent via email).  

 

We each got 12 different emails with the rules and required QR codes needed for every hotel, restaurant, and coffee shop.  Every morning we are required to open one app and fill out a health screening form.  It's been crazy and a huge headache.  Not to mention extremely intrusive!

 

I don't think it would be possible to travel here without a smart phone, travel data plans, and lots of apps.  For the people stating they do not have and will not get a smart phone-Im sorry to say this but your travel days might be over.  

[LHT28]

3 minutes ago, WholeNewWorld said:

I don't think it would be possible to travel here without a smart phone, travel data plans, and lots of apps.  For the people stating they do not have and will not get a smart phone-Im sorry to say this but your travel days might be over.  

 If I had to go through all that  just for  a vacation  I would  find  a place closer to home  😉

JMO

[WholeNewWorld]

3 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

 If I had to go through all that  just for  a vacation  I would  find  a place closer to home  😉

JMO

Agreed!  All the noticed started to come in the week before we left.  It was overwhelming.  More then once I've said it was easier to get into China and Russia then Chile.  Also-if the rest of the world starts becoming this 'in my personal business' Im done.  Time to hitch up the travel trailer and stay stateside.  

[pinotlover]

1 hour ago, WholeNewWorld said:

Agreed!  All the noticed started to come in the week before we left.  It was overwhelming.  More then once I've said it was easier to get into China and Russia then Chile.  Also-if the rest of the world starts becoming this 'in my personal business' Im done.  Time to hitch up the travel trailer and stay stateside.  

We get to Chile in two months! Hope they have backed down a bit by then, but not counting on it. Friends traveling with have property on Cape Breton Island. You should hear all the hoops they were put through to visit that property, and get some necessary repairs done from a storm, this past September! It made old Check Point A, B, & C in Berlin look like a breeze! 
 

I just wonder if a huge part of this fiasco could have been averted had the U. S. initiated and employed a Health Pass system of our own. All the data and shot records could already be on a database and downloadable to other countries systems. Instead, we punted and created a system where 100s of thousands of fake/counterfeit vaccination cards are readily available on the black market for the antivaxers. 

[terrydtx]

On 11/18/2021 at 10:22 AM, Lane412000 said:

Excellent question, unfortunately majority of the responses lead me to believe that the posters did not completely understand your question or the reason for it.  Having cruised Celebrity and RCCL since cruising has started again, I have found the apps to be very useful.  A few big areas have been the ability to skip muster drills, quick check-in with vaccination cards, photos, passports all entered into the app, making dining reservations, etc.  With three upcoming Oceania cruises in the next twelve months, the first thing that crossed our minds was ---- why doesn't Oceania have an iPhone app? lol

I agree, we used the Celebrity app all the time on our cruise in August. No need to go back to the room to look at menus and reservations on the TV when we could look them up in out phone app. The muster drill online was a breeze and so much better than standing outside on a deck in the August Florida sun.

[terrydtx]

On 11/18/2021 at 1:03 PM, Lane412000 said:

See that I learn something new everyday.  After 60+ cruises I have now learned the purpose of a real muster drill is to watch people trip over their own life jacket lines.  Thanks for pointing that out.

 

Just not sure why with the Oceania cruise ships docked for so many months, the company did not take the initiative to develop an app since many other cruise lines have done so?  I guess they were too busy making sure I received my weekly mailing of cruises that were not cruising? 🙂

Surely, they could have adapted an app from their parent company NCL, just because we are older doesn't mean we are not tech savvy. I am 71 and used a computer and smart phone every day until I retired in 2020, in fact I often taught some of our younger employees how to use our very tech heavy sales and marketing apps.

[Jockocruiser]

6 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Surely, they could have adapted an app from their parent company NCL, just because we are older doesn't mean we are not tech savvy. I am 71 and used a computer and smart phone every day until I retired in 2020, in fact I often taught some of our younger employees how to use our very tech heavy sales and marketing apps.

Never too old to stop learning. 

Keep doing it, otherwise you'll be looking at the backside of green-side up!

Edited November 25, 2021 by Jockocruiser

[sunlover12]

6 minutes ago, Jockocruiser said:

Never too old to stop learning. 

Keep doing it, otherwise you'll be looking at the backside of green-side down. 

+1

I'd welcome an Oceania app. I'm definitely not young anymore, mid-60's, but I like learning and using new technology. Not only restaurants with menus on QR codes as already stated, but many sporting events are going all digital now with ticketing. I don't even know how you'd enter without a smart phone because they clearly state they do not print tickets nor can you print at home.

My vaccination card can now be viewed with a QR code.  So much easier than carrying paper around.

 

[terrydtx]

45 minutes ago, sunlover12 said:

+1

I'd welcome an Oceania app. I'm definitely not young anymore, mid-60's, but I like learning and using new technology. Not only restaurants with menus on QR codes as already stated, but many sporting events are going all digital now with ticketing. I don't even know how you'd enter without a smart phone because they clearly state they do not print tickets nor can you print at home.

My vaccination card can now be viewed with a QR code.  So much easier than carrying paper around.

 

Don't forget airline boarding passes are now on smart phones. saving a lot of trees. LOL

Edited November 25, 2021 by terrydtx

[Nymich]

I just got off two other lines in the last six weeks.  I did have wifi but it was not necessary to have wifi to see daily activities, menus etc....with their apps.

If O wanted an app they would have it by now being owned by NCLH.

[pinotlover]

I suppose here is the issue in a nutshell. My friend, the now retired ship’s medical officer, will tell you that on every cruise there are typically multiple people that get on a cruise ship in such bad health they should never been allowed to board. However, as Covid raged last year, one of the cruise lines announced they may start requiring a medical release from a doctor before being allowed to board. The screaming and howling went up immediately. Touch some nerves fairly closely.

 

In a similar manner, we have discussed the issue of mental capacities and cruisers. Going entirely, or near so, all app becomes just like that medical release for some. If they can’t get passed the apps, they’ll never make it aboard. We’ll hear the ( UN)righteous cries of indignation when/if any such plan was ever employed. As an example, take a look at the online drill one is now required to complete to get into Chile. That alone will self select who can get on the ship.

[Flatbush Flyer]

10 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

....take a look at the online drill one is now required to complete to get into Chile. That alone will self select who can get on the ship.

This is similar to Hawaii’s Safe Travels app-process. On our recent SFO-LIH boarding day, it was amazing how many folks (young and old) basically said “app? what app?” No Aloha for them.

[ORV]

2 hours ago, pinotlover said:

I suppose here is the issue in a nutshell. My friend, the now retired ship’s medical officer, will tell you that on every cruise there are typically multiple people that get on a cruise ship in such bad health they should never been allowed to board. However, as Covid raged last year, one of the cruise lines announced they may start requiring a medical release from a doctor before being allowed to board. The screaming and howling went up immediately. Touch some nerves fairly closely.

 

In a similar manner, we have discussed the issue of mental capacities and cruisers. Going entirely, or near so, all app becomes just like that medical release for some. If they can’t get passed the apps, they’ll never make it aboard. We’ll hear the ( UN)righteous cries of indignation when/if any such plan was ever employed. As an example, take a look at the online drill one is now required to complete to get into Chile. That alone will self select who can get on the ship.

Yes, but, in all fairness there are people like myself that are completely capable of operating any manner of programs, apps, smartphones, ipads etc. My personal preference is to not mess with that stuff though. Usually when I go on a cruise I turn off my phone, throw it in the safe and leave it there till the night before we disembark. I just don't want to mess with it. On the other hand I will use my ipad or laptop to check email or maybe CC. 

[pinotlover]

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Yes, but, in all fairness there are people like myself that are completely capable of operating any manner of programs, apps, smartphones, ipads etc. My personal preference is to not mess with that stuff though. Usually when I go on a cruise I turn off my phone, throw it in the safe and leave it there till the night before we disembark. I just don't want to mess with it. On the other hand I will use my ipad or laptop to check email or maybe CC. 

ORV;

 

Pretty much the same way. I don’t take mine to the golf course or when out working in the yard.

 

OTOH, my cousin’s daughter works for the friendly skies. You might be surprised at the number of people that call their customer service line to book flights because they can’t figure out how to do it online themselves. That’s for domestic flights too! Then show up at 7:30 for that originally scheduled 9:30 that was cancelled and changed to 7:30, but they never read their emails.

[PhD-iva]

Just back from Riviera’s 17 November TA (which was wonderful!) Wifi/internet was SLLOOOOW, and during our 8 straight sea days (!) it was worse. If I had to use a QR code to read a menu, I’d die of starvation!

[jagoffee]

6 hours ago, PhD-iva said:

Just back from Riviera’s 17 November TA (which was wonderful!) Wifi/internet was SLLOOOOW, and during our 8 straight sea days (!) it was worse. If I had to use a QR code to read a menu, I’d die of starvation!

Oceania requires the internet to read the QR code menus?  

[Flatbush Flyer]

10 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

Oceania requires the internet to read the QR code menus?  

For their own “web” items, like end-of-cruise evaluations, O provides connectivity to the ship’s intranet.

[basor]

On 12/4/2021 at 8:16 PM, jagoffee said:

Oceania requires the internet to read the QR code menus?  

There were no QR code menus onboard Marina in November..  We were handed the beautiful menus just like always.....I believe the person posting was making a comment about a supposed not a reality.

[pinotlover]

9 hours ago, basor said:

There were no QR code menus onboard Marina in November..  We were handed the beautiful menus just like always.....I believe the person posting was making a comment about a supposed not a reality.

Actually I was just commenting on standard protocols being used in all on land restaurants and aboard ship of another premium cruise line. The respective government s had decided that paper menus being handled by multiple staff and guests was ill advised and both could and should be avoided. Not only was the spread of disease minimized, but it helped in contact tracing. Perhaps either the science has changed since July or Oceania opted not to follow those recommended protocols. 

[basor]

2 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Actually I was just commenting on standard protocols being used in all on land restaurants and aboard ship of another premium cruise line. The respective government s had decided that paper menus being handled by multiple staff and guests was ill advised and both could and should be avoided. Not only was the spread of disease minimized, but it helped in contact tracing. Perhaps either the science has changed since July or Oceania opted not to follow those recommended protocols. 

The outer covers were wiped down between each use and the interior paper menus were tossed each night so with the hand sanitation prior to entering the restaurant and upon leaving the restaurant we felt very safe....for what it's worth, all land restaurants I have been in the last year offer the option of a QR code or a paper menu so someone without a smart phone is quite capable of ordering their meal.

[Benthayer Gonbak]

On 8/19/2020 at 10:18 PM, LHT28 said:

I would love a flip phone 😁

I have to lock mine because it  dial home  in my purse

then when it rings I can never find the button to unlock it to answer it  LOL

 

 

ATT just sent us one to replace our 3g phone.  But remember they may not have a keyboard, we haven’t tried an app yet! 

[Benthayer Gonbak]

On 8/19/2020 at 10:06 PM, LHT28 said:

Do you need a smart phone for that?

 

Oceania already has free internet  for all 

I prefer to look at a menu in the restaurant

JMO

 

 

i liked the menu to decide where I was eating, not to try to read in the restaura NT! 

[Benthayer Gonbak]

On 8/22/2020 at 1:15 PM, LHT28 said:

well if they gave everyone  a device to carry around  with all the info  I might go along with it

NAH!!

 

i can see that now all of us that never carry anything around all leaving identical phones all over the ship!  The electronic walls don’t have that problem, they just aren’t normally on smaller ships. 

[Benthayer Gonbak]

On 11/15/2021 at 10:57 AM, 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.

 

i have a mobility scooter which for most means using both hands although I don’t.   If someone told me I had to use the menu on the wall, with my short memory at times and having ingredients unexpected in what I might choose, I envision getting on the scooter and running back out to the outside menu several times each dinner.  I suspect I’d have a paper menu second night!  OR the waiter could just bring a large white board or similar with the menu already written on it!  
 

 

“No I’m sorry you can’t put my scooter over there, out of the way,  I need it to go back to read the menu”. 

Edited February 28, 2022 by Benthayer Gonbak