Royal Caribbean is dropping its printed daily activity sheet, will soon only be on app. Can Celebrity be far behind?

[mfs2k]

3 hours ago, Pinboy said:

Now, about the Art Auction---No time for it--- It's always at the same time as the putting contest , rumba lessons , or napkin folding.

 

If nobody bought art, they wouldn't do the art auctions.  Apparently a lot of people buy art and it's very profitable for the cruiseline and the art auction company. 

Edited October 3, 2022 by mfs2k

[mom says]

51 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

 

If nobody bought "art", they wouldn't do the "art" auctions.  Apparently a lot of people buy "art" and it's very profitable for the cruiseline and the "art" auction company. 

FIFY.  After all, we're  talking about the ship "art" auctions after all.

[markeb]

1 hour ago, bEwAbG said:

What some are calling IT issues are really content issues and I agree it's a problem.  I had one cruise where staff weren't showing up to activities because there were two schedules: one on the app and the printed one.  Also lots of things getting skipped altogether despite passengers being there and waiting.  Poor quality control.  Isn't it the CD & staff who produce the daily?  Or is that now farmed out to some other team?

 

I suspect this is the real problem with what people are seeing. The CD/Activities Staff is producing the daily, probably in MS Word, and probably by typing over an old version. Or they have a stand alone database of content they merge into daily format. So the content they're putting into the daily isn't linked to the content in the app. They should be the same content from the same source, but that takes work and probably quite a bit of training...

[mahdnc]

We like to stay connected on our phones while on board.  However we prefer a paper copy for the daily newsletter.  

 

I guess hard copy restaurant menus will be the next to go.  There is a productivity incentive to get rid of them.

[dlh015]

1 hour ago, mfs2k said:

 

If nobody bought art, they wouldn't do the art auctions.  Apparently a lot of people buy art and it's very profitable for the cruiseline and the art auction company. 

I have to agree with you...but I have never seen someone actually buying anything! However, I am completely ignorant of the process...

 

I have seen very few items I like...on any of the lines I've cruised with. The paintings all look rather garish (in general) and many are quite similar in style. I guess I just don't have the proper eye for art 😉 

[dlh015]

19 minutes ago, markeb said:

They should be the same content from the same source, but that takes work and probably quite a bit of training...

*IF* they have a central repository (ie, a relational DB), once the Dev & QA work is done, it should be automatic. We're talking a few scripts, some templates, and automatic triggers to populate the forms.

 

It should result in less work and more accurate and consistent product...

[mfs2k]

15 minutes ago, dlh015 said:

I have to agree with you...but I have never seen someone actually buying anything! However, I am completely ignorant of the process...

If you're interested, read "Ship for Brains, Cruise Confidential #2" It's the second in a series of 4 behind the scenes books by a guy who spent a few years working on cruise ships.  In this one, the author spent a year working as a cruise art auctioneer.  Pretty interesting stuff. ..  I also recommend volumes 1, 3 and 4. 

[dlh015]

1 minute ago, mfs2k said:

If you're interested, read "Ship for Brains, Cruise Confidential #2" It's the second in a series of 4 behind the scenes books by a guy who spent a few years working on cruise ships.  In this one, the author spent a year working as a cruise art auctioneer.  Pretty interesting stuff. ..  I also recommend volumes 1, 3 and 4. 

Thanks for the reco!  I will definitely have a look...oops...never mind, I bought it for $2.99 on Amazon...(for my kindle...)

 

I love this sort of stuff...

[miched]

6 hours ago, Pinboy said:

LOL---WHAT ???

1-- Who else is there to talk to other than your wife or other passengers ?

.

 

I am referring to texting or as some say they have to “keep in touch”.    If they like doing that so be it because that is their privilege.  I prefer talk to the people around me when on a cruise and that includes the workers.  

 

As I posted I don’t want to carry around a electronic device.  
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅
 

 

 

[carolina_yankee]

Absolutely ditch the paper. Paper is heavy. Even recycled paper requires fuel, manufacturing, and transport. And recycled paper costs more, so I’m not convinced they’re buying recycled, or partially recycled, paper. And partial is partial - which means bad for environment.

 

 

Will Celebrity follow suit? Eventually, but Royal has a younger cruise base so easier to work out the kinks there.

 

The mistake is pretending the online version has to be the same format as the printed version. Instead, design a version that takes full advantage of app capacities. 

 

It is the future. Might as well get there!

 

 

Edited October 3, 2022 by carolina_yankee

[late2cruisin]

3 hours ago, mahdnc said:

 

 

I guess hard copy restaurant menus will be the next to go.  There is a productivity incentive to get rid of them.

That is already happening, unfortunately. When we sailed on Princess last year, they assumed we would use the app for menus and I had to ask for a menu in the MDR. And when I asked for menus in the bars, they had to go hunting for one (grudgingly).

[TheHawk1]

2 hours ago, carolina_yankee said:

Absolutely ditch the paper. Paper is heavy. Even recycled paper requires fuel, manufacturing, and transport. And recycled paper costs more, so I’m not convinced they’re buying recycled, or partially recycled, paper. And partial is partial - which means bad for environment.

 

 

Will Celebrity follow suit? Eventually, but Royal has a younger cruise base so easier to work out the kinks there.

 

The mistake is pretending the online version has to be the same format as the printed version. Instead, design a version that takes full advantage of app capacities. 

 

It is the future. Might as well get there!

 

 

Compared to the airplane you take to get your cruise, a paper pamphlet in your cabin every evening is hardly bad for the environment.  I'd prefer they continue the paper format.

[mahdnc]

59 minutes ago, late2cruisin said:

That is already happening, unfortunately. When we sailed on Princess last year, they assumed we would use the app for menus and I had to ask for a menu in the MDR. And when I asked for menus in the bars, they had to go hunting for one (grudgingly).

 

Yuck.  Well pretty soon they will take away the actual ship and give us VR goggles.  I am sure the Retreat VR goggles will be nicer.

[dlh015]

1 hour ago, late2cruisin said:

That is already happening, unfortunately. When we sailed on Princess last year, they assumed we would use the app for menus and I had to ask for a menu in the MDR. And when I asked for menus in the bars, they had to go hunting for one (grudgingly).

?? This past June I was given a menu in the MDR...and the specialty venues also  (Regal Princess).

[kands6191]

I sailed on Royal in May and we asked for the printed copy and received it every night in our room.  As others have said, I really enjoy reading through it as I unwind from the day and think about what I would like to do the next day.  I fold it up and carry it with me throughout the day.  I don't always make firm plans so I like to just pull it out and see what is happening at that particular time.  I like to carry a wristlet purse with me just to hold my Chapstick, Sea pass, cheaters.  If I have to carry my phone it doesn't fit in many of my small purses.  I can always fold the paper planner to fit.  If not, it's not too bulky to put in my husband's pocket.  Much lighter than a phone.  We both work on computers all day long and I'm in IT.  We REALLY like to unplug when we are on vacation.  

 

We also noticed that the rack of planners at Guest Services was often empty.  I asked about that and was told that they put planners out every morning and they all get taken right away.  Maybe they will get the idea that many people still like paper.

[RedIguana]

They have been trying to ditch the paper on RCL and Celebrity for 3-4 years and go to the app. They keep having to have the paper available on request. Luckily, the 6 cruises I have been on since the restart the paper has just been brought without request. The app is useful and has some nice benefits (love the muster drill part), but is a nice addition to the paper, not a valid replacement. The ability to check restaurant and bar menus in advance is great (although often wrong). I like be able to browse ahead for shows and such. So the app really is a useful tool for those that want it. but, a 6 by 2 1/2 inch screen just cannot display the same amount of information in an easy format as an 11 by 8 1/2 inch paper. My 10 inch tablet is great as a digital replacement for a physical book, my 6 1/2 inch phone sucks (Galaxy S20, so normal size). A 13 to 14 inch laptop is fine for e-mail, web browsing, documents etc, but even my 17.3 inch gaming laptop is on the small side for actual gaming. Sometimes the actual amount of square inches matters. The app is great when you know what you are looking for, the paper is nice in that you can see everything in one format that doesn't take 24 different screens, and no scrolling back and forth when trying to determine what conflicts and what doesn't.

[realnice46]

On 10/2/2022 at 12:37 PM, CHEZMARYLOU said:

I prefer a paper copy.  My husband checks out everything and he does not have a smartphone.

I too prefer printed copy, too difficult to read on small screen and go back and forth reading open times , schedule etc.

[bEwAbG]

Companies like to pretend that younger people only use electronic devices but that's not true either.  There are arguments to be made to digitize some things but there are advantages to going "old school" with some processes, like daily activity sheets.  Especially in cases like this, where the left hand often doesn't know/care what the right one is doing.

[PTC DAWG]

On 10/3/2022 at 3:38 PM, dlh015 said:

I have to agree with you...but I have never seen someone actually buying anything! However, I am completely ignorant of the process...

 

I have seen very few items I like...on any of the lines I've cruised with. The paintings all look rather garish (in general) and many are quite similar in style. I guess I just don't have the proper eye for art 😉 

Stuff sells for sure.  Many times the person in charge of the art collection/auction is the highest paid person on the ship. Commissions and all add up. 

Edited October 5, 2022 by PTC DAWG

[HappyTexan44]

42 minutes ago, RedIguana said:

but, a 6 by 2 1/2 inch screen just cannot display the same amount of information in an easy format as an 11 by 8 1/2 inch paper.

 

This is my big problem with everything online.  Particularly menus.    Part of our restaurant routine is to discuss the food options.    Moving your eyes from one corner to the next is easy, not so much on an app.   I also have lobotomized our smart phones and QR codes don't work.  

I would use an app more for activities if everything on the daily planner was there a couple of weeks before we left and locked in (excluding port changes).   I could then add everything to my schedule that I might be interested in.    

 

 

[ktm2527]

I'd be ok with not getting a paper copy- as long as they had some stacks of printed around the ship to pick up one.  Most end up just in a big pile in my room and I feel bad about the shear waste, but it's nice to have with every now and again- especially on cruising only days.

[miched]

On our last trip across the country I finally discovered why other couples would  start looking at their smart phones as  soon as they sat down.  I couldn’t understand why people would have to look at their phone when they are with someone.   They did that to look at the menu from scanning the code on the table.  
 

We like  to look at the whole menu and not have to scroll thru pages so we would ask for paper menus. 
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[canderson]

14 minutes ago, miched said:

On our last trip across the country I finally discovered why other couples would  start looking at their smart phones as  soon as they sat down.  I couldn’t understand why people would have to look at their phone when they are with someone.

Aboard and in restaurants, I'll often do this, but for a somewhat different reason.  I'm frequently presented with a wine list with a lot of untried selections.  A phone on WiFi is a great tool for a quick evaluation of an unfamiliar wine.  

[Elvis1209]

Great!  Another reason to spend all our time staring at our cell phones!  When I'm on a cruise my cell phone is locked in my safe.  The only time I carry it is if I'm on an excursion.  Celebrity, stick with the paper!

 

Elvis