Carnival App

[staceyglow]

1 hour ago, pinklucky61 said:

I've given up trying to input my other cruises in app, it doesn't remember them.  Good thing I'm usually only interested in the one coming up!

The only thing that the app provides on future cruises is a countdown clock, so really it's NBD

[Starlight Durban Cruising]

On 4/1/2023 at 8:48 AM, adventuredancer said:

my last cruise didnt have any printed fun times. not even the half sheet they used to have. i looked at coffee shop and guest services. was told they don't print it anymore at all. 

This was also the case on Panorama in July last year - no daily PRINTED Fun Times planner in the cabin anymore. You had to look at the App on your cell phone to see all daily activities, make reservations for YTD dinner, etc.

It suited us perfectly to go down to the cabin to shower and get ready for dinner, then as soon as we were at the point of almost ready to go we would put in the request for the dining reservation on the app. The system would ping back with "there is a xxx minutes wait, we will ping you once your table is ready". We would often take a slow amble, perhaps stop for a drink along the way and generally we would get our "ping" within about 15 minutes to say "Your table is ready". They do hold the table for a further 15 - 20 minutes so even if you were still in your cabin at the front of the ship you should be able to make it to the dining room in time. We loved the flexibility of this method.

 

I am not a techie person, but I really got used to the app pretty quickly. For all of this you are on their "intranet".

 

You need to sign up for the extra texting part that costs $5 IF YOU WANT TO do texting but I did not find a need for it - OK I had a teen who was hibernating in the cabin all the time so did not need to text him as he was always there. . 

[Rudyard]

On 4/3/2023 at 7:30 PM, EllieinNJ said:

Unfortunately there was no way to log out for me or my husband.  Every time I pressed anything on the app it would just take me back to the screen with all my apps.

I've used the app my last three cruises and had this problem on all of them. After each cruise I had to uninstall then reinstall it to get to where I could enter in the countdown for my next cruise. 

[Sabalon]

Last week on Elation we had printed fun times.  Never looked at it - used the app.  Also had printed dock/event photos put out, where 4 years ago on a Conquest class ship all the photos were on the app.

 

I wish you could see the photos people uploaded to the app after the sailing, but oh well.

 

Also, as far as the MDR reservations - I watched them show people how to download the app, get it setup, etc just so they could make a reservation - seemed a bit overkill.  

 

also, also, even though it says it'll notify you when your table is ready, if you stay on the same page it takes you to after reserving, the notification doesn't seem to come up.  It's quirky!

[happy cruzer]

Well so people are being shamed for not embracing a "quirky" app? I downloaded it today to find out it is only useful onboard and only for one cruise.  Other cruise lines apps have a lot more info. 
 

Totally respect people's desire not to be looking at an app vs. their surroundings.

 

Indeed, some people like paper items such as cash.  🙂

 

[Avalon35]

So, you make reservation for breakfast on app? How soon / early can you do that? And you just walk or push thru crowd to front desk? Do they have your name or you show phone? Or what? 

[Harley167]

Do you have to make your dinner dining reservations through the app even if you have My Time Dining?Or can you just show up ?

[staceyglow]

3 hours ago, Avalon35 said:

So, you make reservation for breakfast on app? How soon / early can you do that? And you just walk or push thru crowd to front desk? Do they have your name or you show phone? Or what? 

Yes, you make breakfast reservations on the app.  When you get to the dining room, there are usually a couple of hostesses in front of the hostess stand that are directing folks with reservations to waiters that will escort you to your table.  Just pay attention and don't accidentally cut in front of the informal lines that form in front of these hostesses.

[staceyglow]

1 hour ago, Harley167 said:

Do you have to make your dinner dining reservations through the app even if you have My Time Dining?Or can you just show up ?

It's not really a reservation, it's a check-in to be assigned a table.  In theory you could just show up, but the hostess will have to check you in and you will be at the end of the "line".  At peak times that can be a long wait. Plus it can get crowded in the lobby with everyone else who didn't check in and are waiting for their table to be assigned.

[happy cruzer]

Now, I am really confused.

 

Have read reports that you have to use the app for reservations for breakfast (everyone) and for dinner if you have MTD.  Some report being turned away if you want to just queue and wait, i.e. not use the app at all.

 

We have traditional dining.  Do we need to use the app at breakfast? at dinner?

 

Maybe it varies by ship?

[shof515]

1 hour ago, happy cruzer said:

 

We have traditional dining.  Do we need to use the app at breakfast? at dinner?

 

Maybe it varies by ship?

 

traditional dinning does not require the app for dinner

 

breakfast you can use the app to make a reservation or you can show up to be seated. breakfast is never crowded and a reservation is usually not needed 

[broadwaybaby123]

On 3/31/2023 at 10:24 AM, Harley167 said:

First time on Carnival in a few years! We will be on Glory in my. I understand that you have to download a Carnival app. How does that work? I didn't plan on buying a wifi package. I try to leave my phone off unless we are in port!Thank you!

I'm not sure about Carnival, but I hear it's the same as Royal, in which case you can use the app for free onboard.  That's where you'll be able to make reservations, see what's going on around the ship, do your muster drill, check/pay your bills, or keep in touch with other members of your party (I believe Carnival charges for the texting service, but the others are free).

 

It's called the Carnival HUB app, and it's actually quite useful even before you board the ship.  It gives you a countdown and lets you reserve things like dining/drink packages or shore excursions.

[happy cruzer]

When I look in the app before the cruise, it just shows the countdown.  All else listed in the app goes to the carnival website.  So not much there before the cruise for me.

[Fredette]

On 4/1/2023 at 1:24 AM, Harley167 said:

First time on Carnival in a few years! We will be on Glory in my. I understand that you have to download a Carnival app. How does that work? I didn't plan on buying a wifi package. I try to leave my phone off unless we are in port!Thank you!

Aaargh - the app.  What you end up doing is ordering your food from the menu on your app instead of a paper menu given to you when you sit down.  While it might save paper, it is very antisocial if everyone at the table has their nose buried in their phone instead of talking to each other.  Plus the daily planner is very sketchy - eg:  it tells you what time the show is on, but not what the show IS.  To find that out, you have to go and get - wait for it - the paper printout.

 

[jsglow]

Okay, there's a lot of confusion here. Carnival doesn't do 'reservations' except at Specialty Dining. Checking-In for YTD dinner is done via the App that essentially puts you in a queue for your table. It's no different in concept from showing up at a restaurant and having the hostess simply write down 'jsglow, party of 2' on her little yellow pad. Now it IS possible to simply show up at the door and either do that exact thing at the hostess stand electronically or by engaging your App while you stand there but you will still be behind everyone who previously checked in electronically anywhere else on the ship. It's important to understand that.

 

And YES, check-in works exactly the same for breakfast in the MDR and there often is a significant queue for SeaDay brunch. 15-30 minutes is not uncommon.

 

Bottom line. Checking in via the App in your cabin or relaxing somewhere on the ship is by far the best way to go. Doing anything else will lead to frustration and is the guest's own fault.

Edited May 17, 2023 by jsglow

[staceyglow]

10 hours ago, Fredette said:

Plus the daily planner is very sketchy - eg:  it tells you what time the show is on, but not what the show IS.  To find that out, you have to go and get - wait for it - the paper printout.

 

Are you sure about that?  If I am remembering correctly, if you click on any activity (including the shows), it takes you to a page that describes it in more detail.  

[Fredette]

8 hours ago, staceyglow said:

Are you sure about that?  If I am remembering correctly, if you click on any activity (including the shows), it takes you to a page that describes it in more detail.  

I've just got off a cruise, so my memory is fresh.  No, the app didn't give any detailed description, only a title of what the event was.

[Kanyon71]

I'm not sure about Android but on iPhone if you hit the hamburger menu in the upper left corner (3 stacked bars), the menu will pop up and you can see logout on the bottom. Tap that and then you can log back in. Once you log back in you will see your next cruise pop up. I do wish they would just have it refresh and if you have more than one booked you could select it in the account menu or something like that.