Chatting onboard with the app

[cruisequeen4ever]

Does the new app allow you to chat with your cabin mate onboard? My friend just sailed and said it didn’t look like you can anymore. 

[Moondogy]

At the bottom of the app where it says Home, service, journey, there is also a chat icon. It says you can stay connected to friends and family, and add new friends you make. Not on board yet, so can't test it, sorry.

[nasa1974]

Unless the new app has changed notification the old app if you sent a chat message to someone it doesn't buzz or anything to let the person know that they have a message. Maybe things have changed. The last time I used the chat feature was pre covid.

[Rick&Jeannie]

I suspect (though admittedly I do NOT have first-hand experience with the new app) that the app still does not have active notification, making it basically useless, at least as far as treating like your *normal* texting app.  About the only way to make it work halfway effectively is to agree amongst your group to always check the app at certain time(s) of the day.  That just doesn't seem to be a very workable idea.  Get everybody in your group to download WhatsApp.  (You'll all need an internet plan.)  This way, regardless of what type of phone you have you can be somewhat assured that all messages will get through...with notifications.

[memoak]

We just use the text function on our phones. We both use ATT

[Rick&Jeannie]

20 minutes ago, memoak said:

We just use the text function on our phones. We both use ATT

I was never able to do this with my Samsung android phone...until I switched from using the default Samsung text app to Google Messages. Works as it should now. I was always the "odd man out" in our group of iPhone users.

[Senga]

I thought the CHAT function was to contact staff when on board!  Learned something new today; not that it would do me any good since my husband has an old flip phone.  😂

[cruisequeen4ever]

Thank you all!

[Rick&Jeannie]

2 hours ago, Senga said:

I thought the CHAT function was to contact staff when on board!  Learned something new today; not that it would do me any good since my husband has an old flip phone.  😂

You're talking about "Crew Call Chat". I use that quite often for minor things that I want to convey to GS. The regular "chat" function for passengers is next to useless (in my opinion.)

[memoak]

4 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

You're talking about "Crew Call Chat". I use that quite often for minor things that I want to convey to GS. The regular "chat" function for passengers is next to useless (in my opinion.)

Hence our use of texts

[Thrak]

My wife and I switched to WhatsApp on our recent trip and it worked well. Sooooooooo much better than the built-in chat from Princess. Interesting to hear that using Google Messages works for regular texting onboard. I don't use the standard Android text app but I have never used Google Messages. I've used Handcent Next SMS for years.

[Rick&Jeannie]

22 minutes ago, memoak said:

Hence our use of texts

Hence the reason for post #6

[Rick&Jeannie]

16 minutes ago, Thrak said:

My wife and I switched to WhatsApp on our recent trip and it worked well. Sooooooooo much better than the built-in chat from Princess. Interesting to hear that using Google Messages works for regular texting onboard. I don't use the standard Android text app but I have never used Google Messages. I've used Handcent Next SMS for years.

I use WhatsApp almost exclusively for comms with my son. I'm so glad I finally discovered Google Messages! I would never get any of our group's texts until we hit a port! Kinda defeats the purpose!

[terrierjohn]

On 2/26/2024 at 4:36 PM, memoak said:

We just use the text function on our phones. We both use ATT

That should certainly be far cheaper than everyone paying for an internet package.

[memoak]

27 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

That should certainly be far cheaper than everyone paying for an internet package.

Oh we still need the internet to keep up with what’s going on in the world

[Thrak]

2 minutes ago, memoak said:

Oh we still need the internet to keep up with what’s going on in the world

 

I use the Internet access for email but, when we cruise, it's sooooo nice to not know what's going on at home. I get so very tired of the "news" in the US.

[memoak]

22 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

I use the Internet access for email but, when we cruise, it's sooooo nice to not know what's going on at home. I get so very tired of the "news" in the US.

Need my sports scores etc. It’s not just US news but the world news in the age we live in. We will be on the Grand during the Olympics and really want to be able to keep up

[Thrak]

3 hours ago, memoak said:

Need my sports scores etc. It’s not just US news but the world news in the age we live in. We will be on the Grand during the Olympics and really want to be able to keep up

 

I may well be streaming part of the Masters on our next cruise. We do get home on day 3 and will be able to watch the final round at home but I will definitely be wanting to know how things are going while onboard. The news has been universally depressing.