twangster

That will be the key. Once the app provides more functionality than the paper version those that carry devices will quickly convert. The pandemic response enters the discussion since carrying a device is highly recommended or nearly required. Will they use that environment to hasten the move away paper? We'll know soon enough.

The concern in the US are CDC requirements that prohibit that. Removing your mask for an extended meal service is expressly prohibited. We are all hoping with the easing of mask protocols there can be some sanity brought to the mask policies on board if vaccinated.

Thanks for posting. Please continue to update.

Even the CDC admits chasing a zero count on a ship won't likely happen.

Not a big deal. My understanding is that vaccinated shouldn't have a rough go of it and probably won't need hospitalization. It will be interesting to see if that proves true.

Hoping it rolls out as fast at retailers. If my normal grocery store holds onto a mask policy while a less favored grocery store doesn't, I'm changing stores.

Don't follow the Yankees. Are they only allowing vaccinated fans in right now?

Alaska may be on up here. Can we keep your ships a while? ?

Kind of dilutes his court case arguing losses from the CSO since ships can't sail from Florida. He just said it's no problem to fill that void if ships choose not to sail from FL.

It's interesting that on the website if you like to save money with GTY rates you have no choice but to go without perks. Working through a travel agent they can price an Always Included GTY fare. I can see some guests not realizing they booked a GTY rate absent of Always In perks. On one hand it's presented but this is new so few know to look out for the change. That could make for an awkward moment once onboard. Why am I being charged for this drink?

He's not backing down... https://www.clickorlando.com/business/2021/05/13/gov-ron-desantis-says-florida-will-fill-void-if-cruise-lines-leave/ Gov. Ron DeSantis says Florida will fill void if cruise lines leave

My understanding was the a significant amount of app development was done by contractors. I don't know that it was outsourced entirely, but there was a significant contractor contingent in IT. The content errors were not due to poor app development but a lack of time on the ship to enter changes as they occurred. Captains Corner is moved from 10am to 2pm sort of thing.

The CD staff just do activities. Menus are available in the app but who manages changes when the galley makes last minute changes? The CD staff didn't have time for that so it wasn't getting done. The galleys never did it either before and they don't have computer people on their team. I ran into this on Ovation in February last year just before the shutdown. I went to CK expecting a certain entree I like and saw in the app for that night. It wasn't on the menu. What? I looked at the app - it was right there. I showed the waiter, he send the CK manager over. She shook her head and apologized. She had asked twice that week for the app to be updated she explained but it didn't happen. It was a gap in the project plan no one had accounted for. Someone assumed the CD staff could take in on but they were buried doing the paper and digital versions of their own activity stuff and had no time to take on food menus in the app. Hence the new position keeping the app in sync with life on the ship.

Yeah. They underestimated that in the original plan. Feedback was swift. A rocky app roll out didn't help.

That CK thing is an exact scenario one of these crew explained to me when I bumped into him in an elevator. I first heard of the position during a top tier event when one was introduced. When I saw him in an elevator I asked questions. "What exactly do you do?" and the conservation went from there.

They manage content, not app development. Coastal Kitchen updates the entrees for Tuesday night. Who updates the digital content in the app? Not an app developer. Prior to the app being around CK could change the menus at any time and no guest ever knew.

The original plan to completely get rid of paper... "looked good on paper" (pun intended) but they eventually realized some guests would still demand paper copies. Maybe one day if as hoped, few guests request paper, they'll go all digital.

If it had gone as planned it would already be complete.

Yep, that's why the new crew position was created. Title is something like "Digital Entertainment Manager" or some similar title. They started poping up on ships in the second half of 2019 and early 2020. The plan to move to digital included the paper going away. The CD's were told the time spent managing the paper version will be now invested to managing the digital version. The problem was the transition meant doing both the paper and digital versions and that meant twice the hours, not the same hours spent differently. CD staff did what they were used to, the paper updates and the digital version in the app was not updated. Guest complained, it was on post cruise surveys, Miami demanded answers "Why is this happening?". So the CD's told them, because we don't have more hours to give, we are all, already doing long hours every day. Hence the new position whose exclusive job it was to manage the app version. Then the pandemic hit before they could really go to it and make a difference that guests noticed.

It's an evolution. A long time from now all digital will be more widely accepted. Until then paper compasses will be offered upon request but the hope was that would steadily decline year after year.

Royal was already heading that direction and would have probably already made the switch if it could have figured out the technology. To address that they started adding a crew position to manage the cruise compass within the app. It was originally thrust upon the CD staff but it turned out to be more work than they expected so they created the new crew position, then the pandemic hit. Nonetheless the plan has long been to cut down on the paper compass and only distribute upon request. If you ever see the recycle center on a ship the paper cruise compass is a huge source of material that has to be dealt with. That was the motivation to cut down on paper copies. The highlighter thing is easy. Add activities to your calendar in the app, once they get working.

Print Seapass cards vertically like they do for >18 but < 21. Very easy to see who qualifies.

Let's be clear. The CDC is not saying everyone can discard the mask. Only vaccinated can discard the mask. If Florida doesn't allow the cruise line to ask the question, the cruise line has to assume everyone is unvaccinated therefore everyone must wear a mask. Furthermore there is no way the CDC is going to green light unvaccinated and unmasked cruising right now. To be clear I have no issues being around unvaccinated. However I am not going to put the mask back on so they can join the party. If they want to take the chance that's their choice but don't expect me to mask up to accommodate them and that would be the only way the CDC would allow cruising to occur without requiring vaccines right now.

That's challenging for all existing bookings. I don't want to sail on a ship where I have to endure protocols to accommodate unvaccinated.

More good news, cross posted in an Alaska thread. https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2021/05/13/bill-allow-cruise-ships-sail-alaska-without-stopping-canada-passes-us-senate Things are quickly moving in the right direction on many levels.