Cruise Compasses?

[stevendom57]

A lot of restaurants do not have physical menus anymore. I wonder if the Cruise Compass will be digital? How am I going to highlight the screen on my phone? It is already covered by white-out from when I was editing a document. 

[smokeybandit]

I doubt you see that going away.

[DDaley]

36 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I doubt you see that going away.

I was thinking the exact opposite, why DO they need physical printouts when having it available digitally (app, in-room tv, kiosk screens) would be about a million times easier for them to implement and to keep updated? 

[twangster]

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.

[smokeybandit]

7 minutes ago, DDaley said:

I was thinking the exact opposite, why DO they need physical printouts when having it available digitally (app, in-room tv, kiosk screens) would be about a million times easier for them to implement and to keep updated? 

Because not everyone wants to have their phone with them all day on a cruise, the app isn't reliable enough and there's no good way to use one of the many RC highlighters to circle stuff of interest on your screen. Plus without the paper copy there'd be a lot more people tying up staff time asking what's going on.

[twangster]

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.  

[PG Cruiser]

WHAAAATTT????    No souvenir Cruise Compasses for me???

 

(Hi!  I'm PG and I'm a hoarder)

[Neesa]

This was big at DCL, no more Navigator in the room, One had to go to guest services every evening the night before to snag a copy. Even the stateroom attendants said they were not allowed to leave them for you even if asked, even at those prices. After a sailing or two it just became routine to stop at guest services before retiring for the evening. They did have the app but old habits and all. Once in a while they were not printed yet & a famous Disney line would form, we finally got used to the app but then discovered Royal & have not been back since. 

[smokeybandit]

I just don't trust the RC app to be an adequate substitute for the print version.

[rjac]

38 minutes ago, twangster said:

Nonetheless the plan has long been to cut down on the paper compass and only distribute upon request. 

Is this something new, or something Royal is thinking about???

[twangster]

7 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I just don't trust the RC app to be an adequate substitute for the print version.

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.

[twangster]

8 minutes ago, rjac said:

Is this something new, or something Royal is thinking about???

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

[rjac]

8 minutes ago, twangster said:

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

Well, glad it hasn't gone as planned! Thanks.

[smokeybandit]

"Digital Entertainment Manager" doesn't sound like the title of someone who would actually do the software development to make the app better

[twangster]

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.    

[twangster]

10 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

"Digital Entertainment Manager" doesn't sound like the title of someone who would actually do the software development to make the app better

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.

[PG Cruiser]

15 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

The plan to move to digital included the paper going away. 

 

But some people want to stay away from gadgets and devices while on vacation

[twangster]

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.

[twangster]

12 minutes ago, PG Cruiser said:

But some people want to stay away from gadgets and devices while on vacation

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

[Vancity Cruiser]

21 minutes ago, PG Cruiser said:

But some people want to stay away from gadgets and devices while on vacation

Yep. On a cruise is the only time I truly disconnect and shut my phone off. I am fine with this move though if I can grab a paper copy from guest services. I understand most people just toss it.

[twangster]

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.  

[smokeybandit]

34 minutes ago, twangster said:

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.

Content is only as good as the ability for the end user to access it.

I'm curious if RC does its app stuff in house or contracts that out.  

[twangster]

11 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Content is only as good as the ability for the end user to access it.

I'm curious if RC does its app stuff in house or contracts that out.  

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.  

[stevendom57]

Isn't it nice to be talking about Cruise Compasses again? 

Do I need to take my passport when in port? 

[Linda R]

I want a break from my phone on vacations.  I usually put it in the safe and just look at messages every 2-3 days.  I do not want to carry a phone around.

Hoping they will have paper compass you can request.

[Wanderer]

1 hour ago, Linda R said:

I want a break from my phone on vacations.  I usually put it in the safe and just look at messages every 2-3 days.  I do not want to carry a phone around.

Hoping they will have paper compass you can request.

I personally believe that there will be at least quite long transition period when paper compass will be available on request anyway.

There are a lot of people who do not want to use the digital version for one reason or another.

However, I believe that the digital compass is a direction we are moving in the long term and I believe it will provide a lot of added value in the future, especially when technical problems have first been solved.

[twangster]

2 hours ago, Wanderer said:

However, I believe that the digital compass is a direction we are moving in the long term and I believe it will provide a lot of added value in the future, especially when technical problems have first been solved.

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.

[FionaMG]

I wonder if there are any plans to do away with the tons of paper "special offers" that normally come along with the paper compasses???

@PG Cruiser I like to keep the paper compasses too. I put them all in a file dedicated to the cruise in question so I can look back on my cruises. 

[dswallow]

10 minutes ago, FionaMG said:

I wonder if there are any plans to do away with the tons of paper "special offers" that normally come along with the paper compasses???

@PG Cruiser I like to keep the paper compasses too. I put them all in a file dedicated to the cruise in question so I can look back on my cruises. 

Sales and marketing efforts DECREASING on a Royal Caribbean sailing? Ha!

[PG Cruiser]

10 minutes ago, FionaMG said:

 

@PG Cruiser I like to keep the paper compasses too. I put them all in a file dedicated to the cruise in question so I can look back on my cruises. 

 

I always ask for extra folders from the room attendant to store my CC's

[FionaMG]

29 minutes ago, dswallow said:

Sales and marketing efforts DECREASING on a Royal Caribbean sailing? Ha!

I know. Not happening, right? 

I barely even glance at them before binning them.

[parkyy2k]

As much as I love technology, I don't want to be on my phone all the time on holiday.

I've always enjoyed looking through the paper copy of the compass, I'd have to request a copy if they were to get rid of them. 

[SpeedNoodles]

The last time that I sailed, I would rarely remember to bring the Cruise Compass with me when I left the room.  Not trusting the app I usually used the interactive giant tablets near the elevators to get current information.

[Mike.s]

We'll miss it, we like to have a read through it when we return to our cabin at the end of the day to see what tomorrow brings, it's not the same on a phone

[DDaley]

2 hours ago, SpeedNoodles said:

Not trusting the app I usually used the interactive giant tablets near the elevators to get current information.

This is what I think when I hear the argument "I dont like carrying my phone on cruises." There are kiosks every few feet.. If people are anti phone, the ship is certainly not lacking in other screen options from which to get their precious scheduling info. The in-cabin tv could also easily host this content. 

As for me I like keeping them but definitely don't look at them for anything other than the hours in port (which I obviously knew before leaving the house!)

[smokeybandit]

You can't just sit and browse the kiosks though.  There's always an urgency to get your info and go when you have to use the kiosk

[SpeedNoodles]

7 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

You can't just sit and browse the kiosks though.  There's always an urgency to get your info and go when you have to use the kiosk

Only if someone else is hanging around waiting to use it, which happened exactly zero times on my last cruise. 

[smokeybandit]

9 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said:

Only if someone else is hanging around waiting to use it, which happened exactly zero times on my last cruise. 

I spend 10 minutes in the morning looking over the CC with my coffee. I'd get odd looks if I sat next to a kiosk doing that.

[SpeedNoodles]

7 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I spend 10 minutes in the morning looking over the CC with my coffee. I'd get odd looks if I sat next to a kiosk doing that.

Well, there's our difference.  I don't drink coffee.  

[DDaley]

8 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I spend 10 minutes in the morning looking over the CC with my coffee. I'd get odd looks if I sat next to a kiosk doing that.

For the third time I offer the in-cabin tv suggestion, surely you could enjoy coffee while using the other hand to press the down arrow on the remote?