dougalsgirl Posted April 29 Report Share Posted April 29 We are going to be travelling with an infinitely sensible 12 year old. Can we ask guest services to allow their app access to the chat function or is it just a no go to overwrite with age? -As an alternative can more than one phone be signed into the same adult’s account on the app? It’s just to allow them a degree of freedom but the comfort of knowing how to find each other fast! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted April 29 Report Share Posted April 29 You have to be 13 to have your own account. But, yes, you could have your kid sign into the app using one of the adult's accounts while one of the adults is also logged in. The downfall there is you have to keep constantly checking since you're basically sending messages to yourself. We did that a couple cruises ago. It worked, but it was cumbersome. We broke down and bought internet the next cruise. dougalsgirl 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougalsgirl Posted April 29 Author Report Share Posted April 29 This is really helpful! Thank you! And will save waiting in a queue at Guest Services! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fastfaller Posted May 2 Report Share Posted May 2 I just cruised with 3 kids and ended up buying the internet package (1 person 4 devices). The app chat wasn't good IMO. Missed messages no notifications etc... it just wasn't reliable. Though I didn't want to pay almost $600 for internet, I am glad I did. It was very helpful keeping tabs on the kids. SplashOfWater and dougalsgirl 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SplashOfWater Posted May 2 Report Share Posted May 2 13 minutes ago, Fastfaller said: I just cruised with 3 kids and ended up buying the internet package (1 person 4 devices). The app chat wasn't good IMO. Missed messages no notifications etc... it just wasn't reliable. Though I didn't want to pay almost $600 for internet, I am glad I did. It was very helpful keeping tabs on the kids. This is the same complaint I have about the app. If I send a message to my husband, he never receives a notification so he doesn't see it. Same when he sends me a message. I have notifications turned on (Android) and I get notifications about shows and dining, but no notifications from the chat area of the app. This makes it rather useless for us. dougalsgirl and Shari 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted May 2 Report Share Posted May 2 There are notifications. Just they're terribly unreliable. Shari, SplashOfWater and dougalsgirl 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougalsgirl Posted May 2 Author Report Share Posted May 2 Thank you! This is good to know to keep checking for notifications if we aren’t all together. We made a conscious decision that we want to be internet free for this cruise. I’m sure as we move beyond 12 we may need to re-visit that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted May 2 Report Share Posted May 2 55 minutes ago, dougalsgirl said: We made a conscious decision that we want to be internet free for this cruise. I know it probably would be a revenue killer, but I'd like to see RC sell a cheaper messaging only package for this reason. Kind of like some airlines do. Say, pay $8 per day just to use iMessage or WhatsApp, but get no other internet access. dougalsgirl 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted May 2 Report Share Posted May 2 3 hours ago, smokeybandit said: I know it probably would be a revenue killer, but I'd like to see RC sell a cheaper messaging only package for this reason. Kind of like some airlines do. Say, pay $8 per day just to use iMessage or WhatsApp, but get no other internet access. A couple of big airlines give away basic messaging for free which is something Royal should have done. Instead they wanted to monetize chat but when they couldn't make it work properly they had to gave it away for free since they couldn't charge for it without creating a very long line at guest services to refund it. All of that developmental costs spread over years to an outsourced company all thrown away. It would have been cheaper to give away basic messaging for free right from the start. SplashOfWater 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted May 2 Report Share Posted May 2 I'm curious how many people use the app chat. And by use I mean use more than the first day until they realize it's no good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted May 2 Report Share Posted May 2 Just now, smokeybandit said: I'm curious how many people use the app chat. And by use I mean use more than the first day until they realize it's no good. "But honey I didn't see that you were trying to get a hold of me. The chat never notified me. I googled it and it's a well known problem. So sorry!" Convenient excuse to avoid dinner with the wife and the inlaws. SplashOfWater and WAAAYTOOO 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottD Posted May 3 Report Share Posted May 3 15 hours ago, dougalsgirl said: Thank you! This is good to know to keep checking for notifications if we aren’t all together. We made a conscious decision that we want to be internet free for this cruise. I’m sure as we move beyond 12 we may need to re-visit that! Just have a back up plan-maybe a dry erase board on the door or inside the room to leave notes and meeting spots or times in case the messages don't get noticed. a 12 year old should be fine getting around and keeping track of meeting times. My 11 yr old wandered around a little on his own, we made sure he knew what deck, what part (fwd or aft) and what side (port or starboard) our room was on, so he could easily follow the signs in the hallways to get back to the room when needed. But we did exactly what was mentioned above, logged him in under my wifes account, and I would message him from mine. He would respond most of the time, just have to remind them to check the phone every once in a while, and don't expect an immediate response. dougalsgirl 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougalsgirl Posted May 3 Author Report Share Posted May 3 We’re hopefully going to get to enjoy a few hours in the solarium when the 2.5 year old goes to the nursery (never be in any sort of daycare yet ) the 12 year old has (please, please, please!!!) made some friends!!! So the plan for needing to message us hinges on a few things Just want to be able to drop a message if plans have changed. This all sounds positive like we can do this without expecting it all to be instant. Just as a back up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottD Posted May 3 Report Share Posted May 3 32 minutes ago, dougalsgirl said: We’re hopefully going to get to enjoy a few hours in the solarium when the 2.5 year old goes to the nursery (never be in any sort of daycare yet ) the 12 year old has (please, please, please!!!) made some friends!!! So the plan for needing to message us hinges on a few things Just want to be able to drop a message if plans have changed. This all sounds positive like we can do this without expecting it all to be instant. Just as a back up! Ha ha, so we had the EXACT plans... hoping the 11 yr old would have fun and meet kids on the first night at the kids club, but we gave him permission to sign himself out. Dropped him off, walked up to the Solarium and by the time we sat down, saw the message that he was already back in the room . The group on that ship was 6-12 so he felt like he was in kiddie day care with 6 yr olds and left. SO we made a deal with him, he could hang out on his own a few nights but had to be back in the room at a certain time, and we would use that time to go to the adult comedy show and a few other adult only shows\activities. He basically decided hanging in the room with his tablet and tv were good enough after like 8-9pm anyway, so most of the time he was with us until we decided to go to a late night show, and he just hung in the room and played games on his tablet, knowing he could run down and grab pizza or a drink whenever he wanted. So it will work out, just might need to make a few deals, or set up some rules- but even if he doesn't make friends, you'll be good for a night or two of adult fun out and about. AND hope the little one is enjoying the kids club enough to get away for a bit. dougalsgirl 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shari Posted May 3 Report Share Posted May 3 The app chat feature is really unreliable. We had a group chat with the other couple we were cruising with and one of them never received the message and kept sending messages asking where we were and we never got them. It caused a bit of a stir so we made a pact of always texting OK or K to let the others know we got the message. Those missing messages finally showed up the next day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougalsgirl Posted May 3 Author Report Share Posted May 3 That’s a great tip! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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