The best cruise apps to streamline your vacation at sea

1 day ago 8

For better or worse, you'll be hard-pressed to go just about anywhere on today's cruise ships without your smartphone in hand. Major cruise lines have embraced the cellphone as a necessary travel accessory, and they've built out the app technology to go with it.

Nearly all major cruise lines feature their own apps with basic functionality that lets cruisers peruse deck plans and daily schedules. The more advanced ones feature a sleek digital embarkation process, cabin unlocking capabilities and plenty of opportunities to reserve dining and shore excursions.

The most cutting-edge apps at sea are where you'll find travel technology at its best: Think ordering Champagne with the press of a button or having a fresh pizza delivered to you anywhere on the ship.

Whether you're angling for new towels while still in the pool or ready to order breakfast in bed from under the sheets, the best cruise apps will get you what you need quickly and easily. Here are our favorite cruise line-specific apps, as well as a few third-party apps that cruise fans will definitely want to download.

Note: Nearly all of these apps can be found on Apple's App Store or via Android Apps on Google Play. Be sure to download your cruise line's app onto your phone or tablet and log in to your account before you set sail. Once on board, put your phone in airplane mode and hop on the ship's Wi-Fi. Cruise line-specific apps will be free to use on board — no Wi-Fi package required.

Carnival HUB app

No matter where you are on a Carnival Cruise Line ship, there can be a pizza headed your way with just a few taps of the Carnival HUB app. Just mark your exact spot on the ship, take a selfie to identify yourself, and your order will arrive shortly. The delivery is $5 but the pizza with unlimited toppings is free.

The HUB app is useful for perusing menus throughout the ship, adding your name to a restaurant's waitlist, reserving your seat for select mainstage shows and booking a ride on the BOLT roller coaster. Onboard chat is available through the app for an additional $5 per person, limited to passengers ages 13 and older.

Celebrity Cruises App

The Celebrity Cruises App brings a smart-home sensibility to sea on Celebrity Cruises' Edge Class ships (Celebrity Edge, Apex, Beyond and Ascent). The app transforms your phone into a handy remote that controls your cabin's TV, room temperature, lighting options and window shades. Having clearly labeled, easy-to-dim lights at your fingertips is an understated luxury that we wish all ship cabins had.

Other winning app features found fleetwide include a digital key to get into your cabin (not available on all ships), free in-app chat to connect with your group on the ship and an easy dinner reservation system.

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Cruise Norwegian app

Norwegian Cruise Line is updating its already robust Cruise Norwegian app, available for download on the App Store and Google Play. A new feature allows passengers to scan their passports for easier check-in. Updates include a simplified online check-in process (fewer steps) and the ability to track and manage your cruise purchases and expenses before you board and during your cruise.

The new NCL mobile app will roll out ship-by-ship and is only available for select ships. At the time of writing, it is currently available on the following ships: Norwegian Sky, Encore, Viva, Breakaway, Dawn, Jade, Bliss, Epic, Prima, Joy and Pride of America. All ships will be compatible with the new mobile app by Dec. 11, 2024.

CruiseMapper

Locate a cruise ship anywhere in the world in real-time and then explore it with the free CruiseMapper app. The app is the most comprehensive cruise ship tracking app available, pinpointing nearly every major passenger ship at sea on all oceans, rivers and lakes at its exact location. Learn more about each ship with deck plans, cabin details, itinerary schedules and reviews. It's great when you're at sea and want to know which vessels are passing you or who will be in port with you the following day.

Cunard Line's My Voyage

Cunard's My Voyage app is most useful as an onboard digital planner for your days at sea. A few features from the app that add convenience to your getaway include virtual queues for restaurants, so you can grab a predinner cocktail instead of waiting in line, and virtual restaurant reservations for those who want to plan ahead. If you're not feeling up to snuff, the app's telehealth feature will get you seen by the onboard medical team without leaving your cabin.

Disney Cruise Line Navigator app

Disney Cruise Line has built one of the most robust app experiences at sea. The most helpful resource on the Navigator App is the onboard live chat feature that connects passengers to crew members, including guest services, the port excursions team and the dining team. If your questions are a bit more than you can type, request a one-on-one in-person meeting, and the app will tell you where and when to show up. The app also features a free chat system featuring Disney emoticons, adding a touch of fun to your onboard communications.

Holland America Line Navigator app

Convenient, time-saving features are the main draw of Holland America Line's refreshed Navigator app. Most exciting is the ability to order coffee, food or in-cabin service from the app anywhere on the ship. If you're angling for a snack, fire up the app, place your order and your food will be ready for pickup at the ship's New York Deli & Pizza eatery within minutes.

The app also helps you organize your itinerary, providing you the convenience of selecting and saving activities you want to take part in to help you better plan your day. That itinerary also includes any dining reservations and shore excursions you've booked.

Mobile Passport Control

A must for any passengers cruising internationally, the Mobile Passport Control app (now known as the MPC app) allows eligible passengers to upload their passport and customs declarations for digital screening. While the app and digital upload are not required to pass through customs, completing the steps on your app helps streamline your entry into the U.S. after your flight home from an overseas cruise. You'll be glad you have this free app ready to help cut down on your overall wait time.

MSC for Me app

Whether you're planning your MSC cruise or are already on board, the MSC for Me app can help you out. The app lets you keep in touch with your group via free in-app chat, book special events and restaurant reservations and purchase drink packages, shore excursions and specialty dining opportunities. Recently, the app was updated to include the Digital Safety Drill feature, streamlining the muster drill process. Passengers can complete the mandatory safety drill requirements on their mobile phones and watch an informative video in the app that showcases all the safety instructions.

The MSC for Me app is now available on 17 of MSC Cruises' "smart" ships and should be available fleetwide by mid-2025. The app will also be available for use on MSC Cruises' newest ship, MSC World America, which will launch in April 2025.

Additionally, the app is available in nine different languages (English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese and Russian).

Princess Cruises' MedallionClass app

Princess Cruises' MedallionClass app has more functionality than many cruise line apps on this list. Use the app to order just about anything on board to just about anywhere, from food and drinks to merchandise. Restock your cabin with a few taps on the app for complimentary bathrobes, pillow options, towels, face masks, hangers and ice. Use the app to highlight activities you're interested in to create a personalized itinerary. Keep in touch with your party through in-app messaging and location tracking via the ship's Medallion devices (more on those shortly).

If you're angling for a bit of gambling poolside or anywhere else on the ship, power up your app when the ship's at sea to wager virtual money in practice mode or real money on the app's casino. If you're looking for less-expensive thrills, PlayOcean turns the app into a digital scavenger hunt through the ship's decks.

The app also helps expedite the boarding process before your trip by uploading your passport, taking a security photo and offering the option to preorder your free Medallion device (a quarter-sized, wearable RFID device), which will be essential to your cruise experience.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises app

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has a less conventional app that is most useful in port. Built with shore excursions in mind, Regent's app will amplify your tour guide's voice through your own device. You can use your preferred headset or hold the phone to your ear. It's nice to move at your own pace without needing to vie for a spot close to the tour guide or carry both your phone and a ship- or guide-provided headset and audio device.

Royal Caribbean App

The Royal Caribbean App helps save time navigating Royal Caribbean's megaships. Favorite features on the free app include a passport scanner for expedited boarding, complimentary in-app group chats and easy dining and activity reservation access. Check the daily schedule to find fun things to do, deck plans to figure out how to get there and your onboard bill to make sure all the fun you're having isn't taking you over budget. You can also watch safety videos on the app instead of gathering en masse for a muster drill.

Seabourn Source app

The Seabourn Source app is an encyclopedia of knowledge about your Seabourn ship. Plan your meals ahead of time with daily menu updates from all the onboard dining venues, keep track of the daily activities and entertainment options available and browse and book shore excursions. The app is also a great resource for tracking your time in port, with detailed port arrival and departure times, ensuring a timely return to the ship.

Shipmate app

The Shipmate app by CruiseLine.com is a third-party cruise app that helps you count down to your next cruise with helpful user reviews, photos and a chat feature. Save all your previous cruises to track where you've been while exploring the app's cruise deals to figure out where you're headed next. The app's photo gallery is a favorite feature, with user-uploaded photos, allowing you to explore the ships from every angle. The app also features plenty of independent tour options in most ports with competitive rates and a guarantee that you'll be back on the ship on time.

Viking Voyager app

Viking's free Viking Voyager app is excellent. The line's robust digital presence caters to tech-savvy passengers with features that include live TV (CNBC, BBC News, MSNBC, Fox News, Smithsonian, Sky News, National Geographic and others) and weather forecasts for upcoming ports to help you plan accordingly. Timely reminders for your reservations on the cruise make sure you don't miss a spa appointment or dinner reservation. The app also features an art guide to explore the onboard art collection and learn more about the many original paintings, sculptures and photographs throughout the fleet.

Virgin Voyages' Sailor App

You'll find Virgin Voyages does everything with a bit of panache and its Sailor App is no exception. Once on board, open the app and shake your phone to reveal a secret button that, with just a simple press, will send a bottle of Moet & Chandon Imperial your way on nearly any deck. Be careful, though: That shake will cost you $95 for the bottle of bubbly. Other features include virtual queues for the ship's restaurants and round-the-clock access to chat with the guest services team instead of standing in line.

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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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