Cruise Line Apps: What You Need To Download Before You Sail

• Pre-Cruise Essential Features: Cruise apps streamline the boarding process by facilitating faster mobile check-in, allowing guests to scan documents, take security photos, and access essential pre-departure health and safety information.

• Onboard Planning and Reservations: The apps serve as a comprehensive digital pocket planner onboard, enabling guests to view daily schedules, personalise their itinerary, and quickly book popular activities.

• Integrated Technology and Convenience: Modern apps integrate with other technologies, such as wearable devices (MedallionClass, wristbands) for touch-free services and personalised assistance.

There’s a lot to think about when going on a cruise. As well as deciding how to make the most of all the fantastic features, amenities and services onboard your ship and check out the timetables for shore excursions, engaging entertainment and exciting activities, there’s also the essential travel information you need to be aware of for each country you visit as part of your cruise. 

Fortunately, in the age of digitalisation, most cruise lines have put all this information into a convenient app, so you can have everything you need to know right at your fingertips. These apps can also help with booking tables at your favourite onboard restaurant or for a show you just can’t wait to see, making things quicker and easier so you don’t miss out while on your cruise. 

Read on to discover what cruise apps you need to download and how they can help you navigate pre-departure and during your cruise holiday.

Note: Unless otherwise specified, cruise apps are free to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. They can be used for free via the ship’s WiFi when onboard, without needing to purchase internet packages.

Royal Caribbean

The Royal Caribbean app helps you from check-in, right until the end of your cruise. You can use the app to get onboard faster, scan your passport and take your security photo. 

It also has helpful information on health and safety for your cruise holiday. When onboard, you can use it to view what’s happening each day, add favourites to your personal cruise calendar and jump the queues when booking speciality dining, shows and excursions.

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises offers innovative wearable technology via its MedallionClass. This casino chip-sized medallion enables touch-free boarding, the location of your travelling party and enhanced personalised service, including being able to have a beverage brought to you no matter where you are on a Princess Cruises ship. 

The MedallionClass app interacts with this wearable device to facilitate faster check-ins, navigation around the ship, finding family and friends, viewing, bookmarking and booking activities, shows and excursions, and much more.

Celebrity Cruises

The Celebrity Cruises app provides faster check-ins, safety information, onboard spend tracking, a personalised calendar, dinner reservations and excursion bookings. There’s also a friends and family chat option to use with those travelling with you, so you can always keep up with your party. 

On Edge Class Celebrity Cruises ships, the app has a handy digital key for your stateroom door, and when inside your stateroom, you can use it to control the TV, lighting and room temperature.

P&O Cruises

P&O Cruises has its very own dedicated digital pocket planner named My Holiday. 

It offers many standard cruise app features, both pre-departure and while onboard, such as booking shows, browsing and securing a shore excursion, and excursions and reserving a table in their onboard restaurants. If an onboard restaurant is especially popular, you can also view virtual queues with the app and view menus while you wait. 

You can also access your onboard account to check purchases and monitor your onboard spending money, and there’s a virtual GP service if you feel unwell or need medical advice.

Norwegian Cruise Line

The Cruise Norwegian mobile app allows you to book onboard activities, access documents, get directions to your departure pier, dining, shore excursions and entertainment activities even before your cruise holiday starts. Once onboard, you can also access your own Norwegian Cruise Line account that shows onboard purchases, send messages to other guests you’re travelling with, view daily ship timetables and disembarkation information. 

MSC Cruises

On MSC Cruises, their MSC for Me app offers a wide range of features designed to save time and make your cruise holiday easier. As well as the mobile check-in, real-time events and activity information, and messaging facility on the app, MSC for Me also offers a wearable wristband so you can make purchases more easily, book services and even unlock your cabin. 

Some ships also provide a personalised cocktail service prepared by their robotic bartender - aptly named Rob! - and you can access Zoe, MSC Cruises’ virtual cruise assistant via an in-cabin Bluetooth speaker. 

Cunard

Instead of an app, Cunard offers a digital planner, accessed via its free onboard WiFi. On it, you can do many of the things that the other apps provide, including viewing your onboard account, making dinner reservations, booking shore excursions and joining virtual queues. It also has a virtual GP service, offering medical consultations if needed on your cruise. 

Cruise apps are another example of how cruise lines are using the latest digital technology to improve and personalise your holiday experience. They are evolving all the time, with more features being added to make things quicker, easier and better before and during your cruise holiday.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to pay to use the cruise app while onboard?

Cruise apps are typically free to download and free to use via the ship's WiFi network while onboard. You do not usually need to purchase an internet package just to access and use the core functions of the cruise line's app.

What if I don't have a smartphone?

While the apps offer great convenience, most essential services like booking dining, shows, and viewing daily schedules are still available through interactive screens around the ship or by visiting the Guest Services desk.

Can the app help me find people I am travelling with?

Yes, some cruise line apps (like Princess Cruises' MedallionClass) include features that allow you to locate your travelling party or send messages to friends and family onboard.

How does the app work with wearable technology like medallions or wristbands?

Apps often complement wearable tech, which may act as your stateroom key, payment method, and even help staff locate you for personalised services (like drink delivery) or navigate the ship.

Can I control my stateroom using the cruise app?

On newer ships (like Celebrity's Edge Class ships), cruise line apps can function as a digital key and control in-room features such as the TV, lighting, and room temperature.