If you are a fan of cruising, there are so many reasons to love the Ship Mate app by Cruiseline.com. The app offers you all of the excitement and information you can ask for in a convenient, easy to use, free application. I love this app and today, I’ll share MY top 5 reasons to love the Ship Mate app.
It’s no secret that I love cruising. As a worrier, I love the ability to sail to new places all while unpacking once and having a base to call home for the duration of the cruise. For those of us that love cruising, we can spend hours reading blogs, making lists and watching Youtube videos.
In addition to a brand-specific cruise app such as the Royal App or the Carnival Hub App, the ShipMate App can be very beneficial to planning your next cruise. There are many reasons to love the ShipMate App.
#1. Countdown to Cruise
What is more exciting than being able to check your cruise countdown? In the winter months, a little daydream about your upcoming cruise can brighten your day! There are several backgrounds to choose from, too! If your cruise is still several months away, you can celebrate the milestones. I always send my husband a screenshot when we hit double-digits and then again when we get down to single digits! Before you know it, it’s CRUISE-DAY!
#2 The Explore Tab – Excursions and more
When sailing to a new port of call or when you’re stuck waiting at the DMV, browse available shore excursions in each of your ports. Even if you prefer to book directly through your cruise line or aren’t comfortable booking via the application, it’s a great tool to gather ideas of available options.
But, I recommend giving it a try. When you book using the app you will get an email verification and contact information for your excursion.
Tip: Check the policy for canceling both by you or by the provider. If an excursion doesn’t fill up or there is an issue beyond their control they may cancel the excursion. In most cases, they will send a notification to your registered email.
Check your email before leaving the ship. If you do not have the internet package, ask for assistance at guest services. Most cruise terminals offer free wifi spots as well. If your excursion meet-up is at the port, it’s not a problem. But, if it involves a taxi ride to your meeting location, I recommend checking before setting out.
The Explore tab also lets you browse ships, deck cams, shopping and more!
#3 All of the Reviews – Excursions, Ships, Ports, etc.
Reviews can be very helpful and most people love them!
I always browse through the reviews to get a feel for a ship or activity I might be interested in. But, I do recommend that you take all reviews with a grain of salt. Experiences can be skewed to personal preference. If you are an avid snorkeler, your experience may seem “eh” versus someone who has just experienced snorkeling for the first time and was absolutely amazed.
If you enjoy a very active cruise you may think a Carnival ship was amazing, while someone who enjoys a more relaxing and quiet environment may give that sailing a negative review.
Check out the reviews and take what is relevant to YOUR travel style!
Reviews are available for individual ships, ports of call, excursions and more. There is so much information available in the ShipMate App.
#4. Your Cruise History
The cruise history feature is definitely a favorite for me.
I often get questions about when I sailed to a particular port or on a particular ship. It’s great to not only have access to your itinerary at the time of sailing but to also be able to pull up the exact itinerary…even years later.
What I really LOVE about this feature is that it’s not specific to a particular cruise line! So, while I’ve sailed most frequently with Royal Caribbean I appreciate being able to access all of my past itineraries on other cruise lines as well.
You can even see the details of your port days, your cabin number and even a saved packing list. But, if you are looking for cruise lists, check out my Travel Printables section.
5. Ship Mates!
Ahoy! You can make friends! How great is it that you can connect with other’s that also enjoy cruising? You can also participate in the “Roll Call” for your specific sailing dates to interact with people who will be sailing with you.
Are you on Ship Mate? Make sure you Add FindingJillian to your Ship Mate list.
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Happy Travels!
Jillian