Stop taking away things and begin adding things, for example...

[BadPinkTink]

Have to disagree here. You get an experience with that inanimate piece of paper, it's just not a digital one. I also already give DCL plenty of information about my journey, I should have the option to not give them more. Yes, they need as much data as possible because everything is micromanaged based on data trends, etc... but people should have the option to not be a source of that information.

[/QUOTE]

which is where GDPR and cookie consent and opting out of tracking cookies is now law in Europe. America is just behind in this regard. As someone who uses Google Analytics on a daily basis, its extremely important for companies to analyse aggregate impersonal customer data.

Privacy policies and what data is used and how it is collected are the fundamentals of GDPR. You can opt of tracking cookies and data collection while still using the service in Europe.

 

[tutumomickey]

Sorry techie but I disagree this is the wave of the future. That will be true only if we let it. I have my kindle for travelling, but there is nothing like the feel and smell of a paper book. My daughter allows my granddaughters no access to digital devices. They read (and love) only paper books. More and more people are noticing that we sit next to each other but look and interact only with our phones. Many of us are choosing to disconnect digitally and reconnect socially. A cruise is the perfect opportunity to do this and paper navigators are the perfect tool to encourage it.

 

[cgolf]

which is where GDPR and cookie consent and opting out of tracking cookies is now law in Europe. America is just behind in this regard. As someone who uses Google Analytics on a daily basis, its extremely important for companies to analyse aggregate impersonal customer data.

Privacy policies and what data is used and how it is collected are the fundamentals of GDPR. You can opt of tracking cookies and data collection while still using the service in Europe.
[/QUOTE]

There are two reasons I don't want to use the app or anyone in my family when we are on a cruise.

We are all too attached to our screens, it is nice to have a vacation where the screens are set down for a week. We also only turn on the TV to either look at the bow cam or our account info. It is refreshing to have a screen free week.

The second is we usually look at the navigator before or after a dip in the pool. If we needed our device, how do we protect it from someone taking it? I would end up not taking it to the pool or anywhere it would not be in my possession. This is not effective in my opinion.

Ultimately too much tech is going to backfire at some point and people, even young people, will want to go back to at least a little less tech. My college age kid was home last weekend and between homework and chatting with friends, I would say 85% of her day was in front of her laptop or phone, that isn't a healthy way to live.

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

I would say 85% of her day was in front of her laptop or phone, that isn't a healthy way to live.

But it will prepare them for life on the Buy N' Large starship.

 

[Adventurelawyer]

I have been following this post and I have to step in to Disney defence about the navigators and the move to using the App.

I work in digital marketing and the tech world and I am alot more tech aware than most people. Im just back from the Web Summit in Lisbon Portugal, which is the biggest international conference for everything to do with the internet and Tech world.

I went to talks from the Chief Marketing Officers of companies like Lamborgini, Burger King, Uber, StockX, Giphy, Tastemade. Every major tech company from Google to Microsoft were there as well as hundreds of tech startups. Basically all the people and companies who create all the tech we use on a day to day basis were at this conference.

Tech is the way forward and Disney are just moving forward. I see it as a natural progression and something which Disney are doing right. The world is changing at a very rapid pace and Disney is making sure they move with it.

Moving away from the paper navigators to the App is a smart move. It gives Disney a lot more scope to be creative and instant. It also gives Disney a way of connecting with passengers on a more personal level.

Everything now is about giving customers an experience. You don't get an experience with a inanimate piece of paper. You don't get information about customer journeys from inanimate piece of paper.

Some of the talks I went to and some of the demonstrations, the tech software and prototypes I saw were about what companies are planning to do in the next 5 to 10 years.

Disney is planning for the future, and embracing new technology, so that the kids in The Vibe and Oceaneers club in 2019 will be the adults who come back in 2030.

But the App is crap.

they have put almost no money into it. It’s glitchy AF. It isn’t creative, innovative, or responsive, and it certainly isn’t interactive at all when it does work. Disney isn’t treating it as progress and an investment, its treating the Nav App as an afterthought because they know, like most changes on ship, we will suck it up.

 

[ironz]

I believe it's been mentioned already, but just ask your stateroom host for the paper Navigator. They might not have one immediately, but will deliver one at turn-down on the subsequent nights. Just did this on the Magic. For the night that our host didn't know I wanted a paper one, I managed to get by Guest Services and get one. They had a small stack on the counter.

 

[Lilsia]

Sorry techie but I disagree this is the wave of the future. That will be true only if we let it. I have my kindle for travelling, but there is nothing like the feel and smell of a paper book. My daughter allows my granddaughters no access to digital devices. They read (and love) only paper books. More and more people are noticing that we sit next to each other but look and interact only with our phones. Many of us are choosing to disconnect digitally and reconnect socially. A cruise is the perfect opportunity to do this and paper navigators are the perfect tool to encourage it.

I love digital books. I read every day and I read fast. So on an average vacation, I go through at least 4 or 5 books. I don't want to be carrying around books with me everywhere. Even when I go to the parks, I read on the Nook app on my phone while in line or eating. (this is when I travel solo). I have not purchased an actual paper book in probably a decade. Save a tree and all that.

 

[Shelley Chiarats]

You could donate the sling bags to Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc. Think of how happy someone who can't afford to cruise would be to come across something like that even though frequent cruisers see it as throwaway. Another option would be to add some school supplies and give it to the school for them to give to those who can't afford a backback.

 

[BCV23]

You could donate the sling bags to Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc. Think of how happy someone who can't afford to cruise would be to come across something like that even though frequent cruisers see it as throwaway. Another option would be to add some school supplies and give it to the school for them to give to those who can't afford a backback.

I've dropped off quite a few slingback and previous Castaway Club bags at Goodwill. Love the school supplies idea. On our last cruise, I asked our room attendant if he would like the sling bag. He seemed very happy to accept. He asked me to make a note on the receipt that I was giving it to him.

As for the paper Navigator, I love it but also love the Ap. The graph layout of the paper navigator makes it so much easier to see all activities. It is my custom to peruse it every evening on the verandah. The Ap allows us to have our dinner order figured out ahead of time which really speeds up dinner. Our attendant brought us the Navigator every evening after I asked.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I see what has changed, and adjust, and have to say that our recent three night Merrytime Cruise was one of our best DCL Cruises and I have been on more than 30 DCLs.

 

[EveDallas]

which is where GDPR and cookie consent and opting out of tracking cookies is now law in Europe. America is just behind in this regard. As someone who uses Google Analytics on a daily basis, its extremely important for companies to analyse aggregate impersonal customer data.

Privacy policies and what data is used and how it is collected are the fundamentals of GDPR. You can opt of tracking cookies and data collection while still using the service in Europe.
[/QUOTE]

Not everyone worships at the altar of all things tech.

 

[Adventurelawyer]

which is where GDPR and cookie consent and opting out of tracking cookies is now law in Europe. America is just behind in this regard. As someone who uses Google Analytics on a daily basis, its extremely important for companies to analyse aggregate impersonal customer data.

Privacy policies and what data is used and how it is collected are the fundamentals of GDPR. You can opt of tracking cookies and data collection while still using the service in Europe.

Not everyone worships at the altar of all things tech.
[/QUOTE]
And not everyone considers “impersonal data,” impersonal.
I don’t want my phone on me during vacation. I won’t have my phone on me during vacation. Disney has enough of my data. It doesn’t need anymore.