Norwegian Cruise Line

A cruise ship is a small town with a timetable, and the practical difficulty of one is not boredom but knowing what is happening and where. This app is the schedule, the menu and the booking desk in one place. Onboard schedules show what is on across the ship at any time, so entertainment, activities and dining are visible rather than discovered by walking past them. Menus can be browsed in advance, which matters for anyone with a dietary requirement or a fussy child, and reservations for restaurants and experiences can be made from wherever you happen to be sitting rather than by queuing at a desk. Shore excursions are covered in detail, with descriptions of what each involves. That detail is worth reading properly: excursions vary enormously in walking distance, physical demand and how much of the day they consume, and the difference between a good port day and a wasted one is usually the choice made the night before. Planning starts before you sail, with preparation handled in the app so that boarding is the beginning of the holiday rather than the start of the admin. Everything sits in one place across the trip. Much of the app works over the ship's wi-fi without consuming expensive satellite data, though the terms are worth confirming on board. Browsing in advance from home is sensible: cruise preparation takes an evening, and that evening is better spent ashore than at sea.