disney cruise mobile app

Disney Cruise Navigator App: Everything You Need to Know

by Eric Freilich | Jan 8, 2024 | Disney Cruise Line

Here’s your guide to using the Disney Cruise Navigator app before you embark.

A Disney Cruise is a magical experience for Disney fans of all ages. What better way to sail the high seas than with your favorite Disney characters? There’s a lot to ‘“sea” and do onboard, and the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app can help you plan and manage your trip, explore offerings on the ship, and stay in touch with your family and friends.

We’ve used the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App on every one of our sailings, and while some features have changed over the years, the app is still a useful – and essential! – tool for cruisers to make sure you don’t miss out on a moment of fun. You’ll rely on the Navigator App before and during your cruise, so you’ll want to get familiar with it well before you actually set sail. Below, we’ve got your guide to using and perusing the app!

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Using the disney cruise navigator app before your cruise.

To start using the Disney Cruise Navigator app, download it from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android) and create a login – or log in with your existing Disney account.

The Disney Cruise Navigator app offers helpful features before your cruise.

As soon as you book your cruise, you’ll see a countdown to your sailing, featuring Disney characters. You’ll also have access to helpful features to manage your cruise, make payments, view and modify your stateroom, and view deck plans.

You can also request to change your dining time, if spots are available, or manage travel options such as ground transportation and flights.

Add your reservation to the DCL Navigator app.

Once your cruise is paid in full and your booking window opens – based upon your Castaway Club stats – you can explore and reserve activities such as adults-only dining experiences .

Using the Disney Cruise Navigator App During Your Cruise

Once you’re aboard the ship, you’ll have access to additional features when connected to the free Wi-Fi ( free when used only for the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app).

Wi-Fi is free when using the app aboard the ship.

The Onboard Chat is an easy way to connect with friends, family, and Crew Members – including Guest Services – all from within the app. You can also view restaurant information such as locations, menus, and your table number. Want to skip a meal to relax in your room? Check out the in-room dining menu right from the app for a sweet treat .

One helpful feature you’ll want to utilize in the Navigator App is the ability to participate in the Mandatory Emergency Drill , or Muster Drill, before you set sail. Just have a member of your party go to your assigned designated onboard Assembly Station and check in with a crew member. This is a welcome change compared to waiting for everyone to arrive and check in before the drill could begin, especially if it was located on deck.

Other features include the ability to review the daily entertainment schedule – you’ll find the details for shows, fireworks, activities, Port Adventures, and character locations – and set reminders so you don’t miss out on a moment of fun .

You can also keep tabs on your onboard account so there aren’t any surprises on your last day as you prepare for debarkation .

The Navigator app is really intuitive

Tips for Using the Disney Cruise Navigator App

Here are some tips to help you get the most out of the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App:

• Bring a phone charger—or two! You’ll want to keep the app open to receive notifications and reminders. Having a portable charger to carry with you through the day can be a big help; just remember to charge it each night.
• Make sure you’re connected to the Wi-Fi . You don’t have to purchase an internet plan to use the app, though you will need to pay for Wi-Fi if you intend to work on vacation (boo!) or immediately share photos of your dinner on the ‘Gram.
• Check for app and software updates before you sail. You won’t want to use part of your paid internet plan to download them during your cruise.
• Review the app and the Disney Cruise Line Website before you sail for the latest information on availability and features.

The Disney Cruise Navigator App is a must-have when sailing on a Disney Cruise . From ship to shore, it’s the perfect companion for your adventure on the high seas. Learn more about what you can expect when you set sail aboard a Disney Cruise Line ship and keep reading:

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Authored by Eric Freilich

Step-By-Step: How to Use Disney Cruise Line Navigator on Board

The Disney Cruise Line Navigator App is essential when you’re on board the ship, as there is no paper listing of daily events. Want to know where you’re having dinner? The app. What the schedule is in the movie theater? The app. How will you contact your teenagers and tell them you’ll be out of reach in the Rainforest Room? The app.

Since you can’t take a spin through the on-board version until you’re, well, on board, take a spin through the overview below. We’ll cover everything from the basics to some pro tips that might even leave your tech-savvy kids asking “Whoa, how did you do that?” By the time you sail, you’ll be an old hand at finding the information you want fast . ( Last updated/republished May 21, 2024.)

Tap any heading below to go directly to that section, and click on any image to enlarge it.

Getting Connected Getting Oriented Making Plans – Where to Find What Dining Information in DCL Navigator Using the DCL Navigator Chat Miscellaneous

Getting Connected

If you run the app at home before your cruise, it works like an app version of the Disney Cruise Line website. But once you get on board, you’ll see a whole new look. In order to access the onboard version of the app, you must be connected to the DCL Guest Wifi, available on the ship. It is free to connect and you do not need to buy an internet package to use the app or any of its features.

On land, you log in to the app with the same credentials you use on the Disney Cruise Line website, but on board, you won’t log in at all. Instead, you’ll link your stateroom. This allows everyone in your group to use the app whether they have a website login or not. The steps below may vary a bit, but the screenshots should be typical. Once you’re connected to DCL Guest WiFi, open the app, tap “Link Your Stateroom”, and follow the prompts.

Although the text says to link your stateroom , you’re really setting up the app for an individual user. If you and your partner (or kids) link to the same stateroom number, you’ll have different chat IDs based on the personal information you gave.

Did one of your kids accidentally link on their phone using your info, and now their phone thinks they’re you in the chat?  No worries — look on the bottom right for “More” and select it, then choose “Help”, then “About this app”.  You’ll see a link to reset the app, after which you can relink it correctly.

Getting Oriented

When you first open the app, you’ll be on the Home Screen. How do you know it’s the Home Screen?  On the bottom of the screen is a menu bar; the icons light up to indicate which area you’re currently using. If you’ve used any of Disney’s parks apps such as My Disney Experience or the Disneyland app, this interface will feel a little familiar. Here’s what you’ll find when tapping any of these icons:

• Home: rapid access to the first few items in your plans, plus the day’s itinerary information for the ship
• Explore: all the available activities — if it’s on the ship’s activity schedule, you’ll find it here, plus shopping and more
• Add Plans:  The big plus sign is a shortcut to activities you need to pre-book.
• My Plans: This is the full blow-by-blow of everything in — you guessed it — your plans.  See your whole trip in one place.
• More: Access to a variety of miscellaneous features: view your bill, muster information, etc.

Making Plans – Where to Find What

Today’s ship information.

Clicking Today’s Itinerary on the Home Screen gives you the big picture – weather, what the ship is doing that day, etc. If it’s a port day this is where you’ll find the All Ashore and All Aboard times, as well as information about Emergency Contacts and the Ship’s Agent if you have a problem when you’re ashore. If you’re going ashore, I recommend taking a screenshot of the Contact Information screen to guarantee you have access to these numbers no matter what the internet situation is.

Find Your Plans Under “My Plans”

The “My Plans” screen is the way to see all of your plans for the day (or for other days), and you’ll get notifications 15 minutes in advance for anything that’s in “My Plans”. When you first board, you’ll see three kinds of activities in pre-loaded into this screen.

• You’ll always see your assigned dining rotation for the day.
• You’ll see anything you pre-booked or reserved such as specialty dining or port adventures.
• “Signature Events” – usually the ship’s evening stage shows – will be added automatically, but can be removed if you don’t want to include them.

The rest of the ship’s daily activities – crafts, trivia, etc. – will be found in the Explore screen. Tap the heart to add any activity so that it appears in the Your Plans tab. Want to take it off later when reviewing your plans? Just tap again to unselect it. These favorites are specific to you, so if some family members are excited about the midnight movie and others are more interested in Rise ‘n’ Shine Yoga, everyone will see only the things they’ve added.

Activities – the Explore Screen

If you want to go beyond the activities that are automatically added to your plans, you’ll want to head to the Explore tab. Disney has worked hard to expose a lot of information in this screen so don’t be afraid to tap, tap, tap. Want to see movie schedules? There are at least four different ways to access them. When you first open the Explore tab, there are a few settings that you’ll want to be aware of.

• Tapping the Date allows you to switch and see activities for a different day.
• The Filter lets you select activities based on specific criteria like age range or activity type.
• The left-right slider that starts with “Daily Activities” lets you quickly move back and forth between categories
• The little ship on the top left can be used to access deck plans.

For more on how to get the most out of the Explore screen and easily plan your day’s activities, see  Plan Your Day With the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App .

Dining information is found all over the app. On the Explore tab, the Dining & Lounges slider section shows you hours for all the dining venues.  You can see which rotational restaurant is serving lunch, and what time Cabanas is open. Clicking any eatery brings up the menu. Just for you, you can see your rotational dining assignment on the Home screen or the My Plans tab, and you can click to bring up the menu.  Want to see your dining schedule for the whole cruise? You’ll find that on the More tab.

The chat feature of the Navigator app is accessed by tapping the little chat bubble that is visible on many (but not all) screens. If you have new messages, the bubble will have a red dot and a number to show how many new messages you have. The chat bubble will only show when you’re scrolled all the way to the top of the screen.

If you’ve texted on your phone before, you can use the chat in the Navigator, but there are a few things that are worth a callout. First, people in your cabin will automatically be shown in your chat list.  Want to talk to anyone else?  You’ll need to supply them with your Chat ID, visible above your name, in order to get the conversation going.

⭐ You can click the little pencil to the right of your name to change how it is shown in chat, to you and your chat partners. Having your kids change their screen names can be a good way to keep some privacy for your family as they accumulate a long list of chat friends in Edge and Vibe. (Changes are retroactive). Even if you don’t care about privacy, you can still count coup on your kids by changing screen name before they do theirs. Who says parents can’t be tech-savvy?

⭐ To get alerts when someone messages you, make sure that your phone is set to allow notifications from the app. But this still doesn’t always work properly. If you’re waiting for a message, you might want to launch the app and check every now and then.

⭐ Swiping left on a chat thread offers options for blocking contacts or leaving the chat, depending on whether it’s an individual or group thread. You can also clear the previous messages, or get more details about participants.

⭐ If you had a pop-up message when you first opened Navigator for the day and dismissed it, you can still find it here by switching from Conversations to Notifications.

Miscellaneous

Here’s a quick list of where to find …

• Your account balance: More tab, then My Charges (you can also download a copy of your Folio online after your cruise).
• Change your purchasing pin: More tab, then My Account; you may need to visit Guest Services to do this in person
• Book a placeholder cruise: you can do this two ways (because Disney is always happy to take your booking for a future cruise).  Either begin from the Home screen, just under the ship image, or from the More screen: 10% off a future cruise.
• Weather: Tap Today’s Itinerary from the Home Screen
• Your full dining rotation: More screen, then Dining Schedule
• Your muster station: More screen, then Emergency Assembly Station; you can also find this on your Key to the World card.

First published July 5, 2022

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Jennifer Heymont

Jennifer has a background in math and biology, so she ended up in Data Science where she gets to do both. She lives just north of Boston with her husband, kids, and assorted animal members of the family. Although it took three visits for the Disney bug to "take", she now really wishes she lived a lot closer to the Parks.

10 thoughts on “ Step-By-Step: How to Use Disney Cruise Line Navigator on Board ”

What an amazing resource. I’m truly grateful! This will be our inaugural Disney Cruise Line vacation, and I can’t wait to wow the kids.

What a fantastic tool, I really appreciate it, Jennifer. This will be our first Disney Cruise Line vacation, so I’m looking forward to impressing the kids.

Jennifer Heymont, thank you for the information. While onboard, is there the best way to record the DCL Navigator pages for each day? Is there a way for DCL Guest Services to print the same information? I’ve seen another website called disney cruise blog post hard copies and phone-recorded copies of the ship’s daily navigators. I prefer reading their hard copy. Any suggestions?

Hi Ray, the printed Navigators that you’ve seen copies of on other blogs had already started to be phased out before COVID; they were still available on request but no longer delivered automatically. When sailings returned after a year+ hiatus during COVID, printed Navigators were not offered at all. As recently as September of last year, Disney’s official answer is that there is no printed schedule and you should use the app. ( https://plandisney.disney.go.com/question/hard-copies-daily-navigator-brought-back-found-app-518562/ ). But I have heard that guests are sometimes able to have Guest Services print out a schedule for them. This may depend on how busy they are, etc., etc. – your mileage may vary.

One thing I can suggest: when we sailed with a printed Navigator we never carried it with us, just used it in the room to plan our day. That’s actually one thing I prefer with the app, that I can always have it with me without “taking it away” from anyone else in my family who might want to use it. If you’re comfortable in this “room only resource” mode and you have an iPad or other tablet, the app displays a lot more information per screen on those devices (just because they’re larger) and sometimes it’s easier to use. The downside is that you can only be logged in on one device at a time; if you sign in to the app on an iPad it will log you out on the phone – or at least, that’s what happened to me when I tried it.

What an awesome resource, thank you Jennifer! First time DCL cruising family and I love the idea of showing off to the kids when we get on board, LOL.

Just a question – can we view our photos taken on the app too? For the package?

Hi Melissa, here’s hoping your kids are suitably impressed! 🙂

To answer your question, no – at least not when I was last on board. I’m not sure when your cruise is, but our cruise expert Erin may have an article coming out in the next few months on what you need to know about the DCL onboard photos. Whether or not you see it before you go, have a great trip!

Is it possible to use the app without paying for any internet service at all and yet have access to all of its features?

Hello, you’ll be connected to the DCL Guest WiFi, which is like a little mini-network that belongs to the ship. The WiFi network can connect to the internet, but you don’t need to. The app runs on the WiFi, which means that you don’t need to access the internet to use it, and as far as I’m aware there are no paid features in the app. Once you’ve paid to get on the ship, you’re good to go!

Can you access all of the app features without paying for any internet?

Hi Laura – yes, you can. I’ll put that in the post, actually, thanks for flagging that!

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Disney Cruise Navigator App Guide

Getting ready to set sail on a Disney Cruise? Wondering what’s up with the Disney Cruise Navigator App? No worries, you’re in the right spot! Let’s chat about all the cool stuff you can do with it in this Disney Cruise Navigator App guide.

Hey Disney Cruisers! Embark on a magical journey with the Disney Cruise Navigator App, your essential companion from the moment you book your Disney Cruise to your adventures on the high seas. This comprehensive Disney Cruise Navigator App guide offers detailed insights into both preparing for your cruise and maximizing your experience onboard.

What is the Disney Cruise Navigator App?

It’s your best friend on your Disney Cruise. You can make the most of it from the comfort of your home by planning your trip, handling payments, booking those must-do activities, and making any special requests. Don’t forget to use it for online check-in too. Once you’re on board, it’s your go-to for checking your cruise schedule, booking activities, and chatting with family and friends. Plus, it keeps you in the loop with all the essential info about ship locations and ports of call, and even sends you digital receipts. There’s so much it can do to make your cruise smooth and enjoyable!

Before Your Cruise: Getting Started with the App

Download and login.

Download the Disney Cruise Navigator app from the App Store or Google Play . Log in with your existing Disney account or create a new one to start planning your cruise adventure.

Pre-Cruise Planning

As soon as your cruise booking is confirmed, the app presents a delightful Disney-themed countdown. Use the app to manage cruise details, make payments, modify your stateroom, book Port Adventure and Onboard Activities, and view deck plans. Early preparation is key to a smooth sailing experience.

Let’s Discover Everything You Can Do

Manage Your Reservation

Check Your Price Summary Dive into your payment details, check out when your payments were made, and find out when your next balance is due.

Make Payments To keep your reservation smooth and secure, make sure to pay off your stateroom in full.

View and Modify Stateroom Have a look at your current stateroom category and switch it up if you feel like a change.

Explore Deck Plans Get familiar with the ship’s layout and spot where all your favorite activities are going to be.

My Online Check-In

Provide Your Info Fill out the necessary forms with your details beforehand and make your check-in at the port a breeze.

View Required Documents Check out what documents you’ll need based on your trip and nationality. This could range from a valid passport to travel visas.

Review Your Cruise Contract and Data Protection Policy Take a bit of time to go over these important documents now, so you can kick back as soon as you’re on board.

Choose Your Arrival Time Pick a port arrival time that works best for you, making your journey as smooth as possible.

Youth Activities Got kids? Register them for the fun youth activities on board.

Explore & Book Activities

Onboard Fun Check out our app to find a whole world of fun waiting for you and your family. From imaginative activities for the kids to unique leisure options for adults, and electrifying entertainment for everyone, it’s all at your fingertips.

Port Adventures Dive into our curated shore excursions, handpicked by Disney Cruise Line to ensure you and your family experience the best each destination has to offer. Reserve your spots early to make sure you don’t miss out!

Adult Dining Feel like a night out? Book a romantic dinner in venues designed exclusively for adults, offering fine dining and drinks in a sophisticated setting. Perfect for those 18 and over.

Spa & Fitness Indulge in some pampering with spa therapies and magical makeovers in our world-class salons and spas. Or stay active with our extensive fitness centers, equipped with everything from weight machines to decks perfect for a workout with a view.

Additional Options

Ground Transportation Need to change how you’re getting to and from the port or between the airport and select hotels? You can update your Disney Cruise Line transportation choices easily.

View Flight Details Check out all the flight details for you and your family to make sure everything’s set.

Dining Curious about your dinner seating? Find out if you’re in the Main Seating or Second Seating, and feel free to keep it or switch it up as you wish.

Disney Cruise Line Vacation Protection Plan Consider adjusting your Vacation Protection Plan to make sure your family is covered for any unexpected events. You can add or remove members as needed.

Special Requests Got any special requests? From dietary needs to celebrating a big event or arranging special accommodations for the little ones, you can make all your modifications here.

Everything’s set up for easy access, so you can make sure your cruise is perfect with just a few clicks!

Onboard the Ship: Maximizing Your App Experience

Switching to onboard mode.

Upon boarding, connect to the DCL Guest WiFi (free for app use), and switch to the onboard mode of the app. Link your stateroom to access all features without needing to log in—convenient for every member of your party.

Navigating the App

The app features several navigation options:

Enhancing Your Cruise Experience

Stay connected with onboard chat.

The onboard chat feature is perfect for staying connected with friends and family onboard. Manage dining reservations, view menus, and even order in-room dining directly from the app.

Participate in Safety Drills

Use the app to check in at your designated assembly station for the mandatory emergency drill. This feature saves time and enhances safety by streamlining the traditional drill process.

Making the Most of Your Day

Today’s ship information.

Access daily updates like weather and special notices through ‘Today’s Itinerary’. For off-ship excursions, take screenshots of the contact information screen to ensure you have vital numbers handy.

Discover More with Explore

The Explore tab is your gateway to a wealth of onboard activities. Customize your daily schedule by adding activities that interest you and removing others as plans change.

Dining at Your Fingertips

Explore dining options through the app, with detailed information about meal times, venues, and menus. Planning your meals is made easy, whether you’re looking forward to a family dinner or a quick snack.

Final Tips for Using the Disney Cruise Navigator App

Ensure your device is charged, connected to the ship’s WiFi, and updated before your cruise. The Disney Cruise Navigator App is indispensable for enhancing your Disney cruise experience, ensuring every moment is magical.

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Not Our Dino

In the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room

Cave of Wonders

Rotten to the Core

Snacks & Naps

OOOOOOHH! The Claw

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I Need A Dole Whip

Take Me To The Mountains

Not In Kansas Anymore

Rope Drop is Life

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Mr Mouse Stethoscope

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Weekends, Coffee, & Castles

I Still Call It

Celebrating My Unbirthday

Leaving You Speechless

Meet the Author: Nate Bishop

I’m a die-hard Disney fan with 38 years of visits under my belt, having stepped into Disney World 120+ times. Proud to be a Disney Annual Passholder, a Vacation Club member since ’92, a Castaway Club Member, and a runDisney enthusiast. Oh, and I’ve graduated from the Disney College of Knowledge. Need Disney insights or planning tips? I’m your guy!

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DCL – Disney Cruise Line Navigator App

• DCL – Disney Cruise Line…

Welcome to a brand-new way to cruise! Now you can receive valuable information directly on your mobile device during your cruise thanks to the official Disney Cruise Line Navigator app . Download the app—available for free at the Apple App Store℠ for iOS devices and Google Play™ for Android devices—before you arrive at the embarkation port and then, once onboard, connect to the ship’s WiFi network—complimentary for app use only—and enjoy your vacation like never before!

Manage Your Reservation

• Look over your balance, the dates your payments were received and the balance due date.
• Review your stateroom category
• View Deck Plans to see the layout of the ship and find out where your favorite activities will take place.

My Online Check-In*

• Complete the forms with your information at home—and make it easier checking in at the port.
• Learn which citizenship documents are required when checking in. Requirements vary based on itinerary and country of citizenship and may include a valid passport and possibly travel visa(s).
• Take a moment to read the Cruise Contract and Data Protection Policy documents at home so you’re ready to relax the moment you step on board.
• Select the port arrival time that is most convenient to you.
• Register children for youth activities.

Explore & Book Activities

• Discover all the imaginative fun for the kids, unique recreational offerings for adults, and thrilling entertainment that awaits your entire family.
• Learn about and reserve exciting shore excursions, which have been specially selected by Disney Cruise Line to provide you and your family with the very best each fascinating destination has to offer.
• Book a romantic dinner and explore venues that cater exclusively to adults ages 18 and over that are looking for fine dining and drinks amid an elegant atmosphere.
• Treat yourself to spa therapies and magical makeovers in the world-class comfort of our salon and spas. And keep shipshape thanks to expansive exercise centers offering weight machines and breezy gaming decks.

Additional Cruise Options

• Find out whether you’ve been assigned to the Main Seating or Second Seating for dinner—and keep the assignment as is or change it.
• Modify your special requests—from dietary requests to celebrations and special accommodations for little ones.

Onboard Chat

• Chat one-to-one or with multiple friends and family members at the same time.
• Choose from a wide array of Disney emoticons to express yourself as you chat.
• Use the permissions feature to control access by children

Activities, Entertainment & Restaurants

• View a daily onboard calendar of events and things to do.
• Get rotational dining details—including location information, dining times and even your table number.
• Access all restaurant menus on board the ship, including menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and when dining at Palo, Remy, inside our lounges and bars, and for in-stateroom dining.
• View and charge all bar, lounge, and room service tickets and add additional gratuities in the given time window.
• Find schedules for the entertainment that interests you—from fireworks at sea, movies, and live shows, to music at nightclubs and lounges.
• Learn where Disney Characters are throughout the ship.
• Review recent onboard purchases, add additional gratuities, and download a statement of your cruise balance.

View & Book Activities

• View all the activities you’ve previously reserved—and book even more fun—such as Port Adventures, Adult Dining, sessions at Senses Spa & Salon, and more.
• Use a personal planner so you can save your schedule and favorite activities to one place.
• Plan your day, from shows to shopping.
• Receive activity reminders.

Ports of Call & Days at Sea

• See the ports of call you’ll be visiting in some of the world’s most stunning destinations—from tropical locales bathed in endless sunshine to frozen wonderlands bursting with unspoiled natural splendor. And when it’s time to debark the ship at port of calls, access the easy-to-use virtual queue via the app.
• While at sea, be immersed in a seemingly endless stream of one-of-a-kind offerings to inspire and delight the entire family on decks overflowing with restaurants, pools, recreation and more.

Latest Offers & Specials

Receive notifications about fantastic spa and shopping offers—featured daily.

Explore Your Ship

Use a complete deck plan to check out the ship—deck by deck, from bow to

Disney Cruise Line Navigator 4+

• 4.8 • 3.4K Ratings

iPhone Screenshots

Description.

Add even more magic to your Disney cruise! Download the newly enhanced Disney Cruise Line Navigator app and discover all the ways you can now use it—at home as well as on board! When you’re at home and preparing to sail: Plan your ideal vacation, make payments, use My Online Check-In, explore and book activities, add our Protection Plan, ground transportation, change dining Seating and make special requests regarding dietary needs, accommodations for little ones, celebrations and more. When you’re on board and sailing: Explore your ship from bow to stern with Deck Plans, learn about the ports you’ll be visiting with My Itinerary, easily view both favorite and booked activities with My Plans, and make the most of each day with access to your entire cruise schedule, which includes daily activities, entertainment listings and even restaurant menus. Plus chat with your friends, family and shipmates with Onboard Chat—one-on-one or in a group! To use Disney Cruise Line Navigator, download the app and use it in many ways at home. Once you’re on board, simply connect to the ship’s Wi-Fi network—complimentary to app users only—and enjoy your cruise! AT HOME Get Ready to Cruise · Retrieve your reservation so you can review details including required documents, make payments and more. · Use My Online Check-In to fill out your cruise documents and register kids for youth clubs. · Explore activities and entertainment. · Book your favorite activities, including Port Adventures, Adult Dining, Onboard Fun, Spa & Fitness or Nursery. · Keep or change your dinner Seating assignment. · Add or edit Vacation Protection Plan and Ground Transportation. · View your Air Transportation. · Make Special Requests, including requests for special diets, accommodations for little ones, celebrations and more. ON BOARD THE SHIP Enhance Your Experience · View onboard activities across your entire voyage. · Plan your day, from shows to shopping. · Review your ports of call and at-sea days. · Read details about activities that interest you. · Check menus before dinner—kids’ menus too—and easily access your dining schedule. . Check out the latest offers and specials. · Save favorite activities in one convenient list. · View booked activities, including Port Adventures, Adult Dining, Onboard Fun, Spa & Fitness or Nursery. · Find Disney Characters throughout the ship. · For assistance, visit our new Help Center. Know Where to Go · Explore your ship deck by deck, from bow to stern. · Find locations of the activities you want to do. Stay in Touch · Use Onboard Chat to stay connected to your family, friends and shipmates. · While aboard your cruise, chat one-to-one, or with multiple friends and family members at once. · Use our wide array of Disney emoticons to express yourself as you chat. Download the Disney Cruise Line Navigator and get started! Note: Onboard Chat requires you to provide your full name, stateroom number and birthdate in order to use it. Children should always ask their parent or guardian before using Onboard Chat. Control access by children with the permissions feature. Privacy Policy: https://disneyprivacycenter.com/ Children’s Online Privacy Policy: https://privacy.thewaltdisneycompany.com/en/for-parents/childrens-online-privacy-policy/ Your US State Privacy Rights: https://privacy.thewaltdisneycompany.com/en/current-privacy-policy/your-us-state-privacy-rights/ Terms of Use: https://disneytermsofuse.com Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information: https://privacy.thewaltdisneycompany.com/en/dnsmi

Version 5.28.0

With this release, we’ve fixed bugs and improved overall app performance to ensure smooth sailing through and through.

Ratings and Reviews

3.4K Ratings

Indispensable!

Have used a number of Disney apps over the years but had only recently had the opportunity to use the Cruise Line app. While on board ship, the app provided easy to access information with regards to our dining plan and activities itinerary, giving you notifications 15 minutes before each event. Restaurant menus were easily accessible giving you a detailed look at what was available at each so you could choose before hand. We used the in app chat feature quite a bit to keep in contact with the family, while we all went off and did our own thing. Overall we all found this app indispensable and would definitely use it again if we manage to book another cruise.

First time cruise. Pool queues serious let down.

First time on a cruise and for the most part has a fantastic time but the virtual queue system for the pool was a serious let down. My family managed just over 30 mins in the pool in total. On our last day we tried for 6 hours to get into the Goofy pool and when we finally did the time coincided with our dinner time. We are aware that 2 members of the same party (same room) were able to use the APP to get in the queue at the same thus ensuring 2 pool times when we couldn’t get one. This is a serious flaw. We also tried to get into the main show but it was fully booked. Again I am aware of at least one party who saw the show twice. Again a major flaw in the system. But as I said we did have a wonderful time , the staff were excellent and the food was delicious.

Fantastic experience made special by the staff

Our host Lilia was wonderful with my granddaughter making her feel special from the minute we arrived at our stateroom, from our point of view our room was always exemplary every time we returned. We were booked into second seating which could have been a problem as our granddaughter is usually in bed by 8! We did attempt to get her to rest in the afternoon but to no avail. A special thank you to Alejandro and Anju, not only did us oldies have excellent service they made sure Skye had a smile on her face and being happy ate more than expected for the time of day. All the staff were excellent but these three exceptional. Thank you for your professionalism and more importantly your friendliness.

App Privacy

The developer, Disney , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Contact Info
• User Content
• Identifiers
• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary based on, for example, the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

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The Disney Cruise Line Blog

An unofficial disney cruise line news, information, weather, and photo blog..

A Look at the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App Onboard Chat Feature

One of the latest components added to the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App is an Onboard Chat feature. The Onboard Chat allows guest to easily communicate with free text messages with other guests currently sailing on the ship using a unique Chat Number. The Chat Number provides a level of privacy in the event you choose to share your number with a new friend you meet onboard. Unlike with Wave Phone where you basically shared your room number and the handset number you would just share a unique ID with anyone you would like to text with during the cruise.

The primary guest on the reservation will have the authority to allow children under the age of 13 to use the feature with a special activation PIN which can be revoked at anytime. Kids can share their Chat Number with others they may meet onboard and in the clubs without disclosing their personal information or stateroom number. Although, personal information can easily be shared within text messages. You can read more about the security features and such in  DCL’s Navigator App Chat Cruise Contract Addendum .

To use the app you will need a iOS or Android device to install the app. Our daughter does not have either, but we do usually give her an old iPhone that no longer has service to use as a camera during the cruise. You can still use an iPhone without cellular service (basically, it becomes an iPod Touch) to connect to the ship’s wifi and make use of the app.

Now, let us take a look at some screenshots from the iOS version of the DCL Navigator App. As you can see in the image below, your personal Chat Number is visible along with your current list of chats. The interface is fairly similar to the iMessage app.

There is a Welcome Center message with a few useful tips to get you started and some details on how the service works. Note, you’ll receive silent/vibrating alerts to new messages!

The My Details section you can set chat your name.

I’d like to thank Steve and Amy Hoffman for taking the time to capture screenshots of this newer feature. I say newer as it was added in a September 2014 app update. If you are interested in using the  Disney Cruise Line Navigator App  during your next cruise, it is a good idea to download from your smartphone’s respective app store while still at home or on wifi. The iOS app will download over cellular, but it is still about ~25mb.

Have you had the opportunity to use the Onboard Chat feature? Let us know what you thought about it and share any tips you may have in the comments below. 

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22 Replies to “A Look at the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App Onboard Chat Feature”

Any idea if the chat feature will be available on the Magic soon? We are doing the transatlantic cruise in May and that would be a great feature to have.

Sorry, i do not know.

There was a fair amount of confusion about the chat feature when we were on the Dream a couple of weeks ago. Some at guest services said that the service was free, others said purchase of an internet package was required. As it turned out, the service was free and it proved to be very useful. We kept a Wave Phone with us just in case our daughter decided to leave the Oceanneer Lab early and they needed to reach us (that NEVER happens) but for our 17 year old it was far easier to text him with the app. I could see Wave Phones being phased out over the next couple of years, with availability of the phones upon request.

I would not be surprised to see voice calls added to the app in the future.

The Wave Phones have been great but they’re much bulkier than most phones today. Adding voice would be great.

Hope this feature is added to the Wonder before our Alaskan cruise in June. Since we carry our phones with us anyway for pictures and the Navigator it would be nice to leave the Wave phones in the room.

Our experience with the app was very spotty last weekend. Many messages took hours to come through, making it useless.

We were on the Fantasy this past week (1/3-1/10) and my wife and I found the chat to be useless. For starters, Wi-Fi on the Fantasy was constantly down. In addition, Kid’s club has NO way of texting you if your child needs to be picked up. We had to rely on the wave phones. Who wants to carry a personal phone along with a wave phone??? The wave phones are useless because they are waterproof. Disney needs to come up with wave phones that are waterproof.

We were on that same cruise and I could never even get the app to work.It worked on my boyfriends phone occasionally and when it did it would only work for a few minutes and then it would act like we weren’t on the ship.It never picked up on my phone,It would act like I wasn’t on the ship and I tried everything I could think of to get it working. We used the wave phones a lot but I would have much rather have used the navigator app to communicate. I hope they perfect it before our next cruise.

We’ve used the app this past December and had problems with the app not delivering messages most of the time. It seems the app would go dormant and disconnect from wifi. When the user would open the phone, wifi would reconnect and the app would deliver all pending messages. The latest update made available last week is supposed to take care of these issues.

There’s no way to search. Or if it there is, none of us could find a way during our 7n cruise.

Finally, we noticed a bug. In order to be reminded of events, you need to mark the activity as a favorite. During the cruise, however, the Captain decided to cancel the signing event, and this was removed from the navigator a couple of days before the event. It also was never printed in the paper navigator. However, at the time the event was to be held, the app reminded us.

It was very buggy on our cruise!

The wifi was buggy!

We used the chat feature on our cruise in December. Unfortunately, since it only notified you of an incoming message if the app was open (i.e. if you were doing something else in the app like looking at the menus) it just wasn’t the wave phone replacement we were hoping for. That said, there was an update on January 7th that claims to fix this – we look forward to testing it.

We used it in December too. Definite improvement over the Wave phones. There was often a delay in receiving texts (sometimes a few hours), and as Leo notes because you didn’t get any notification unless the app was open that was always an extra step to check. It’s a good feature that I’m glad Disney added and I think it’s coming along. Thanks again Scott for this great blog.

It’s a great idea if it would only work. Ours never sent messages and restarted every time we tried to do so. We had to re register every time and it wouldn’t allow our kids on. It’s definitely a great idea in the making. I’m hopeful it will be fixed by November for our next one. I’m not a fane of the phones. They seemed less user fry this time. Last year the texting seemed easier.

While the wave phones were bulky they are better than options elsewhere. Our last cruise was much more pleasant thanks to our ability to TALK to the kids when necessary. I love the idea of texting and hopes it’s working better for our June cruise.

I, for one, hope they don’t add voice. The bandwidth needed to send voice over wifi is MUCH higher than that needed for sending a single, less than 1k, packet of text. I’m not sure that the wifi infrastructure they have on-board could handle the amount of traffic that voice traffic would generate.

I was just wondering, does the App allow you to save the ID codes for the member’s of your group? So if I want to text child#1. the number is in the app stored for me to access it without having to memorize that long ID number?

Would be interested to know if anyone has used it recently and if it has gotten any better.

The app was updated on 10/12/13 and now includes group chat. Hopefully, they fixed the issues.

Does each member of your family need to have their own Disney account to use the text feature?

No, the onboard side of the app is different from what you experience shoreside. Once onboard you are asked to link your onboard reservation using your last name and date of birth. Minors will need to get an access code from the primary guest to use the chat.

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Internet and Phone Services

Onboard connectivity.

• Disney Cruise Line Navigator App – Access valuable vacation information and send messages to members in your travel party on board the ship with this complimentary app for your smartphone
• Wireless Internet Access*
• Cell Phone Services*

*Additional charges may apply.

Note: Due to the technology involved and satellite connectivity, the onboard Internet service may be slower than you may be accustomed to, and may be interrupted or unavailable at times.

Disney Cruise Line Navigator App

Get the latest, most up-to-date cruise information directly from your smartphone while you’re on the ship. Access booked plans, daily activities, entertainment schedules, restaurant menus and table assignments, destination details and more. You can also keep in touch with family and friends that are sailing with you through the onboard chat feature, even if everyone happens to be on different parts of the ship. Learn more about the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App

Wireless Internet Access

Disney Cruise Line offers multiple internet packages based on your online needs. Use the onboard Wi-Fi anywhere on the ship to chat, post pictures on social media or simply stay connected while at sea. Once on board, simply open the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app and navigate to the “Connect to Internet” card, which will open a separate browser for you to view internet plans and purchase internet access.

Cellular at Sea

Disney Cruise Line offers Cellular at Sea—a convenient cruise mobile phone service available in staterooms and public spaces aboard the ship. Please contact your cellular provider for your specific rates.