13 Favorite and Helpful Apps Cruise Travelers Need

Are you planning a cruise vacation but feeling overwhelmed with what to pack and how to organize all of the travel elements – flight, hotel, cruise check-in, and port day plans? Don’t worry; there’s an app for that!

Cruise travel has become even more seamless and stress-free. Whether you’re looking to track your ship’s location, cruise boarding pass, book shore excursions, or stay connected with loved ones back home, there’s an app for every need.

In this post, I’ll share 13 Favorite and Helpful Apps Cruise Travelers Need! There are even helpful apps that come in handy AFTER your cruise experience. If you’re a print-it-out and have-it-in-hand person, these apps can still be extremely beneficial to your travel experience. You may be surprised to read that they aren’t all created for the cruise industry. Many of these apps will you help you plan better, travel better to your embarkation port, and even help you relax onboard.

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1. Your cruise line app

It’s true: Cruise line apps come in all shapes and sizes. Okay, they actually come with varying degrees of helpfulness and reliability, but regardless, all major cruise lines sailing from the U.S. have an app now. In many cases, the cruise line app is available for you to browse schedules, book onboard entertainment, purchase add-ons (and check your balance), or chat with those in your party.

I particularly like being able to “check in” for my cruise on the Royal Caribbean app. When check-in opens, I open the app at midnight (ish) and grab the earliest embarkation time slot.

2. Airline App

Using an airline app offers several benefits for cruise travelers. Overall, using an airline app can enhance the travel experience by providing convenience, ease, and access to essential flight information.

Firstly, you can use the app to check in for your flight and avoid having to print out a boarding pass. Additionally, it allows users to view flight schedules and track real-time delays and cancellations, providing you with up-to-date information about your flights.

More and more, these apps also offer features such as entertainment options, airport maps, and on-time performance averages.

3. Pre-Cruise Hotel App

If you’re following the rules of cruising 😉 You have flown into your embarkation city at least one day prior to your cruise. This means that you’ll need a hotel (Airbnb, etc.) Hotel apps have become quite handy. In most cases, you can use their mobile check-in feature, review your bill, check out, and even use the app to open your door!

I enjoy using the hotel app to handle all these necessary tasks. If you have a loyalty status with the hotel brand, you may still have to stop by the desk for any check-in amenities, such as bottled water, snacks, or upgraded Wi-Fi credentials.

4. Trip-it!

I was slow to jump on this one, but I am hooked! I like how Tripit organizes your entire itinerary. You can easily add your flight, hotel, and cruise details. You don’t even have to enter the information. Simply forward your confirmation email from the service provider (Delta, Royal Caribbean, Marriot, etc.) to Plans@tripit.com from your registered account email. They recognize that it came from your account and add the details to your itinerary. You can even share it with your travel companions or a friend/family member back home who may need your details!

Here’s a bonus! You can keep that history at your fingertips. If two years from now, you want to recall the awesome hotel you stayed at in Miami before your cruise, no problem. It’s all there!

5. Shipmate

I’ve had this app for years time, and it’s still a keeper! Similar to Tripit!, Shipmate allows you to add your cruise and retain your cruise history. You can also browse excursions, reviews, and photos of your booked ship. From your profile, you can even add cruises that you are just considering and you never need to add a reservation number. Browse away! There is even an area to create a packing list and link to friends on the app.

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I enjoy being able to look back several years to remind myself what ship we sailed in Alaska, what the dates were for a cruise you’re considering, or its assigned ports of call. You can even add “shipmates” and review the sailing history of friends.

6. Kindle App/Libby App

Whether you have an actual Amazon Kindle or not, this app is fantastic! Not only can you purchase e-books, but I have mine synced to my Libby App (formerly Overdrive), where I can borrow e-books from my local library. Free books? Yes, please! The Kindle app will sync across your devices so you are able to read on your Kindle, a tablet, and even your phone!

7. Priority Pass

Priority Pass is a membership-based network of airport lounges and partner restaurants worldwide. Members who subscribe to the program are granted access to these lounges regardless of the airline or class of service they’re flying.

What are the main benefits of being a Priority Pass Member?

Access to 1,300 airport lounges and experiences worldwide.
Complimentary refreshments and light bites.
Free Wi-Fi and handy charging points in most lounges.
Comfortable seats and quiet spaces to work or unwind.

You can purchase a Priority Pass Membership or gain a membership through a premium credit card perk. Standard membership: $99 per year; includes visits for $35 each for the member and any guests. Standard Plus membership: $329 per year; includes 10 free visits, with subsequent visits for $35 each (the same price as all guest visits).

There are a number of cards that qualify, and you can learn more here. Remember that paying for this membership only makes sense if you fly frequently and your frequented airports have lounges participating in the program. We do not fly enough to warrant paying for the membership, but we enjoy it as a credit card perk without paying the membership fee.

8. Your Travel Insurance App

I have an annual travel insurance policy with Allianz. I can carry my policy around with me wherever I go by utilizing the app. Travel insurance is very important, and you should research the best policy that fits your individual or family situation.

blog image collage of cruise ship map and map of curacao

9. Cruise Mapper

Cruise Mapper is a great online tool! I have used this app to identify cruise ships passing in the night and much more. One of my favorite tools is checking the cruise port schedule. You can access the name of your cruise port and the date of your visit. It will list other ships that are scheduled there on the same day. This can be very helpful when planning how you will spend your day. One or two ships in port at a time is very different than 4 or 5! You can also review the arrival and departure times.

For example, I know there will only be two ships at Coco Cay because of docking limits. However, if we are the first scheduled ship, I know I’m more likely to get my favorite spot by the pool!

Ready for more Helpful Apps Cruise Travelers Need?

10. Google Maps

Google Maps is a great tool when traveling. Before my cruise, I create and download a map for each port we plan to visit. I pin the cruise port and any areas around the area that I want to visit. Once created, I download the map and access it without cellular service!

Since we are showing Google some love, you might as well go ahead and grab Google Translate while you’re in the app store.

11. Uber/Lyft

Rideshare apps have become mainstream, even in cruise ports abroad. We enjoy the flexibility of using Uber (we get a monthly credit through our Amex.) in our embarkation port as well as during our port-of-call visits. It’s helpful to travelers to know the price, driver information, and estimated time of arrival. The digital payment aspect is also a huge benefit when traveling.

12.Viator

As more experienced cruisers, we rarely book excursions through the cruise line. Although I feel that there are still times that warrant the reliability of a cruise-planned excursion, we typically want to avoid large groups and over-priced tours. For these reasons, we have enjoyed using Viator, even in Europe.

While we sometimes just used the app for research and to get ideas for our port of call, we have enjoyed the ease of digital tickets and the guarantees offered by Viator.

13. MyTsa

I recently discovered this app, which provides a lot of helpful information! True, having the information won’t change your wait time through security, but sometimes, just having the ability to manage your expectations can be helpful. In addition to estimated wait times, the app also provides an opportunity to ask questions regarding approved items and much more!