When you go on vacation, it’s all about relaxation and unwinding. Finding a few key smartphone apps will take some of the research and planning off your shoulders and where it should be: on your phone! Here are some free apps (some with options to pay for an upgrade for more features) for iPhone and Android that you should download before your next cruise. You can find these and many more great travel apps in Apple’s App Store (for iPhone users) or Google Play Store (for Android users).
Cruise Research
Cruise Ship Mate is the granddaddy of all cruise apps. It boasts over 2 million downloads and is often cited as the number one app for cruisers. Track cruises and itineraries, view deck plans and ship information, get itineraries for 95% of all cruises, read port reviews, set a countdown to your cruise and more. iOS | Android
Trip Planning
TripIt: Travel Organizer is the ultimate pre-cruise organizer. This app keeps your entire trip organized, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more, all in one place. Just forward your travel confirmations to the app, and it will instantly create a master travel schedule. Sync it with your online or mobile calendar for reminders, or share your itinerary with others. iOS | Android
Translations
When traveling to a country where you don’t know the language, Google Translate can help you communicate. The app can translate between 103 languages. Type in a word or phrase, or use your smartphone’s built-in camera and scan foreign text, like from a sign or menu, for instant text translation. There is a conversation mode, so you can have two-way, instant speech translations. Save words and phrases for future reference. You can even translate without an Internet connection. iOS | Android
Connectivity
If your cruise ship’s Internet access is too expensive or too slow, seek out Wi-Fi hotspots with Wi-Fi Finder in port to save money. This app will help you find hotspots and passwords worldwide. You can search by address, city, country or place and see a map of where the closet hotspot is located. Avoid expensive roaming and data overage charges and get connected. iOS | Android
Packing
Did you forget to pack something on your last trip you really needed? Well, never again! PackPoint Packing is an intelligent packing app and packing list builder. Just type in some information such as gender, where you are traveling, activities, departure date and number of nights you will be staying there, and the app will give you the weather forecast for your travel dates and created a suggested list of personalized items to pack. The only thing this app doesn’t do is pack your suitcase! iOS | Android
Currency Converter
With XE Currency, all the world’s currencies are at your fingertips! Want to know the price of that souvenir in US dollars before taking the plunge? This app will provide live exchange rates and you can also set up alerts to monitor your favorite currencies. You can even store the latest rates on your phone so you can use this app even without internet access. iOS | Android
