Ship Mate Cruise App by Cruiseline.com Re-Launches Android Version with Modern Look, Smoother User Experience and New Features
New York, NY (PRWEB) May 07, 2014 -- Cruiseline.com, the second largest cruise review website and pioneer of verified cruise reviews, today re-launched its Android version of Ship Mate Cruise App, the largest mobile cruise community with more than 750,000 downloads. The updated version adds a much more modern look, a smoother user experience, and a number of new features. Download the app here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=shipmate.carnival
Since its initial launch in 2010, Ship Mate has been steadily growing, currently boasting 260,000 active accounts, 35,000 app opens per day and one million app opens per month. Cruiseline.com’s acquisition of Ship Mate in November 2013 provided the resources needed to upgrade the app’s user experience and expand its content.
The new Android design eliminates the need for users to download 11 separate apps (split by cruise line), now featuring a consolidated version to view information about various major lines, deck plans and itineraries, plus the ability to track past and future voyages with a “cruise countdown.”
The Android update adds 15 new ships across four new lines: Azamara Club Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Oceania Cruises and Seabourn Cruise Line. The Cruiseline.com partnership also enabled additional features including:
•Photo Gallery – users can browse all 13,000 Ship Mate photos and upload their own; they can also comment on and “like” any photo
•Ship and Port Reviews – users can read community member-generated, verified ship reviews and add their own
•Excursions – users can browse through a list of excursions on their cruise’s ports of call; a booking link is provided
“With the rapid growth of the Android platform, we knew how important it was for us to re-create Ship Mate and make an easier, smoother user experience,” said Mike Jirout, co-founder of Ship Mate Cruise App. “By partnering with Cruiseline.com, we were able to dedicate resources to completely rewrite the app from scratch with a look and feel much more in lockstep with the popular iOS version.”
“We are extremely excited about the Android re-launch, and have already been getting great feedback from our community members, who were vocal in what they wanted to see updated,” said Faraz Qureshi, general manager of Cruiseline.com. “I think Android users will be very happy with this completely new Ship Mate app.”
Ship Mate presently features 30,000 port ratings and reviews, 285,000 chat messages, 99,000 direct messages between users, and 12,000 user-submitted photos. It reached number two in Apple's Travel Apps store, behind Kayak (among more than 40,000 travel apps on offer).
About Cruiseline.com
Cruiseline.com launched in December 2012 as an independent, objective guide to cruises. With over 50,000 reviews to date, the site simplifies the task of choosing a cruise with unbiased opinions from fellow passengers. Unlike other cruise communities, Cruiseline.com guarantees the authenticity of thousands of verified reviews, and uses member opinions to rank the best cruises, ships and itineraries with a “Sail Score.”
Since its initial launch in 2010, Ship Mate Cruise App has been steadily growing with over 260,000 active accounts, 35,000 app opens per day and one million app opens per month. Cruiseline.com acquired Ship Mate in November 2013. For more information and to join the conversation visit: http://Cruiseline.com and http://ShipMateApp.com.
Lauren Kaufman, LKPR, +1 (917) 414-1604, [email protected]
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