Support

Helm shows real AIS (Automatic Identification System) data — the same transponder signals ships broadcast for maritime safety — relayed to us by AISStream. Positions typically refresh every 10 seconds while you have a ship open, though refresh rate can vary slightly by vessel and coverage area, and Helm falls back to a simulated position when live data is temporarily unavailable.

A few common reasons:

• The ship is mid-ocean, outside satellite or terrestrial AIS receiver range — coverage is denser near coastlines and ports.
• The vessel's transponder is temporarily off-air (this does happen, and isn't a Helm issue).
• The upstream AIS feed is itself delayed or briefly unavailable, in which case Helm may show a simulated position until live data resumes.

If a ship you know is sailing shows no data at all for more than a day, let us know at support@helm.voyage and we'll check the feed.

No. Helm's live positions, headings, speeds, arrival/departure times, and weather are informational and entertainment features only. AIS data can be delayed, incomplete, or temporarily unavailable, and weather data is a general forecast, not a certified marine safety product. Never use Helm for navigation, collision avoidance, or any other safety-of-life decision — always rely on official certified navigation equipment and your cruise line's own communications.

Only the ship's. Helm does not request Location permission on iOS and does not read your device's GPS in the background — no on-device location is ever sent to our servers. See the Privacy Policy for the full detail.

Any vessel Helm has in its database — you don't need an active voyage logged to look one up. Logging a voyage just makes it easy to jump back to "my ship" and builds your logbook and stats automatically.

Live position on the map, The Glass (Live Activities, Dynamic Island, widgets, StandBy, and Apple Watch complications), unlimited nights in your logbook, shareable keepsake voyage cards, Roll Call, the family circle, and the Navigator without its taste limit. See the full comparison on the Watch section.

$49.99/year, or $5.99/month — choose whichever suits how often you sail. Both include a 14-day free trial, one cruise long. Prices are shown in your local currency at checkout via the App Store.

Yes — the Watch supports Family Sharing. One membership covers your household; honours and Service Marks each member earns stay theirs.

The Watch is billed entirely through Apple, so it's managed the same way as any App Store subscription (Apple's own term for it — everywhere else, it's the Watch):

• Open Settings on your iPhone
• Tap your name at the top, then Subscriptions
• Select Helm and choose Cancel Subscription or change your plan

You'll keep Watch access until the end of the period you've already paid for — no partial refunds are issued by cancelling, and no further charges will occur after that period ends. We don't have the ability to cancel it from our side; only Apple's account settings can do that.

Because Apple processes all Watch payments, refunds are handled by Apple, not Helm. Request one at reportaproblem.apple.com, or via Settings → [your name] → Subscriptions → Helm. If you run into trouble with that process, email us and we're happy to point you in the right direction.

First, try closing and reopening Helm — this re-checks your entitlement with Apple. Still stuck? Email support@helm.voyage with the Apple ID email your purchase was made under (not needed if it matches your Helm sign-in) and roughly when you joined — we'll verify the receipt and sort it out.

Open the voyage in your logbook, tap the menu in the top corner, and choose Delete Voyage. This removes it and any planner or budget entries attached to it immediately.

Email support@helm.voyage from the address associated with your account (or tell us your Helm display name) with the subject "Delete my account." We'll confirm receipt, verify it's really you, and delete your account, voyages, and personal data within a reasonable period — except for limited records we're required to keep for legal, tax, or fraud-prevention purposes. This can't be undone, so make sure you've exported anything you want to keep first.

Yes — email us at support@helm.voyage with the subject "Export my data" and we'll send your voyage logbook and account details in a portable format.

Turning it off immediately hides your profile and voyages from other Helm users going forward. If you'd like the historical data itself removed rather than just hidden, mention that in your request and we'll take care of it.

Right here: Helm Privacy Policy. It covers exactly what we collect, why, how long we keep it, and your rights in full.