Voom Surf & Stream CAUTION.

Thank you everyone for your insights. Please note the airplane mode was off until the internet support technician changed the settings. I asked him about the Cellular at Sea display then on my phone and he said it did not matter three times; that is the concern I was attempting to share with the community; “please be alert to what your phone indicates, rather than what you are told.”

The Cellular at Sea display tells you what network you are on. If you had turned off your data roaming, then you would not have been charged any data charges.

Thank you everyone for your insights. Please note the airplane mode was off until the internet support technician changed the settings. I asked him about the Cellular at Sea display then on my phone and he said it did not matter three times; that is the concern I was attempting to share with the community; “please be alert to what your phone indicates, rather than what you are told.”

The support technician is not responsible for turning off your cellular data. They're not going to pay your bill.

I thought the VOOM (surf and stream) service was quite good, better than I expected. Signal strength was strong and always available.

My Verizon cell over wi-if didn't work. The phone rang a couple of times but there was nothing but static. I also got a few iMessages, which was pretty random. I'm pretty sure this was Verizon, not Voom. We all used WhatsApp to stay in touch.

I thought the VOOM (surf and stream) service was quite good, better than I expected. Signal strength was strong and always available.

 

My Verizon cell over wi-if didn't work. The phone rang a couple of times but there was nothing but static. I also got a few iMessages, which was pretty random. I'm pretty sure this was Verizon, not Voom. We all used WhatsApp to stay in touch.

My wifi calling with Verizon worked well. We used it more than we had planned due to an issue at home. We made and received calls and texts.

Check this out, it looks like Sprint supports WiFi calling if you have the right phone and IOS:

 

https://www.sprint.com/en/support/solutions/services/faqs-about-wi-fi-calling.html

I have used wi fi calling with sprint no problem and no charge from sprint. But regular text messaging, i incur a sprint charge.

I have to use a texting app like whats app to have free texting. Does your carrier use standard texting using the wifi with no charge? Or are you using a texting app with wifi? With sprint the standard text service uses sms which is not supported by wifi for sprint. I hope this is clearer than mud. Thanks

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

Check this out, it looks like Sprint supports WiFi calling if you have the right phone and IOS:

 

https://www.sprint.com/en/support/solutions/services/faqs-about-wi-fi-calling.html

We have Sprint and were able to use WiFi calling last month on the Anthem. It was great!

We have Sprint and were able to use WiFi calling last month on the Anthem. It was great!

Are you able to send/receive texts over WiFi calling on the ship without extra charges?

We used it recently, first time, and had my email hacked badly. Found out that is fairly common when the ships have all passengers that use it using the same access code, stupid on RCI's part

I'm really curious if Cellular at Sea is considered data roaming or not. My experience is that the data roaming setting is off by default, so I'm wondering if people are tuning this on, or is Cellular at Sea somehow being classified as not-roaming, yet it has extra cost.

I think you may be right. I think I remember (from several years ago) that my cellular provider at the time had said that international service was not necessary to be enabled on the account to use Cellular at Sea. I don't remember whether I was told that by AT&T or Sprint.

I've mentioned this before, but related to this, Verizon Wireless no longer permits data roaming on Cellular at Sea.

... I've mentioned this before, but related to this, Verizon Wireless no longer permits data roaming on Cellular at Sea.

Well, at least the Verizon folks are safe from crazy Cellular at Sea data charges.:)

I'm really curious if Cellular at Sea is considered data roaming or not. My experience is that the data roaming setting is off by default, so I'm wondering if people are tuning this on, or is Cellular at Sea somehow being classified as not-roaming, yet it has extra cost.

Cellular at Sea data usage most definitely is considered data roaming but I'm not sure all phones have a data roaming setting. So, perhaps people are turning it on or perhaps they don't have the option of turning it off. If there are phones that don't have a data roaming setting, they would need to turn cellular data off, which is normally on by default.

Are you able to send/receive texts over WiFi calling on the ship without extra charges?

I have successfully sent and received SMS texts via wifi calling on the ship's wifi (not Anthem, though) with no extra charges. My carrier is AT&T.

I have successfully sent and received SMS texts via wifi calling on the ship's wifi (not Anthem, though) with no extra charges. My carrier is AT&T.

I was looking at the fine print on the Sprint WiFi Calling FAQ and it said that MMS texts would not work over Sprint's WiFi Calling. I know with AT&T, MMS texts work fine over WiFI Calling.

Yup, unfortunately this is user error, not Voom or RCCL error.

Are you able to send/receive texts over WiFi calling on the ship without extra charges?

I don't know the answer to that. The only texts I received where from other iPhone users via iMessage. I will have test that out come November.

I was looking at the fine print on the Sprint WiFi Calling FAQ and it said that MMS texts would not work over Sprint's WiFi Calling. I know with AT&T, MMS texts work fine over WiFI Calling.

This makes sense as people with sprint, cannot send sms texts without a charge. While everyone with at&t sms texts works over wifi. I was charged for texts and wifi calling worked great. I just use whatsapp to text others.

Sent from my SM-T217S using Tapatalk

AFAIK, the only thing that Sprint charges for outside of the US are voice calls and SMS, including over Cellular @ Sea. I know I was able to use my data plan in Mexico last year and didn't get billed for it.

I have this saved on my phone as a Note to reference when we are cruising, we are with AT&T and have iPhones:

Phone notes foronboard:Put phone in Airplane mode, enable wifi calling, turn on wifi, then can make orreceive calls to US numbers. Use ship’s wifi package.

Avoid RoamingCharges (when no international plan) – Turn off Cellular Data and Data Roaming.Open Settings, and tap Cellular, or Cellular Data, or Mobile Data. Then tapCellular Data Options and turn off Cellular Data and Data Roaming.

Add International Day Pass - $10 per day in port.Phone/data will work as at home. Be sure to remember to take out of AirplaneMode when you port, and to put back in Airplane Mode when you get back on ship.

I am on Independence on Saturday with the Drinks and Voom/Surf Package, so to clarify when on board i should have the Airplane Mode ON but still connect to the Voom Wi-Fi, never thought of it before but does Airplane Mode just block calls and data but allow a wi-fi connection ?

 

Thanks

Most uk suppliers offer free Europe roaming. Vodaphone offer a date limit and blocking for incoming texts and calls as well as barring for premium call numbers. Give you provider a call to see what they offer, preferably at no charge.

Check with them which European countries are included in their packages.

We used it recently, first time, and had my email hacked badly. Found out that is fairly common when the ships have all passengers that use it using the same access code, stupid on RCI's part

Are you sure? Wife and I had different access codes on our last cruise.

Are you sure? Wife and I had different access codes on our last cruise.

Same with us.

Are you sure? Wife and I had different access codes on our last cruise.

There is no way everyone is given the same access code, if that were the case, I would have been able to have our four devices logged in with the one code. I only buy a one device package and we share it between our iphones and kindles. I don't bother to logoff off from one device when I login on another device since the first device gets bumped off when I login on another. Funugy was given bad information.

There is no way everyone is given the same access code, if that were the case, I would have been able to have our four devices logged in with the one code. I only buy a one device package and we share it between our iphones and kindles. I don't bother to logoff off from one device when I login on another device since the first device gets bumped off when I login on another. Funugy was given bad information.

Agreed, there is no way RCI would do this. Even if all Passengers did share the same wifi access code, how would that breach your email security? We all have a different email account and password... very odd comment

This tip only works with phones with sim cards.

Having 4 teenage boys and I collect the sim cards from all their phones when we go overseas. The iPhone work just fine using WiFi but it takes the temptation of turning off airplane mode out of the equation.

This tip only works with phones with sim cards.

 

Having 4 teenage boys and I collect the sim cards from all their phones when we go overseas. The iPhone work just fine using WiFi but it takes the temptation of turning off airplane mode out of the equation.

Where's the "like" button??? Great idea :D