Cell phone use on the anthem

hi I was just wondering if anyone has actually used their cell while at sea on the anthem? I was told I could contact my carrier and they will put us on a roaming package. my husband has a business that he is going to have to touch base with his guys each day so I wanted to maybe see if anyone has experienced using a cell while at sea and not just while at port

By far the best way is to use Facebook Messenger. If your husband is friends with or linked up with the guys at work, you just select their name and press the phone button. Royal's internet is more than fast enough for it. Then you get unlimited/free calling. We have T-Mobile so we also get free data/messages and 20 cent calls in almost any country. So port days are easy.

I use messenger to stay in touch with the manager at my office while on cruises and it works perfectly.

hi I was just wondering if anyone has actually used their cell while at sea on the anthem? I was told I could contact my carrier and they will put us on a roaming package. my husband has a business that he is going to have to touch base with his guys each day so I wanted to maybe see if anyone has experienced using a cell while at sea and not just while at port

We have used our cell phones on both of our Anthem cruises. We purchased a Voom package when it was on sale and used Wifi calling.

If you are going to use cellular, you need to contact your provider and see what they offer. I use Verizon wireless and they no longer support cellular data on cruise ships. Calls are $2.99 per minute and texts are $.50 and $.05 (send and receive). They do not have a roaming package that covers cruise ships, it is pay as you go.

Contact you provider and see what they offer. Also check to see if your phones support wifi calling. If they do, a Voom package might be a better option, especially if there is a sale (we paid $8.99 per day).

We have used our cell phones on both of our Anthem cruises. We purchased a Voom package when it was on sale and used Wifi calling.

 

If you are going to use cellular, you need to contact your provider and see what they offer. I use Verizon wireless and they no longer support cellular data on cruise ships. Calls are $2.99 per minute and texts are $.50 and $.05 (send and receive). They do not have a roaming package that covers cruise ships, it is pay as you go.

 

Contact you provider and see what they offer. Also check to see if your phones support wifi calling. If they do, a Voom package might be a better option, especially if there is a sale (we paid $8.99 per day).

This may sound stupid but how does Wifi calling work? I bought the VOOM package on my last cruise and plan on buying it for my next (on Anthem) and would rather not use my Verizon service as their roaming rates aren't cheap.

hi I was just wondering if anyone has actually used their cell while at sea on the anthem? I was told I could contact my carrier and they will put us on a roaming package. my husband has a business that he is going to have to touch base with his guys each day so I wanted to maybe see if anyone has experienced using a cell while at sea and not just while at port

Yes, you can use your phone, but it's costly since you are roaming. You need to contact your carrier for best rates or make sure you phone is wifi enabled, and make phone calls on wifi only and purchase the wifi package on the ship. On international stops, you would use the local phone company unless you have a package from your phone carrier. Most of the info you can find out, by just going to the webpage of your carrier.

This may sound stupid but how does Wifi calling work? I bought the VOOM package on my last cruise and plan on buying it for my next (on Anthem) and would rather not use my Verizon service as their roaming rates aren't cheap.

Check your phone to see if it supports wifi calling. If it is an iphone, go into settings>phone>wifi calling. If you don't have wifi calling under phone, your phone doesn't support it. I know my DH iphone 5 did not support it but my 6 does. You are going to be asked to setup an emergency address in the setting, I just put in my home address. Once you turn on wifi calling, you can make phones over wifi instead of cellular.

Once I board the ship, I put my phone in airplane mode and enable wifi. Connect to Voom as normal and your phone will eventually show Verizon VZW instead of LTE. We made and received phone calls and imessages with no issues and no additional charges as everything was over Voom, not a cellular signal.

This may sound stupid but how does Wifi calling work?

Set it up now at home as the previous poster mentioned and try it out - don't wait till you get on the ship.

Thank you reallyitsmema and Biker19 for the great info and advice. Just checked my phone and it does support Wifi calling so that's what I'll be doing on my Anthem cruise. I never even knew it existed. Will save some money for sure!

Thank you reallyitsmema and Biker19 for the great info and advice. Just checked my phone and it does support Wifi calling so that's what I'll be doing on my Anthem cruise. I never even knew it existed. Will save some money for sure!

You're welcome. Verizon was one of the last providers to offer wifi calling, was only within the last year if I remember correctly, so you haven't been missing out for that long.:D

When I cruise on RCI I purchase the cruise package from AT&T..texts and phone calls for $60.00...always works easily.

My phone allows me to call over wifi, and I use it all the time for that purpose while on a ship. It works perfectly. The person you are talking with would have no idea that you weren't at home unless you told him/her. :) You can text, too.

When you are using WiFi calling, does it work receiving a call on the ship as well? My wife would need Verizon set up this way for her work, and I would need AT&T. If receiving does not work that well, but calling does, I would be looking to keep my work phone on to receive any calls, then call back for long calls using the wifi once I put the phone into "airplane" mode then turn on wifi/.

When you are using WiFi calling, does it work receiving a call on the ship as well?

All functions (incoming/outgoing/text) work the same over wifi as cell, but if there's issue with wifi on the ship, all functions will be affected.

So along these lines, a little more complicated...

I bought the VOOM surf and stream package (one device) on sale for $7.99 a day. Can we use our phones to text message each other if we turn the cell data off and turn the WI-FI on? Or will it not work since we would both be need to be logged into the network? Basically, we would need a two device plan?

So along these lines, a little more complicated...

Can we use our phones to text message each other if we turn the cell data off and turn the WI-FI on?

And you can have a complicated answer.

Yes, but the texts will only come through when each device connects to wifi.

As an alternative on Anthem, you can each buy the texting option from within the Royal iQ app ($7.95 per device for the entire cruise) and use that to text each other and use VOOM for when you need internet.

Oh Biker, Biker, Biker....brilliant idea. Is the royal IQ app for texting reliable? I have heard of it, but don't know how well it works.

Does it send notifications or do you have to actually open the app on your phone to see a message is waiting for you?

Last question...how would we purchase this?

P.S. Edited to add: my wife is deaf so this is a great way for us to keep up with each other. We have left little notes in the room or agreed to meet at a certain time and it isn't always effective. Being able to text each other would make a world of difference (without spending a bunch of money!)

And you can have a complicated answer.

 

Yes, but the texts will only come through when each device connects to wifi.

 

As an alternative on Anthem, you can each buy the texting option from within the Royal iQ app ($7.95 per device for the entire cruise) and use that to text each other and use VOOM for when you need internet.

I have seen people claim they were able to iMessage each other on Anthem without purchasing or logging into voom but by being connected to the wifi to use one of the free sites.

I have seen people claim they were able to iMessage each other on Anthem without purchasing or logging into voom but by being connected to the wifi to use one of the free sites.

We both have Iphones too...

I have seen people claim they were able to iMessage each other on Anthem without purchasing or logging into voom but by being connected to the wifi to use one of the free sites.

While we didn't try to iMessage each other without being logged in, my DH would get AOL notifications of email messages on his phone when he wasn't logged into Voom. It would just be the notification banner and the title of the message, if he tried to open the message, he would be prompted to log into Voom.

Last question...how would we purchase this?

You buy it from within the app.

I have seen people claim they were able to iMessage each other on Anthem without purchasing or logging into voom but by being connected to the wifi to use one of the free sites.

When you connect to the ship's WiFI system you are connected to the internet. Then, the system has software to limit what you can see/get without a VOOM package purchase, like all RCCL related sites. When that limiting software is misconfigured, other internet traffic "leaks" through.

Does anyone know if the Royal IQ app for texting on board will be fleet wide any time soon? Specifically the Explorer. Thanks.

Does anyone know if the Royal IQ app for texting on board will be fleet wide any time soon? Specifically the Explorer. Thanks.

Unlikely, though RCI said they will offer it on a couple of other ships this summer (I assume Oasis and Allure), which has yet to happen. In the longer term they talked about a new app under the Excalibur project.

Unlikely, though RCI said they will offer it on a couple of other ships this summer (I assume Oasis and Allure), which has yet to happen. In the longer term they talked about a new app under the Excalibur project.

What's the Excalibur project??

Does anyone know if the Royal IQ app for texting on board will be fleet wide any time soon? Specifically the Explorer. Thanks.

Definitely not.