iConcierge on Epic confusion

I'm still confused on this app. I understand how it works for texting and the additional cost but have read a couple older threads and wonder if this is would apply to the Epic.

1. If you sign up first day I read you can get the $9.95 charge at half price.

2. I read you can use the app to make phone calls to home for $ .79 a minute not sure if you can receive them from home and is this even true?

3. I read this app is being discontinued and replaced by another app with more features but the new app is currently only on a different Norwegian ship. I presume this app will still work once aboard the Epic?

4. I read it doesn't work that great for texting regardless but do you have to sign up for the texting if you want to use the call home feature?

5. I have an android phone and and iPhone - any idea which would work best - I read you won't be notified of incoming texts

6. My last question is - if you use the phone in your room to send or receive call what is the current cost per minute?

7. Whoops last question - if there is an emergency at home there is an emergency number but the rate is like $12 a minute or something - so would it be best to have home call your room - and if so exactly how do you know what number they should call on the Epic.

Thanks so much for any input and your patience is reading this! DDLB

I'm still confused on this app. I understand how it works for texting and the additional cost but have read a couple older threads and wonder if this is would apply to the Epic.

 

1. If you sign up first day I read you can get the $9.95 charge at half price.

 

2. I read you can use the app to make phone calls to home for $ .79 a minute not sure if you can receive them from home and is this even true?

 

3. I read this app is being discontinued and replaced by another app with more features but the new app is currently only on a different Norwegian ship. I presume this app will still work once aboard the Epic?

 

4. I read it doesn't work that great for texting regardless but do you have to sign up for the texting if you want to use the call home feature?

 

5. I have an android phone and and iPhone - any idea which would work best - I read you won't be notified of incoming texts

 

6. My last question is - if you use the phone in your room to send or receive call what is the current cost per minute?

 

7. Whoops last question - if there is an emergency at home there is an emergency number but the rate is like $12 a minute or something - so would it be best to have home call your room - and if so exactly how do you know what number they should call on the Epic.

 

Thanks so much for any input and your patience is reading this! DDLB

I can answer a few of these

1. I signed up first day and it was 9.95 and this was just this past November.

2. Someone in my group used this feature she said it was .20 a minute

3. I have heard this as well not sure what the timing of the roll out is

4. Texting is ok but it can be spotty but yes you need it to call home for that cheaper rate

5. I have iPhone and my friend had android and we both experienced spotty service

6. And 7. I don’t know but I thought I read costs to call home are 4.99 a minute and I think you can find the emergency numbers on Norwegian’s website

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I suspect that you will have to rely on different people to answer different questions as it’s unlikely anyone will know them all.

I’ll give it a go with the few I can help with.

1. I don’t recall ever hearing of that offer. It has certainly not been offered on any of my cruises in the past couple of years (including the Epic).

3. I’ve not heard that at all. There is a new social media internet plan being introduced on some ships. Could that be what you are thinking of?

4. Texting has always worked fairly well for us, but others have said it isn’t great for them. I don’t know whether it is required for the call home bit.

I don’t know about the call home but.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

First, keep in mind that it is satellite "broadband" on a moving cruise ship, shared by all - it isn't guaranteed to work 99.75% of the time and results/feedbacks are at best, a mixed one.

The free iConcierge App connect to the ship's inTRAnet for its basic functions, including texting & calling - you do NOT have to pay the one-time $9.95 fee (or, discounted to 50%, etc.) to use. Calling was 79 cents a minute to land/mobile # off the ship - last time on the BA, we could hear them from the ship, the called party on land couldn't hear us (high latency). It is an unique 8 digit number assigned upon initial registration & account activation - not your regular mobile # - when dialing from this App (area code said to be from Florida (Miami).

The app supports both iOS and Android, same for the new & free Norwegian App - only on the Sky currently, you can download & install that, just in case. Hopefully, they've upgraded the Sky's hardware to support the inTRAnet functions within the ship; and, with the inTERnet uplink & downlink off the ship. The new App is "coming soon" to other ships - timetable unknown, feel free to make your own guess of "when" as NCL has pledged for better/faster tech upgrade with its inTERnet for 2 summers in a row.

If you need to be reached on the ship for emergencies, there are a # of options - we always have our Plan A, B and C, along with D ... where the costs are never a consideration, when it is urgent & matters of life & death.

Plan A - using cellular/mobile texting, they are inexpensive & work best, IMO - 98% of the time in my score card.

Plan B - call ship's stateroom ("expensive" at $8 a minute, charged to caller's credit card) - leave a short message if not answered; and, keep it short. Call them back at a lower per minute call directly from the stateroom on the ship @ $5 a minute; or, on the mobile phone - usually for less than $3.50 or $3 a minute (that's our cost on a global travel/texting line)

Plan C - use (paid) WiFi calling, supported on our Nexus & iPhone - both on the ship & off the ship in (non US) ports for a nominal rate ... depending on which mobile lines we used, varied from 20 cents a minute to as little as 4 cents or 2 cents a minute, and free to call home to the U.S. (just need to add any cost for using paid WiFi).

With a typical port of call being 6 to 7 hours at most on land, we don't run around to find a "free" inTERnet Cafe to look for unsecured WiFi - especially when dealing with urgent matters. Most email messages can wait.

Plan D - switch ON roaming to make/receive international call on the smartphone/iPhone - at whatever rates, keep it SHORT - and call back with a lower cost options, as billed by your home carrier thru the ship (AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, Bell Canada, DigiCel, etc. when dialed thru ships satellite tower for cellular connections)

Plan D2 - use the free iConcierge App to call, at 79 cents a minute - as a last resort/alternative, if other means not available (at sea, no cellular services, no WiFi) and make best effort to communicate.

When they need to dial your ship - there is a toll-free number to call, they must known the ship you are sailing on and the stateroom # - and, have the credit card # available. The latest "how to" info is on a placard in all the stateroom, usually next to the telephone - call them upon boarding & share that information, in case it's needed later on.

https://www.ncl.com/cruise-faq/how-do-you-contact-someone-cruise-ship

Follow my SIGNature link below - where I've updated quite a # of screenshots of the iConcierge App, WiFi options on the ships, and various related telecom usage - for generic info on what to expect. Nobody here on CC has any "definitive" and full answers & NCL's corporate website and Call Center are not known for the most current & updated info available.

Ya there’s a new NCL app but it’s only available on the Sky right now so fuggedaboudit...

Regardless of all your other concerns, I’d recommend you get the app. It’s invaluable if you like to split up with the people you came with and want to keep track of them on the ship.

It’s true that sometimes service is spotty, that is— to say, sometimes the person you send texts to or call on the ship, don’t get a notification. The workaround for that is: dont bother with calls, just text... and instead of relying on notifications, check the app every few minutes for new messages.

Also, don’t forget, iconcierge basically extends your mobile phone to become part of the ship’s on-board in-house phone network. So if someone wants to talk to you and they don’t have the app, they can pick up any house phone in the ship and reach you on your mobile.

Similarly, you can also call any house phone or room from your mobile.