Using Facebook Messenger on the ship

My son is deployed and we have been using Facebook Messenger video to keep in touch. It is so great to be able to see him while talking to him. We are both logged into the internet while in contact with each other.

I need help answering a question. As a platinum member we each get 250 minutes of internet. Can we use Facebook messenger video to make calls to him and other family members free

or will AT&T see it as I am using my phone and charge me for using my phone on the ship?

Thanks for any help

I suggest you call at&t and ask them. They know what your plan covers. Things are changing on Princess. I don’t know what ship you’re on but many, if not all, of the ships now have medallion and WiFi for Platinum and Elite is free and fast, at least for now. They have very reasonable plans for those who aren’t eligible for free. No more counting minutes or logging on and off every time you want to check mail. They also have a phone plan you can buy. Again, find out from at&t and when you board, talk to someone in the internet area.

From one military mom to another military parent, thank your son for his service!

If your ship has the new mediallion net internet then you should have no issues using facebook messenger to still talk to your son. I FaceTimed family last December while on the Regal with the new internet and it was great.

As far as the free unlimited internet for platinum and elite, it was being given on the Regal while the roll out of the medallion was still on going and also on the Caribbean. Posters have said that the free was ready to go away on the Caribbean once they finished the mediallion work and they would have minutes or packages for platinum and elite. I know as of now it’s still free unlimited on the Regal as I have a friend using it.

My son is deployed and we have been using Facebook Messenger video to keep in touch. It is so great to be able to see him while talking to him. We are both logged into the internet while in contact with each other.

 

I need help answering a question. As a platinum member we each get 250 minutes of internet. Can we use Facebook messenger video to make calls to him and other family members free

or will AT&T see it as I am using my phone and charge me for using my phone on the ship?

 

Thanks for any help

Most ships don't have the "new and improved" Internet service. For the most part Princess Internet service is slow. Quite slow. I don't know how the time zones match up between where you will be and where your son is but your best bet (again, on ships without the new Internet setup) will be very late or very early (ship's time) so that not many other people are using the service. I don't use FB so can't comment on the amount of bandwidth FB messenger video uses but, for the most part, video calling can be a bandwidth hog. Be careful to log off properly when you are finished or your minutes will vanish. If you are logged onto the Internet when you do your messenger sessions and do it through that connection then AT&T shouldn't come into the picture. If you are just trying to do it via your phone plan you will spend approximately one hundred billion dollars as you will be going through the ship's cell tower. :eek:

I used FB messager on my last Princess cruise to contact my staff in the Philippines. It worked and was slow sometimes but no real issues. But Princess offered three packages and only the higher cost package had video and voice calling.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180919/4fe73d3c9761f42dce558a2cf73a8baa.png[/img

This is the speed test, currently on Regal princess, close to Internet cafe (1 mbp). I wouldn’t attempt video cal with that, perhaps audio. As far as your att question, if you’re in airplane mode and on ship’s Wi-Fi, you’re not using anything related to att, so you’ll be fine.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My son is deployed and we have been using Facebook Messenger video to keep in touch. It is so great to be able to see him while talking to him. We are both logged into the internet while in contact with each other.

 

I need help answering a question. As a platinum member we each get 250 minutes of internet. Can we use Facebook messenger video to make calls to him and other family members free

or will AT&T see it as I am using my phone and charge me for using my phone on the ship?

 

Thanks for any help

For any cell service you will be charged in the area of $2.50/min for using cellular at sea or similar service. This is in addition to any charges from your provider. Best to use wi-fi. Depending on the ship what you want may or may not be possible.

I will be on the Caribbean Princess next weekend. A friend just told me that if I keep my phone on airplane mode and can talk with him I will not be charged.

I am going to get the new phone on Friday so I will ask AT&T.

Thank you for all that replied.

HAS ANYONE CRUISED ON CARNIVAL VALOR? WHICH PACKAGE WORKS WITH FACEBOOK VIDEO CALLING OR DO ALL PACKAGES WORK WITH FACEBOOK VIDEO CALLING? HOW WAS YOUR WIFI PACKAGE EXPERIENCE ON BOARD? WHICH PACKAGE DID YOU GET? THANKS

1 hour ago, johnk864 said:

HAS ANYONE CRUISED ON CARNIVAL VALOR? WHICH PACKAGE WORKS WITH FACEBOOK VIDEO CALLING OR DO ALL PACKAGES WORK WITH FACEBOOK VIDEO CALLING? HOW WAS YOUR WIFI PACKAGE EXPERIENCE ON BOARD? WHICH PACKAGE DID YOU GET? THANKS

 

You should ask this on the Carnival Boards.

I have been using Facetime to talk/see with my grandson for 6 or 7 years.  Started out using my Elite minutes and allotted about 20 plus minutes a day to talk with him.  Have walked all over the ship and only place to loose him was in the elevators or on some of the outside decks.  Even now with Princess Plus or BSE, usually only talk with him about 20 minutes.  He's even used Facetime to call me.    I Just make sure   my iPad and iPhone are always in Airplane Mode.

I always pay for the Wi-Fi package and use the Facebook Messenger video daily.    I’ve even video chatted with my preschool grandchild and showed her all of the treats at the International Cafe, the Lido Deck pool and my Room Service order too. She loves walking around the ship with me.