Cellular at Sea vs NCL app

[pbenjamin]

On cruises in the past I have kept my phone'a cellular service on, and turned off data roaming.  That means I am roaming to Cellular at Sea and with Verizon it costs $2.99 a minute for voice, 50¢ to send a text and 5¢ to receive one.  I don't use that much, if at all, but I like that people can reach me if they have to.

 

I see that with the NCL app, after a $9.99 fee I can call rooms on the ship, call and text others on on the ship who have the app, and also make calls off the ship for 79¢ a minute.

 

The write-up on the NCL app says I should set the phone to airplane mode and turn WiFi back on.  

 

This suggests to me that I cannot receive incoming calls from off the ship if I use the NCL app.  Is there a way to do both?

[esm54687]

Absolutely..... just don't put your phone in airplane mode.   Keep WiFi and Mobile on and turn off data roaming as you normally would. 

 

[pbenjamin]

1 hour ago, esm54687 said:

Absolutely..... just don't put your phone in airplane mode.   Keep WiFi and Mobile on and turn off data roaming as you normally would. 

 

 

It seems like that would interfere with the app's features.  Have you tried that?

[esm54687]

30 minutes ago, pbenjamin said:

 

It seems like that would interfere with the app's features.  Have you tried that?

Yes

 

Not unlike being on your home wifi system and sending / receiving text messaging or making phone calls. 

 

[marktwothousand]

Yes exactly. ”cellular data off” plus wifi on, still allows cellular text messages and calls to come thru, as they are not considered “data”.

 

By turning off cellular data, you’re not turning off ALL cellular service, only cellular internet service. Cellular texts/calls are not data.