Wifi Use Onboard

[guycruiser]

OK so I am fairly tech savy but apparently not enough I have an android phone. If I have a wifi package while on board for our Alaskan cruise can I text our daughter at home and can I get texts from her without gathering additional billing from either the cruise line our my  provider Verizon? What about phone calls? HELP!!

 

Gr

[Papa Yoda]

I'm not an Android expert, but if you can shut off cell service ("airplane mode") and leave WiFi on then you can text without carrier charges. 

 

Verizon allows you to set up "IP Phone Calling" so you can make IP phone calls on ships WiFi internet.

[Steelers36]

55 minutes ago, guycruiser said:

OK so I am fairly tech savy but apparently not enough I have an android phone. If I have a wifi package while on board for our Alaskan cruise can I text our daughter at home and can I get texts from her without gathering additional billing from either the cruise line our my  provider Verizon? What about phone calls? HELP!!

 

Gr

How about using WHATSAPP?  You can text, voice call, and video call.  You appear to indicated that you are on a ship with MedallionNet.

[crystalspin]

1 hour ago, guycruiser said:

OK so I am fairly tech savy but apparently not enough I have an android phone. If I have a wifi package while on board for our Alaskan cruise can I text our daughter at home and can I get texts from her without gathering additional billing from either the cruise line our my  provider Verizon? What about phone calls? HELP!!

At home or somewhere where you use a wifi signal, take your phone and swipe down the screen (pulls down "notifications"). in the top right corner, tap the 'gear' for Settings. Tap the magnifying glass at the top near to right. [Do it in that order -- the magnifying glass next to the Settings gear searches for apps only.] so tap the magnifying glass and enter WIFI CALLING. This will take you to wherever your provider has hidden the function. Turn it on. 

 

Swipe down again. Put your phone in airplane mode and THEN turn wifi back on. Make a call -- or send a text as they both use this function. Once you set this up at home, it will be available whenever you are AirplaneMode+WifiOn -- and there is an available wifi signal. Like on the ship!

Edited January 14, 2020 by crystalspin

[skynight]

While at sea the use of cell service is very expensive. Place phone in airplane mode. You have to use the wi-fi (internet) alternatives. You will have to purchase internet use. In Alaska ports you can use your phone as normal, but remember to turn airplane mode back on when you sail away.

[masonchar]

I have purchased the ship's internet package and I plan to use What's App on my upcoming cruise.  As others have mentioned, put your phone on airplane mode and turn wifi on.

What's App is free to download and all my kids use it.  You can video call, make regular calls or send text messages.  Sending and receiving pictures is quick as well.

[Ken the cruiser]

We use the onboard wifi while on a cruise and use FB Instant Messenger to char we our son and an app called Hang Out to chat online with our daughters.
 

We also bring a RavPower Travel Router so we both can have access at the same time to the Internet via one unlimited single user shipboard account. You can actually have up to 5 active devices behind the TR if they are within 50’ of it. 

[MotownVoice]

Phone charges don't have to be that expensive if you purchase the global package before you leave.  You can always have it removed when you get back.  It'll add 5 or 10 bucks to the monthly bill.  But then you don't have to obsess over whether you should shut your phone off or not.

But if you already have the wifi package, then using it to receive texts is a no brainer.

[Colo Cruiser]

19 minutes ago, MotownVoice said:

Phone charges don't have to be that expensive if you purchase the global package before you leave.  You can always have it removed when you get back.  It'll add 5 or 10 bucks to the monthly bill.  But then you don't have to obsess over whether you should shut your phone off or not.

But if you already have the wifi package, then using it to receive texts is a no brainer.

One absolutely should obsess about shutting their cell phone off/putting it in airplane mode and/or getting a wifi package to connect to onboard.

 

Connecting to the ships Cell Service at sea is an "whole other" can O worms".

 

One can run up hundreds of $$$ in charges even though they may have their cellular companies "global package or whatever they call it. They do not all work the same especially at sea with no wifi.

 

As you said getting a shipboard wifi package can make things much easier and if its unlimited one can leave their phone in "airplane mode" and stay connected to the wifi 24/7.

[TexasJam]

Instructions on how to set Apple iPhone and iPad to make calls over the wifi?  

 

Thanks,

 

Jamie

[Colo Cruiser]

34 minutes ago, TexasJam said:

Instructions on how to set Apple iPhone and iPad to make calls over the wifi?  

 

Thanks,

 

Jamie

For me with AT&T......

Airplane mode on.

Wifi on.

WiFi calling on .

Connect to the ships internet with your package.

WIFI calling for me was enabled by my cell service provider AT&T.

Not all companies enable this.

In the upper left of my screen near the signal bar it said att wifi calling or something similar when it was enabled.

Then I just dialed.

 

[AF-1]

32 minutes ago, TexasJam said:

Instructions on how to set Apple iPhone and iPad to make calls over the wifi?  

 

Thanks,

 

Jamie

Jamie are you asking how to set up your iphone/ipad?

[MotownVoice]

1 hour ago, Colo Cruiser said:

 

One can run up hundreds of $$$ in charges even though they may have their cellular companies "global package or whatever they call it. They do not all work the same especially at sea with no wifi.

 

 

 

You only "run up hundreds of dollars" if you don't do anything and you pay for global roaming without a package agreement with your carrier. 

You're just uninformed.

 

[Colo Cruiser]

10 minutes ago, MotownVoice said:

 

You only "run up hundreds of dollars" if you don't do anything and you pay for global roaming without a package agreement with your carrier. 

You're just uninformed.

 

Ignorance is bliss.  😉

[skynight]

8 minutes ago, MotownVoice said:

 

You only "run up hundreds of dollars" if you don't do anything and you pay for global roaming without a package agreement with your carrier. 

You're just uninformed.

 

The way I understand it. When on board at sea the ship's cell service connects to Cellular @ Sea or a similar service. The charge for this service is somewhere in the $2.50/minute range. Cellular @ Sea then connects with your carrier. Once connected your plan roaming rates apply from the point of connection. The connection to your carrier is what cost the big bucks. They way around it is using internet services, not cell while at sea.

While in ports your world wide plans probably work fine. 

[TexasJam]

19 hours ago, Colo Cruiser said:

For me with AT&T......

Airplane mode on.

Wifi on.

WiFi calling on .

Connect to the ships internet with your package.

WIFI calling for me was enabled by my cell service provider AT&T.

Not all companies enable this.

In the upper left of my screen near the signal bar it said att wifi calling or something similar when it was enabled.

Then I just dialed.

 

I have AT&T too.  Perfect!  Thanks!!! 😍

[2theship]

20 hours ago, Colo Cruiser said:

For me with AT&T......

It works exactly like that with Verizon as well.

[hapster85]

OK so I am fairly tech savy but apparently not enough I have an android phone. If I have a wifi package while on board for our Alaskan cruise can I text our daughter at home and can I get texts from her without gathering additional billing from either the cruise line our my  provider Verizon? What about phone calls? HELP!!
 
Gr

With WiFi calling enabled, you can use your phone just like you do when connected to the cellular network. You must be connected to a cellular network the first time you enable it, so be sure to enable WiFi calling before boarding the ship, if you've never used it before. Also applies if you've gotten a new device since you last used WiFi calling.

Beyond that, the service is only as reliable as the WiFi network it's connected to. Shipboard internet can be spotty, at best.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

[BCCRUSINGCOUPLE]

On android you will want to use a internet based program what’s app or something like that. Reg Tex messages won’t work


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pablo222]

On 1/13/2020 at 10:13 PM, guycruiser said:

OK so I am fairly tech savy but apparently not enough I have an android phone. If I have a wifi package while on board for our Alaskan cruise can I text our daughter at home and can I get texts from her without gathering additional billing from either the cruise line our my  provider Verizon? What about phone calls? HELP!!

 

Gr

 

Whatever method you decide to try ... you can test it at home (or any where there is wifi) before your cruise.

 

Put your phone in airplane mode.  Then turn on (only) wifi.

 

 

[PaperSniper4]

17 hours ago, BCCRUSINGCOUPLE said:

On android you will want to use a internet based program what’s app or something like that. Reg Tex messages won’t work


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Really? I have not heard that before. I've never tried it, at least on a ship. I did try it at home without using any app (WiFi on, WiFi calling on, Airplane mode on) and the texting function seemed worked okay. My phone is a Samsung Android, about 4 years old. I'm more comfortable just using emails and the ship's WiFi; that has worked fine for me in the past. I rarely use my phone for much of anything.

 

Doug

[Ken the cruiser]

2 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

 

Really? I have not heard that before. I've never tried it, at least on a ship. I did try it at home without using any app (WiFi on, WiFi calling on, Airplane mode on) and the texting function seemed worked okay. My phone is a Samsung Android, about 4 years old. I'm more comfortable just using emails and the ship's WiFi; that has worked fine for me in the past. I rarely use my phone for much of anything.

 

Doug

We use FB Instant Messenger to communicate on the ship over WiFi to family and friends back home. Works great!

Edited January 21, 2020 by Ken the cruiser

[CruiseVA]

Who is your carrier? That will define what you can do and where you can do it. I use Google FI with Hangouts, txt/sms works over wifi/internet, as well as giving me international use with no or little extra charges.

[PaperSniper4]

3 hours ago, CruiseVA said:

Who is your carrier? That will define what you can do and where you can do it. I use Google FI with Hangouts, txt/sms works over wifi/internet, as well as giving me international use with no or little extra charges.

 

If that was asked of me, I have AT&T with my Samsung Android phone. No interest in Facebook or similar apps.

Edited January 21, 2020 by PaperSniper4

[fredflint]

Just try it at home and see how it works.  One tip before you shut your phone off put it in airplane mode so when it comes back on it does not try to connect to the phone service if anyone is trying to call you then you will connect and get charged for the call or day depending on your carrier