Imessages onboard..

[Gamecock_Cruiser]

We just got off the Elation on Thursday. Imessages worked all cruise for us just on the the ships Wifi but we did not purchase any of the wifi packages. We couldn't send pictures, just text. This is a first in nine cruises.

[gabriellyn]

We were on the Spirit out of Seattle in early June and we purchased the Carnival Hub Chat plan, between 10 of us traveling together.  The chat worked intermittently - but iMessage was working and was more reliable.  The Hub app has never worked consistently for us, even after years of cruising.

[SliqRicq]

I’ve noticed that, while trying to use iMessage onboard (out in the open sea), while the iPhone doesn’t seem to be reliable, I can use iMessage with zero issues on my iPad (Wi-Fi only, no cellular).
 

[heath7767]

iMessage did not work for us at all on the Magic last week.

[SliqRicq]

4 hours ago, heath7767 said:

iMessage did not work for us at all on the Magic last week.

Interestingly, when I use iMessage on the iPhone it doesn’t seem to work. But on my iPad (Wi-Fi only), it works flawlessly. I’m on Carnival Pride, to Panama Canal. 

[CreamsicleCatMom]

17 hours ago, heath7767 said:

iMessage did not work for us at all on the Magic last week.

Did you have a wi fi package and it still didn’t work?

[dallasdan]

my cruise last July on the breeze no problem using I message without internet package.  However, on my October cruise on the vista I message only worked the first couple of days and then stopped working.  No guarantee that it will work without paying for internet plan.

[heath7767]

1 hour ago, CreamsicleCatMom said:

Did you have a wi fi package and it still didn’t work?

No Wifi package--just commenting that it didn't work on ship's Wifi since it seems to be a mixed bag

[dallasdan]

I think Carnival might be catching on that I message was working without paying for Wifi.  There was some kind of glitch in their system that allowed it to work.  My DW had the social plan and her I message worked the whole cruise in October.  I did not pay for a plan my I message only worked for the first 2 days.

[mz-s]

I don't really know how they can effectively block iMessage because it uses the same traffic as push notifications. If they want push notifications for their Hub app, they have to allow that traffic through - the side effect is iMessage has to be allowed as well.

[Itried4498]

8 hours ago, dallasdan said:

I think Carnival might be catching on that I message was working without paying for Wifi.  There was some kind of glitch in their system that allowed it to work.  My DW had the social plan and her I message worked the whole cruise in October.  I did not pay for a plan my I message only worked for the first 2 days.

 

It's been hit-or-miss for years.  We've used the same phone, traveled on the same ship and had different results on different sailings.

 

I've never understood why this topic continually resurfaces.  A lot of us are cheap and have searched for the magic spell that enables us use iMessage without paying for WiFi but none of us have found it.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  We don't know why but we've tried to figure out.

 

Even when it works, it's intermittently.  If you need access to iMessage, there's no other workaround besides purchasing a WiFi package.

 

 

[missholly24]

May not be related but my iMessages recently worked on an airplane when I had not purchased the wifi plan. (phone was in airplane mode) lol....Apple may hack/connect passively into wifi somehow? I was surprised to be receiving random texts from iPhone users but not Android. 

[Colorado Beach Bum]

On 3/19/2024 at 8:36 PM, Itried4498 said:

If you need access to iMessage, there's no other workaround besides purchasing a WiFi package.

Carnivals terms and conditions say iMessage is NOT supported even if you pay for WiFi. So even that may not be a guarantee. 

[Sabalon]

On 3/19/2024 at 12:43 PM, dallasdan said:

I think Carnival might be catching on that I message was working without paying for Wifi.  There was some kind of glitch in their system that allowed it to work.  My DW had the social plan and her I message worked the whole cruise in October.  I did not pay for a plan my I message only worked for the first 2 days.

 

iMessage works with the Apple Push service.  The Carnival Hub app also uses Apple Push notifications to send you stuff - only one that really comes to mind is "your table is ready".  Even those I've found to be iffy.   

The "problem" is that the Apple push traffic is all encrypted from Apple to your device.   There is no way of allowing only the Hub info to come in.  Only once it gets to your phone is it known what app it is for.   

Last cruise, I'd get notifications that I have a GMail...and depending on how much of it was showing on the notification, I could "read" the e-mail without opening anything, or at least the start of it.   I would get notifications everytime our daughters opened and closed the garage door.  

And then on the last or second to last day, it stopped working - it said that I needed to re-sign in for iMessage to work.  Garage door notifications kept coming though.  I don't know why - maybe there is some built in timeout/rekeying of the security stuff that just happened to hit then.

 

But even when it does work, like the Hub app etc...it is hit or miss.  Maybe Starlink has improved this.

[Sabalon]

I am on the magic right now and can say without a doubt they’ve figured out a way to keep it from working for anything but the hub app.  !!!!

so no, iMessage is not working until you get one of the no -social media internet plans. 

[mz-s]

7 minutes ago, Sabalon said:

I am on the magic right now and can say without a doubt they’ve figured out a way to keep it from working for anything but the hub app.  !!!!

so no, iMessage is not working until you get one of the no -social media internet plans. 

 

keep checking during the cruise, sometimes it comes and goes.

Edited April 1 by mz-s

[Pika8347]

8 hours ago, Sabalon said:

I am on the magic right now and can say without a doubt they’ve figured out a way to keep it from working for anything but the hub app.  !!!!

so no, iMessage is not working until you get one of the no -social media internet plans. 

Any issues staying connected on the Hub app? We just returned Sunday and many of us had trouble getting and staying connected. 

[riktishaw]

On the Panorama now and iMessages have been ok. We are on day 4, so time will tell if they stay working!

[Sabalon]

16 hours ago, Pika8347 said:

Any issues staying connected on the Hub app? We just returned Sunday and many of us had trouble getting and staying connected. 

 Not too bad.  There are some areas that are towards the edge of the wifi, but for the most part it’s been reliable enough.    Our balcony is one of those areas but it doesn’t matter too much there.  

[Frank12]

On 4/1/2024 at 1:01 PM, Sabalon said:

I am on the magic right now and can say without a doubt they’ve figured out a way to keep it from working for anything but the hub app.  !!!!

so no, iMessage is not working until you get one of the no -social media internet plans. 

Just got off the Liberty and I message worked the entire time.  I guess it just depends!🤷‍♂️