WiFi package question

[regnig]

I’ll admit I’m probably the least tec-savvy person on this board.  My question is about the WIFI packages and doing a search on the board has not provided me an answer.  My adult daughter will be joining me on the Rotterdam March 2024 and needs to be able to use her iphone for texting and making/receiving phone calls – no streaming or searching the internet. She has service with Version that includes “international” services. My question is what WiFi plan with HAL do I need to book for her.

TIA for your help.

[crystalspin]

7 minutes ago, regnig said:

My adult daughter will be joining me on the Rotterdam March 2024 and needs to be able to use her iphone for texting and making/receiving phone calls – no streaming or searching the internet. She has service with Version that includes “international” services. My question is what WiFi plan with HAL do I need to book for her.

I think she will be fine with the Surf Plan (part of Have It All if you are booked with that package). OTOH if you are not with HIA, but paying for just her plan, you can book the Premium pre-sailing for a discount that is only a little more than Surf bought on board. The internet is the same; only fewer apps/sites blocked. Voice phone calls may be dicey with either, depending on where in the world you are! 

Edited June 6, 2023 by crystalspin

[CruiserBruce]

Pretty sure Verizon's International plan doesn't include cruise coverage. That is a different category of coverage in most cases.

[3rdGenCunarder]

4 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Pretty sure Verizon's International plan doesn't include cruise coverage. That is a different category of coverage in most cases.

 

Most plans don't, and if they do, the cruise coverage is expensive. 

[POA1]

You'll have to check with Verizon on the cost and availability for talk & text. If I recall correctly, it's in the neighborhood of $2.99/min & $0.40/$0.50 per text from a ship.

 

Calls in port are usually less expensive by miles. We have T-Mobile and have voice, texting and data in most ports.

 

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Edited June 6, 2023 by POA1

[YourWorldWithBill]

T Mobile claims that their new plan covers some ships. But still safer to use wi-fi, and as @crystalspin said, a voice call can be problematic. Safer if she sticks with texts onboard and makes calls in the ports.

[FOPMan]

10 minutes ago, POA1 said:

You'll have to check with Verizon on the cost and availability for talk & text. If I recall correctly, it's in the neighborhood of $2.99/min & $0.40/$0.50 per text from a ship.

 

Calls in port are usually less expensive by miles. We have T-Mobile and have voice, texting and data in most ports.

 

You can't usually call or text over ship wifi, but you can email and use many messaging apps.

 

 

Right on target: https://www.verizon.com/plans/international/international-travel/cruise-and-inflight/

[regnig]

Okay, just to make sure I understand the answer I was looking for all she needs is HAL's Surf Plan, is that correct?

As far as Verizon's costs we are aware of those.   

[FOPMan]

Technically, you shouldn’t need any wifi plan, but it will be a trade-off in messaging fees, depending on whether messages get routed via wifi or SMS.

 

To be abundantly clear: voice at sea can be highly unreliable and should it not be assumed that it will be working properly. That’s not fo say it’s destined to fail, but things happen. And those costs are per minute/message.

 

Rotty in March probably means Caribbean or the Gulf of Mexico/Panama Canal. You should generally have a better signal then in some more remote regions (as far as ship’s connectivity is concerned).

 

You would want to also validate where aboard ship signal is particularly strong or weak. The same can be said of wifi as well as cell signal.

[Mary229]

If you have internet and an apple device she can talk and text other apple users.  Other than that there a numerous apps that have this same utility.  

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, regnig said:

Okay, just to make sure I understand the answer I was looking for all she needs is HAL's Surf Plan, is that correct?

As far as Verizon's costs we are aware of those.   

 

Yes, Surf should be sufficient.

 

I travel with a laptop and smartphone and did fine with Surf. I have been able to use the internet for email, with photos attached. If I'm going to be online for any length of time or need to send attachments like Word files, I prefer to use my laptop. But for quick email check or texts (including pictures) I will use my phone. I haven't tried voice on either device, and I know I can't stream on the Surf plan.

 

Note that HAL makes it sound like one device per internet account, but it is really one device AT A TIME. So if I need to do something on my laptop, I log off the phone and log back in on the laptop. Very easy. If I try to log in on a second device, Navigator offers me the choice of buying a second package or disconnecting the other device. 

[VMax1700]

I am going to disagree (I am good at that!) but first state that this relates to my experience with Android/Samsung.

First, you cannot make calls onboard with your usual carrier as they are routed through the 'Cellular at Sea' network which is expensive.  I believe text/sms messages are the same.

I use 'Whatsapp' for messaging and calls when onboard.  Whatsapp messaging will work fine on the Surf package, but to make phone calls it is necessary to upgrade to the premium level.

There is also 'Wifi calling' if your device is enabled, which, in my experience, also requires the premium internet package.  The charges for calls placed using Wifi calling will be dependant on your carriers charges.

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

16 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

I am going to disagree (I am good at that!) but first state that this relates to my experience with Android/Samsung.

First, you cannot make calls onboard with your usual carrier as they are routed through the 'Cellular at Sea' network which is expensive.  I believe text/sms messages are the same.

I use 'Whatsapp' for messaging and calls when onboard.  Whatsapp messaging will work fine on the Surf package, but to make phone calls it is necessary to upgrade to the premium level.

There is also 'Wifi calling' if your device is enabled, which, in my experience, also requires the premium internet package.  The charges for calls placed using Wifi calling will be dependant on your carriers charges.

 

 

Hmm, now you have me wondering. I may have done my texts ashore and not onboard. My phone does wifi calling through my router when I'm at home, but I haven't tried it on a ship. 

[WannaSea]

With my Samsung and the Surf Wi-fi plan I was unable to text or call, despite having wi-fi calling activated and supported by my carrier. I was able to use WhatsApp (free app) and it worked flawlessly but the downside is your contacts also need to be using WhatsApp for it to work. I understand from many comments that iPhone texting does work with Surf wi-fi.

 

I'd be curious to know if any Samsung users have been able to text/call when using the premium wi-fi plan.

[richwmn]

26 minutes ago, WannaSea said:

I'd be curious to know if any Samsung users have been able to text/call when using the premium wi-fi plan.

It also depends on your carrier, age of your phone, and which ship.

In the past year I have been able to text and call (premium plan) from Nieuw Statendam and Zuiderdam with a 3 year old updated phone and t-mobile wifi calling. Generally the calls were a little bit better with WhatsApp when the other person had that as well.

 

[WannaSea]

6 minutes ago, richwmn said:

It also depends on your carrier, age of your phone, and which ship.

In the past year I have been able to text and call (premium plan) from Nieuw Statendam and Zuiderdam with a 3 year old updated phone and t-mobile wifi calling. Generally the calls were a little bit better with WhatsApp when the other person had that as well.

 

Thanks. It never occurred to me before that Premium v Surf plan might be one of the many factors affecting basic non-iPhone cell service. I had tested wi-fi calling successfully pre-cruise so assumed I was good with my AT&T plan, just a little disappointed when it didn't work onboard.