On boat Communication?

First time cruiser on Norwegian. We cruised Disney Last Christmas and the app they created worked wonderfully for our party to arrange when to meet up or even where to meet. I know NCL has a similar app but have read not so good reviews. Has anyone had success with the app or how do you and your family communicate?

Depending on your wireless carrier...... the iConcierge charge for texting may not be cost effective. Remember that all devices must have it in order for the texting to work (so it's a minimum of $20 @ $10 per device). For example, I have Verizon Wireless and it's $0.05 to receive / $0.50 to send texts while on the ship (so that would mean 38 texts between devices to break even with iConcierge..... more as you add devices)

Depending on your wireless carrier...... the iConcierge charge for texting may not be cost effective. Remember that all devices must have it in order for the texting to work (so it's a minimum of $20 @ $10 per device). For example, I have Verizon Wireless and it's $0.05 to receive / $0.50 to send texts while on the ship (so that would mean 38 texts between devices to break even with iConcierge..... more as you add devices)

Just to clarify... this poster is comparing iConcierge to using your cell phone as to COST. I may be wrong, but to do texting via your cell phone also means you will get texts from all those folks back home, and maybe even cellular calls.

The point of every device having the app is very true and can run up the cost.

We used iconcierge and it worked well. It was $10 per phone to use the texting feature and we had 3 phones using it. 2 of the 3 phones were connected all the time and had no issues. 1 of the phones would often disconnect and not get the messages until it connected again. But if that person wondered why they hadn't gotten a message they could see that they were disconnected from the internet and just had to click connect again. One positive is it did tell you when your message went through. So I could tell when that person was disconnected and tried calling her room instead.

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We used iconcierge and it worked well. It was $10 per phone to use the texting feature and we had 3 phones using it. 2 of the 3 phones were connected all the time and had no issues. 1 of the phones would often disconnect and not get the messages until it connected again. But if that person wondered why they hadn't gotten a message they could see that they were disconnected from the internet and just had to click connect again. One positive is it did tell you when your message went through. So I could tell when that person was disconnected and tried calling her room instead.

ship's wifi

It worked well for us texting each other on the ship. The 79 cents to call the mainland which comes with the package didn't work too well so I had to resort to using the cabin phone for $4.99 per minute.

We just tell each other our plans...and have times to meet, if we need to! It's not really hard!

We've used iconcierge on The Epic and Escape with great success. The Pearl was next to useless

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We had iconcierge on the Dawn in June. To me it was a waste of money. We have iPhones so we would just text each other. DS texted his girlfriend at home. No increase in our bill$$$$. You should dbl check with your carrier.

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We had iconcierge on the Dawn in June. To me it was a waste of money. We have iPhones so we would just text each other. DS texted his girlfriend at home. No increase in our bill$$$$. You should dbl check with your carrier.

It's not a carrier thing.

There is a known issue with NCL's wifi network that allows iMessages through without purchasing an internet package. This seems to be the case on most ships. While its been this way for some time, it's a fluke and sooner or later they will get around to fixing it... although the longer this goes on the less likely it seems it will ever be fixed.

It's not a carrier thing.

 

 

 

There is a known issue with NCL's wifi network that allows iMessages through without purchasing an internet package. This seems to be the case on most ships. While its been this way for some time, it's a fluke and sooner or later they will get around to fixing it... although the longer this goes on the less likely it seems it will ever be fixed.

Sssshhhhhhhh [emoji3]

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ship's wifi

"ship's wifi"??? What were you indicating or sharing?

Just to clarify... this poster is comparing iConcierge to using your cell phone as to COST. I may be wrong, but to do texting via your cell phone also means you will get texts from all those folks back home, and maybe even cellular calls.

 

The point of every device having the app is very true and can run up the cost.

Understood the OP's question and answered "how I communicate" with another option...... that's why I included the approximate number of texts that would help figure out the cost effectiveness....... even with text messages from back home and the occasional reply.... it was cheaper for me to use Verizon Wireless..... all phone calls went to voice mail (no charge if not answered) but it was nice to have the option to answer if I wanted..... if it was a hot call from home, my family sent a text giving me a heads up to answer.... I also had TravelPass so when getting to port I could check voicemail etc.

Apparently, from information in another post, Norwegian has figured out how to block the free texting thing.

Apparently, from information in another post, Norwegian has figured out how to block the free texting thing.

iMessages still getting through on Epic. I’m here now. Doesn’t work 100%, but most of the time.

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It worked well for us texting each other on the ship. The 79 cents to call the mainland which comes with the package didn't work too well so I had to resort to using the cabin phone for $4.99 per minute.

You could have used your own cell phone and paid the $2.49 a minute. (or is it $2.99). either way, just a normal call that gets billed to your cell phone.

It's not a carrier thing.

 

There is a known issue with NCL's wifi network that allows iMessages through without purchasing an internet package. This seems to be the case on most ships. While its been this way for some time, it's a fluke and sooner or later they will get around to fixing it... although the longer this goes on the less likely it seems it will ever be fixed.

Yes this is a true statement, i think is saw a post somewhere on here that they found the loophole on BA and fixed it, so in the BA's case iMessage no longer works. Can anyone who was recently on BA confirm this?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I heard if you have an iphone, turn to airplane mode, then manually put on wifi, you can text between iphones for free. Can anybody verify this?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I heard if you have an iphone, turn to airplane mode, then manually put on wifi, you can text between iphones for free. Can anybody verify this?

Yah that is what we were talking about in the post above yours, its a loophole that will surely be fixed, bit for now yah you could do that, its just that i though i saw a post where this was NCL already fixed to where imessage would no longer work without an internet package.

the app does not use the messaging thru your carrier - you turn on airplane mode and turn on wifi and it communicates thru the ships wifi - messaging is only part of the app its also the ship info brought to your phone

my cousin bought walkie talkies... theyre small and work well. so that is how we will communicate...if we care to answer:rolleyes:

my cousin bought walkie talkies... theyre small and work well. so that is how we will communicate...if we care to answer:rolleyes:

Most walkie talkies don't work well on board a ship and if you are looking to really annoy people those will work.

Most walkie talkies don't work well on board a ship and if you are looking to really annoy people those will work.

if people choose to be annoyed, that is on them.

if people choose to be annoyed, that is on them.

He's right. They are annoying.

A little consideration of others is always appreciated.