Mapu Posted March 15, 2014 #1 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Friends just back from Asia told us about the Magic Jack app last night. Using wi-fi you can call internationally for free. Anyone have ant experience with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrysalis Posted March 15, 2014 #2 Share Posted March 15, 2014 http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1905197&highlight=magic+jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frugalist Posted March 15, 2014 #3 Share Posted March 15, 2014 http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1905197&highlight=magic+jack I posted this in the thread you linked to: "based on the above reports, it sounds like using the ship's internet is not very practical (if at all possible) for Magic Jack calls. By the way, if you're Platinum, you get at least 150 free minutes per cruise. "I have the Magic Jack app on my Kindle Fire HD, and it works great. I used it to make free calls back to the states when we were in Canada last summer. I have no doubt it would work equally well at an internet cafe in port anywhere around the world. "I also have the free Text+ app on my Fire HD and it works beautifully to send unlimited free texts. It works off an internet connection, not a cell phone connection. Since it's not a bandwidth hog like a Magic Jack or Skype call, I suspect it would work nicely using the ship's internet." With a Magic Jack account, and the Magic Jack app on your mobile device, you can call back to the US for free from anywhere you have a wifi connection. As mentioned in the thread, you should make your calls from an internet cafe in port. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colo Cruiser Posted March 15, 2014 #4 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Majic Jack did not work on the Sapphire this month and did not work on the Star in October. Its a hit and miss proposition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mapu Posted March 15, 2014 Author #5 Share Posted March 15, 2014 I posted this in the thread you linked to: "based on the above reports, it sounds like using the ship's internet is not very practical (if at all possible) for Magic Jack calls. By the way, if you're Platinum, you get at least 150 free minutes per cruise. "I have the Magic Jack app on my Kindle Fire HD, and it works great. I used it to make free calls back to the states when we were in Canada last summer. I have no doubt it would work equally well at an internet cafe in port anywhere around the world. "I also have the free Text+ app on my Fire HD and it works beautifully to send unlimited free texts. It works off an internet connection, not a cell phone connection. Since it's not a bandwidth hog like a Magic Jack or Skype call, I suspect it would work nicely using the ship's internet." With a Magic Jack account, and the Magic Jack app on your mobile device, you can call back to the US for free from anywhere you have a wifi connection. As mentioned in the thread, you should make your calls from an internet cafe in port. Thank you. We have I phones and free iMessaging to other Apple devices so I think with that option and the Magic Jack app we should be all set. I was never intending to use the ship wi-fi for MJ calls because the bandwidth issue has been an issue for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colo Cruiser Posted March 15, 2014 #6 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Thank you. We have I phones and free iMessaging to other Apple devices. This would not be free using the ships cell service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mapu Posted March 15, 2014 Author #7 Share Posted March 15, 2014 (edited) Thank you. We have I phones and free iMessaging to other Apple devices so I think with that option and the Magic Jack app we should be all set. I was never intending to use the ship wi-fi for MJ calls because the bandwidth issue has been an issue for a long time. This would not be free using the ships cell service. When I iMessage from my iPad it is over wi-fi not cell service. Edited March 15, 2014 by Mapu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Potstech Posted March 15, 2014 #8 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Used it an a recent trip to Ireland, shore trip, and it worked great. Have not tried onboard a ship. I would wait to get into port and find a free wifi to make any calls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Lew- Posted March 15, 2014 #9 Share Posted March 15, 2014 I used magicJack on the Royal last year in the Med. Colo Cruiser is right...it's hit or miss. You're at the mercy of the ship's Wi-Fi. Lew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainKlutz Posted March 15, 2014 #10 Share Posted March 15, 2014 I figured I'd try my Galaxy SII (T-Mobile) on the Grand next month. It has wi-fi calling built in. Not sure if I expect it to work or not, but figured it would be worth a try with some of my 150 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielsumner Posted March 15, 2014 #11 Share Posted March 15, 2014 I've had my MagicJack account for many years. I used to carry the dongle with me and connect a handset to it. Always worked. I have the App now on my cell phone and my Galaxy Note 8.0. Works perfectly. I have called home from as far away as Africa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colo Cruiser Posted March 15, 2014 #12 Share Posted March 15, 2014 I've had my MagicJack account for many years. I used to carry the dongle with me and connect a handset to it. Always worked. I have the App now on my cell phone and my Galaxy Note 8.0. Works perfectly. I have called home from as far away as Africa. What cruise line were you on when you called? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runnerodb83 Posted March 15, 2014 #13 Share Posted March 15, 2014 there are a variety of VoIP (voice over internet) that don't require additional purchase and should work on the ship. Skype is one, just use audio only mode to improve call quality. Google Voice is another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loonbeam Posted March 15, 2014 #14 Share Posted March 15, 2014 From my FAQ: Skype, Facetime, Etc. A common question is whether Skype and similar services will work on cruise ships, and the answer is yes, but… The amount of information (bandwith) that can be sent and received from the ship is very limited due to it being a satellite connection. Skype (especially with video) consumes a large portion of that capacity. This has two effects, possibly making your connection very poor, but also reducing the amount available to the other ships passengers. Depending on the satellite signal, 3 or 4 skype users can take up almost half of the total capacity for all passengers. For this reason some ship’s engineers block voip and streaming services. This is becoming more common as the amount of smartphones and other devices proliferate. If you need to use such a service, connecting during off hours (very late evenings, very early mornings and while in port) can reduce both your issues and impact on other passengers. -- VOIP is only practical over the ship's wi-fi, trying to do it with cell data would be enormously expensive (based on non-discounted data rates, probably in the area of $8-12 per minute depending on compression, and thats assumning cell data bandwith could support it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colo Cruiser Posted March 15, 2014 #15 Share Posted March 15, 2014 there are a variety of VoIP (voice over internet) that don't require additional purchase and should work on the ship. Skype is one, just use audio only mode to improve call quality. Google Voice is another. You still need a reliable wifi signal to use any of them. I would not call the ships wifi reliable and it costs a fortune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CA Posted March 15, 2014 #16 Share Posted March 15, 2014 You still need a reliable wifi signal to use any of them. I would not call the ships wifi reliable and it costs a fortune.Not to mention that if perchance you are able to use Skype, you're hogging the bandwidth for everyone else and very possibly costing them WiFi time and money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielsumner Posted March 15, 2014 #17 Share Posted March 15, 2014 What cruise line were you on when you called? I made a call on RCCL Freedom on the Seas last year, worked just like at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2disneydads Posted March 16, 2014 #18 Share Posted March 16, 2014 You also can use an app called Viber to make calls to another computer or smart phone that also has Viber. Viber works over the internet. I've made calls back to the US from places as remote as Myanmar using Viber and an internet connection. It is a free app. Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julia’s Journey’s Posted March 16, 2014 #19 Share Posted March 16, 2014 I used the magic jack plugged into my laptop and the ships free wifi in 2011 on our TA to call my kids and it worked great. Last year I put the app on my kindle and called hubby from Europe as I didn't have free wifi onboard so called from land based restaurants etc - again worked great. On the Royal TA I used it on my kindle with the ships free wifi and again worked great - I use earbuds with a mic and as yet haven't had a problem. I haven't used it on my iphone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pablo222 Posted March 16, 2014 #20 Share Posted March 16, 2014 Not to mention that if perchance you are able to use Skype, you're hogging the bandwidth for everyone else and very possibly costing them WiFi time and money. No difference between skype-voice-only vs. magic jack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Posaune Posted March 16, 2014 #21 Share Posted March 16, 2014 I have used Magic Jack plugged into my laptop on at least four cruises (Europe and Caribbean) and had no issues at all. It worked great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
satxdiver Posted March 16, 2014 #22 Share Posted March 16, 2014 Any app that requires high band usage on a ship is iffy at best. The ship network administrator can program in blocks for certain apps like VOIP. They also can program in bandwidth limitations to keep a few users from using most of the bandwidth available. You need to look at who is on the ship and what electronic devices they are carrying. With the current popularity of tablets and their proliferation on the ship, the fixed available bandwidth can go fast. Add to this the age of the WiFi equipment on the ship as newer equipment is faster and uses less overhead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loonbeam Posted March 16, 2014 #23 Share Posted March 16, 2014 Technically, Skype uses a different compression scheme which is slightly less efficient for audio than magic jack. But its not that much of a difference. No difference between skype-voice-only vs. magic jack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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