Using Norwegians iConcierge App

[BamaLady#13]

I installed the app on my ipad and would like to use this method to communicate with family while on a cruise to Alaska next month. Would someone that has done this please tell me how it works and how much it costs. I have OBC and would like to utilize part of it to text my family. Much more efficient than a phone call and probably cheaper??

[Lacaena]

My DH and I used this on our GA cruise. I think it was $7 or $8 flat rate per device for texting for the entire cruise. It worked pretty well for texting but the app had to be restarted every now and then.

 

I don't know what ship you're on but if you're on the Jewel or the Pearl you'll have access to it; however, the Sun doesn't have iConcierge last I knew.

[Philob]

First iConcierge has to be available on your ship.

 

Then you need to install the app BEFORE you board the ship. Once on board start the app. You will be told to go into Airplane Mode, then switch on your Wi-Fi and look for Norwegian YOUR SHIP Internet and connect to it. From there you enter some information to register. Once registered you can monitor your account, check out the daily activities, etc. If you want to use the Message & Talk feature, each phone has to be registered and its a $7.95 fee per phone/cruise.

Edited April 9, 2015 by Philob

[bangzoom6877]

Do we have to contact our cell phone carrier before the cruise to find out if they charge roaming fees or anything like that to use the iConcierge service? We are a group of 11 and the adults and teens who have phones would like to use this app to text and stay in touch on the ship.

[justrache]

It will only work if the family you are trying to text is also on the ship with you and has the app downloaded as well.

[maxwellito]

I think the problem with concierge is that it works on NCL wifi. Of course that is how it should be but....

As a result your phone has to be on and you can be subject to international charges if texts or calls come in

I had my iPhone on airplane mode to avoid this but when i turned the wifi on to activate the iconcierge international charges could apply for other phone usage that can be out of my control.

[bangzoom6877]

It will only work if the family you are trying to text is also on the ship with you and has the app downloaded as well.

 

We all plan to be on the ship at the same time most of the time, and all of us with phones would like to get the app. Certainly my niece will be on the ship while my sister is so they can get in touch if necessary while she is participating in teen activities.

 

I think the problem with concierge is that it works on NCL wifi. Of course that is how it should be but....

As a result your phone has to be on and you can be subject to international charges if texts or calls come in

I had my iPhone on airplane mode to avoid this but when i turned the wifi on to activate the iconcierge international charges could apply for other phone usage that can be out of my control.

 

Hmm that is a problem. I'm going to contact verizon to make sure before we all decide to go this route. My parents and sister have T-mobile and they'll contact them as well. Don't want international charges beyond my control.

[BamaLady#13]

I should have explained my question more fully. I would like to be able to use my ipad while I am on the ship to text with my family in the lower US. They will not be on the ship. I am trying to find out if that can be done and if so, how much it costs.

[GTJacket]

Just got off epic on March 8th. Get the app before you get on board and before the ship leaves port put your phone on airplane mode but then turn on wifi. Airplane mode will keep cell service off and the app will run off their wifi. It is 7.95 I believe per phone. You can also make calls to the other phones thru the app. The only thing I did not like about the app is there is no group messaging

[GTJacket]

Dang it replied before I read your reply. Been a while since I have used a iPhone. But if I bought wifi thru the ship I could have used Google hangouts to contact other hangout addresses. I would assume it would be the same for Imessage but I don't know for sure

[mking8288]

It's getting late, but let me clarify a few points on using the iConcierge - I used the free features only on the Breakaway (both in 2014 and last month ) Both times, I did not find it necessary to call/text others on the ship (only) - for enabling the $7.95 plan that's exclusive & unlimited while connected only to the ship's WiFi intranet (as in a closed loop or internal network)

 

To make/receive external or outside as in satellite-relayed calls from other land or cellular carriers - you need to have roaming enabled with your home carrier (i.e. VZW, AT&T, T-Mo, BTC, CMHK, etc.) for international calling and you will be billed by the carrier, not NCL or its partner network - MCP

 

$7.95 for the duration of the cruise - is for calling & texting other registered users on the ship with the $7.95 plan enabled also. It does not call/receive and does not get SMS or Txt Msg in or out relayed by satellite, external to this "intranet" on the ship.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/64025118/2015%20NCL%20BA/SS1503240843.jpg

 

Data usage in this sense, is basically unlimited within the ship's intranet - but, you do NOT have access beyond the firewalls or intranet loops to go external, via satellite relays to check Gmail, MSN, Skype, FaceTime or Google Plus or Voice with others. As you will be on WiFi only, no mobile or cellular data are used and no charges from your carrier for roaming data used at all. Incoming cellular calls will NOT work with the basic iConcierge settings as is.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/64025118/2015%20NCL%20BA/SS1503271836.jpg

 

These are the basics while at sea - the ship's WiFi signal remained on while docked at non-US ports, i.e. Nassau & GSC, and later this/next month when it begin sailing to Bermuda. Ship's satellite tower - MCP - will be turned off for cellular connections relayed to land towers for incoming/outgoing voice calls. The local carrier, i.e. BTC in the Bahamas, as a partner for AT&T will provide the cellular relay a a roaming partner.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/64025118/2015%20NCL%20BA/SS1503240839.jpg

 

Confusing, huh - yes. As for using an iPad or smartphone, etc. via iConicerge to text another person on land back home, I do not believe it is possible as those needed to be "processed" and relayed via MCP with cellular functions enabled on your device and international roaming turned ON. Simple texting or SMS is generally inexpensive for as low as 25 cents or 10 cents per message , even free incoming ones depending on your carrier.

 

To have usable data to access beyond the ship's intranet, that is, to surf on the internet via satellite - you will need a data plan and on ships like the Breakway or Gateway, it is available by the MB data - far better than minutes-based plan on ships with older hardware & coverage. The data plan will allow you to check emails, weather, news, etc. on various devices.

 

The layers, in simplified conceptual terms, are:

 

Ship's intranet

Ship's MB data plan (or, pay as you go plan)

MCP/ship's satellite-cellular connections

Home/partner carrier's satellite or ground-based cellular land connections (unless you are in a U.S. port, i.e. Port Canaveral or NYC, etc.)

[LrgPizza]

I should have explained my question more fully. I would like to be able to use my ipad while I am on the ship to text with my family in the lower US. They will not be on the ship. I am trying to find out if that can be done and if so, how much it costs.

 

 

iConcierge doesn't work for that. It is for app to app texting/calling on the ship, or for calling home for $.79 per minute. Contact your service provider to ask about options for texting.

[BamaLady#13]

Thanks so much MKing for the best explanation I've found. You've been a great help.

[Sizzlechest]

First iConcierge has to be available on your ship.

 

Then you need to install the app BEFORE you board the ship. Once on board start the app. You will be told to go into Airplane Mode, then switch on your Wi-Fi and look for Norwegian YOUR SHIP Internet and connect to it. From there you enter some information to register. Once registered you can monitor your account, check out the daily activities, etc. If you want to use the Message & Talk feature, each phone has to be registered and its a $7.95 fee per phone/cruise.

 

This is an excellent explanation. One more thing to note. Each phone using the app that's registered get a unique number. That number is your onboard phone number. Anyone can use a house phone to call your cell phone this way. If you drop your kids off at the kids center, you can leave them this number to call you in case they need to reach you.

[Sizzlechest]

Hmm that is a problem. I'm going to contact verizon to make sure before we all decide to go this route. My parents and sister have T-mobile and they'll contact them as well. Don't want international charges beyond my control.

 

In your t-mobile account online, there's a way to allow free roaming, but turn off roaming that will incur a charge. You'd then have to allow roaming for data on your phone as many of them have it turned off by default. That's what I did when going to Bermuda.

[Carnac767]

For iPhone, bottom line: if you have data roaming turned off (go to settings, then tap on Cellular and then Roaming) or you're in the Airplane mode, you won't "accidentally" get roaming data roaming charges. You can't. You also don't use your data plan if you're connected via wifi. MKings explanation above is the most thorough I've seen.

[norway olin]

Just some added explanation, I just disembarked EPIC 4 days ago. Had I-concierge on my android phone.

 

1. Registered the phone for I-concierge upon entering the room. Airplane mode on, Wi-Fi on. This was free. Other devices need to be registered individually.

 

2. For FREE you can then use the I-concierge features that include the daily schedule, menus, and constantly up to date account balance for each person in the room, as well as other stuff.

 

3. I was able to access this info everywhere on the ship. Some have mentioned it did not work everywhere, I did not encounter a problem. Your mileage may vary.

 

4. You will have ACCESS to the calls off ship. These are the ones that are 79 cents per minute using the app. The $7.95 fee is not needed for this. I called my land line at home from the room to check voicemails at home. Worked fine. Some have mentioned dropped calls, but mine were short enough that I can not comment on that. A call using the ships phone in the stateroom was listed on the card in the room a $5.99 per minute. You can not text stateside using this app.

 

5. We did NOT use the $7.95 option per device which allows calls and texts on board between your devices. It can also be used to text or call to devices of other folks on board who have paid the $7.95 per device. Can also be used to call any stateroom phone, or ship services phones.

 

6. I know this does not address how to call stateside using your provider, but there are several other threads on that.

[packman1029]

If you are going to Alaska.... your cell phone will work in port just like it does anywhere else, since it is in America.

 

When we did our Alaska cruises, we just waited until we were in port to call/text/surf. On our cruises we were never more than 36hrs out of port.

 

Thanks for the info on the app though. :):)

[norway olin]

Okay, I didn't pick up on the hint in post #8 that she was talking about an Alaskan cruise. The iconcierge info still applies. Making calls from port with your own provider is not as much of an issue as in foreign countries.

[mking8288]

Norway_olin's tips on iConcierge calls for 79 cents/min. - in the middle of the ocean - is excellent, plus the one-time $7.95 feed good for the duration of that cruise. A # of people on our Roll Call used it to text/call each other ... to coordinate their Bar Crawls, LOL. Maybe they will share theirs, fully recovered from their UBP "exploits" & home safely.

 

As for making calls while doing the Alaska cruise, unless the ship is docked at the pier in ports (and, yes - you begin to pickup the land-based cellular signal as the ship come in toward land.) For at least one port, the signal is from a roaming partner carriers, not the big 3 carriers but it's free. Once the ship set sail and go out into international water and turn on the satellite towers to provide the cellular relay, it's roaming for a (nominal) fee, with possibly T-Mobile's global plans being exempt.

 

Take into account time zone differences, you will be off the "mobile calling" grids for only a few hours and unless the day is at sea, you will get the cellular signal again. However, be prepared to take a short walk down the gangway into local streets to get a good or strong signal to call home.

 

Question - is that iPad WiFi only or does it have 3G/4G LTE capabilities, as that could make a "minor" difference ??

[BamaLady#13]

The ipad I will be using on the ship is wifi only. No cellular connection. I will also have two phones, a tracfone and a verizon. Neither are smart phones. I've been told that neither the tracfone or the verizon will work in Alaskan ports.

[mking8288]

VZW should work in all popular ports as we did then, call 611 direct to ask. Tracphone as prepaid might not with the partner carry, call n don't assume as coverage do change over time.

 

sent from my Google Nexus 5/7 via Taptatalk

[edtorious]

Hello, I have a question. On my iPhone, I'm trying to understand this, once I launched the iConcierge app to connect to the ship's wifi, will I be able to browse the internet using the iPhone's safari? Access my emails? Please advise. Thanks.

[LrgPizza]

Hello, I have a question. On my iPhone, I'm trying to understand this, once I launched the iConcierge app to connect to the ship's wifi, will I be able to browse the internet using the iPhone's safari? Access my emails? Please advise. Thanks.

No. You will be able to text others who have the app within the app itself, and you will be able to call via the app to others on the ship or at home. You would need to pay for internet access on the ship to do the other things you mentioned.

[Bockbutler]

Thanks for the detailed explanation .