Internet Service Preventing Charges

[xpanmanx]

With regards to Carnival's Wi-Fi Service, can I prevent my kiddos from activating an Internet plan?

 

I want them on ship-board Wi-Fi, but I don't want them able to rack up Internet fees without my express approval. Bless their little teenage hearts, I feel it in my bones that they're gonna test that boundary within minutes of sailing away.

 

Thanks!

Edited January 19, 2016 by xpanmanx

[CRJ700]

Tell the "kiddos" in no uncertain terms not to activate the internet! Be the parent not the friend.

[cruisinqt]

The internet plan costs money. You can put a spending limit on your kids accounts. We limit our kids spending by only putting a little bit of cash in their accounts every couple of days.

[Athankfulheart]

With regards to Carnival's Wi-Fi Service, can I prevent my kiddos from activating an Internet plan?

 

I want them on ship-board Wi-Fi, but I don't want them able to rack up Internet fees without my express approval. Bless their little teenage hearts, I feel it in my bones that they're gonna test that boundary within minutes of sailing away.

 

Thanks!

 

Do you want them online so you can keep in touch with them ? If so, then I would get the social media package. Its cheap and will limit them to just those apps. You could communicate by Facebook Messenger. If your volume is up, it summons you just like a text message... I agree with the poster that suggested putting a cap on their spending, especially if you don't trust them with that.

[Hoosierpop]

Maybe I'm missing something, but if you are going to get the wifi, there are no additional fees they will rack up from usage. Or are you saying you don't want to get the wifi at all and want to stop them from getting it?

[xpanmanx]

Thanks, everyone.

 

HP, what I want is for them to be on WiFi, but I want to keep them off the Internet until I approve the charge. Is this possible?

[Hoosierpop]

Thanks, everyone.

 

 

 

HP, what I want is for them to be on WiFi, but I want to keep them off the Internet until I approve the charge. Is this possible?

 

 

Not sure. But once you purchase a package, they won't be able to rack up charges unless they upgrade the package itself. If they are just surfing, there won't be any extra charges due to data usage. It's a flat rate now.

[cruisinqt]

If you're on one of the newer ships there's newer more affordable internet packages.

 

Social ($5 per day) - Access to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, WhatsApp, & snapchat but no internet.

 

Value ($16 per day) - Internet access including email, news, sports, weather, banking, and finance. ( No Skype or music streaming.)

 

Premium ($25 per day) - emails, Internet, Skype, at the fastest possible connection speeds up to 3 times faster than the value plan.

 

All of these plans require that you put your phone in airplane mode (so you don't get any crazy charges on your phone) and then you get onto Carnivals wifi. We plan on doing the value plan on sea days. It's pretty reasonable compared to past Internet plans. I hope this helps. :)

[mzlinda]

You can buy the cheap Social package, and you might be able to prevent them from upgrading it, but I don't think you can prevent them from taking their phones off Airplane Mode and incurring big charges from your cell phone company. I don't blame you for being nervous.

[snowskier]

All of these plans require that you put your phone in airplane mode

 

Really? When did this requirement come in and how do they manage to control the settings on my phone?

 

I don't put the phone in airplane mode to use WiFi on a cruise, I don't get "crazy" charges. It is all about knowing how to use your smart phone.

[Cruise-Crazy]

Just turn off data roaming.

[zqvol]

With regards to Carnival's Wi-Fi Service, can I prevent my kiddos from activating an Internet plan?

 

I want them on ship-board Wi-Fi, but I don't want them able to rack up Internet fees without my express approval. Bless their little teenage hearts, I feel it in my bones that they're gonna test that boundary within minutes of sailing away.

 

Thanks!

 

There is really no way to prevent them from creating and using an account.

 

In light of your issues with phones and Internet you should probably just leave them at home with the neighbors.

 

Thanks, everyone.

 

HP, what I want is for them to be on WiFi, but I want to keep them off the Internet until I approve the charge. Is this possible?

 

No, you can't do it, even if they don't have charging privileges.

Edited January 21, 2016 by zqvol

[zqvol]

If you're on one of the newer ships there's newer more affordable internet packages.

 

Social ($5 per day) - Access to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, WhatsApp, & snapchat but no internet.

 

Value ($16 per day) - Internet access including email, news, sports, weather, banking, and finance. ( No Skype or music streaming.)

 

Premium ($25 per day) - emails, Internet, Skype, at the fastest possible connection speeds up to 3 times faster than the value plan.

 

All of these plans require that you put your phone in airplane mode (so you don't get any crazy charges on your phone) and then you get onto Carnivals wifi. We plan on doing the value plan on sea days. It's pretty reasonable compared to past Internet plans. I hope this helps. :)

 

This is simply incorrect about being required to put your phone in airplane mode. If you put it in airplane mode and then activate wi0fi, all you have done is turn off the phone call part of your device, and CCL doesn't really care about that.

[soccersharon]

This is simply incorrect about being required to put your phone in airplane mode. If you put it in airplane mode and then activate wi0fi, all you have done is turn off the phone call part of your device, and CCL doesn't really care about that.

 

 

Putting your phone in airplane mode is the first thing Carnival suggests you do...

Edited January 21, 2016 by soccersharon

[LovetheTXsun]

The first thing I would do is call your cell carrier and discuss your cruise plans & what kind of data charges would be incurred off-shore. Carnival's website does read that you need to put your phone in 'airplane mode'. Perhaps there are other ways to control your data & Internet, but turning on airplane mode is an easy way to shut off service and any apps running in the background (for instance, Facebook notifications, alerts, etc.) The ship's wifi is run through satellite and works differently than regular wifi.

 

The plan for our family on our cruise in May is to purchase the $5 per phone plan which can be used for FB, Insta, Snapchat, etc. and we will all download the "Carnival HUB app" which allows you to text each other on board the ship with the plan. We have 3 excursions planned in 3 ports where there is provided wifi (Ex: Mr. Sanchos in Coz.) ~ my 2 teens can just wait till then to text all their friends.

My simple remedy if my kids were to incur charges when I told them not to? Their phones would be taken away until they paid the charges off themselves.

[Tripper10]

WiFi only device, or no device is the way I would go. Perhaps they should do other things on the trip rather than play with these phones all day every day

[cruisinqt]

This is simply incorrect about being required to put your phone in airplane mode. If you put it in airplane mode and then activate wi0fi, all you have done is turn off the phone call part of your device, and CCL doesn't really care about that.

 

 

What are some tips to improve the experience?

 

Once you board, turn Airplane Mode ‘On’ and connect to Carnival Wi-Fi. By using Airplane Mode, you avoid roaming fees charged by your carrier. Airplane Mode is typically found in your phone’s Settings.

 

This is recommended by Carnival when you connect to their wifi. The statement above comes straight from Carnival in regards to their wifi plan. I was just quoting Carnival.

[cruisinqt]

Putting your phone in airplane mode is the first thing Carnival suggests you do...[ATTACH]374172[/ATTACH]

 

Thanks that's exactly where my info came from. I always put my phone in airplane mode when I'm on my cruise. Not because I don't trust myself in regards to my internet usage :rolleyes: but because I don't want to accidentally get charged. We usually call AT&T and tell them about our cruise and have them block all roaming charges for us just to be safe though.

[zqvol]

Thanks that's exactly where my info came from. I always put my phone in airplane mode when I'm on my cruise. Not because I don't trust myself in regards to my internet usage :rolleyes: but because I don't want to accidentally get charged. We usually call AT&T and tell them about our cruise and have them block all roaming charges for us just to be safe though.

 

Put it in air plane mode and you won't connect to anything without changing some other settings, but have at it.

[soccersharon]

Put it in air plane mode and you won't connect to anything without changing some other settings, but have at it.

 

 

That has never been my experience. We used the social media plan on the Conquest last month. Airplane mode prevents phone calls and texts (and roaming charges).

 

By turning on the WIFI, we connected to the the ship's WIFI (and WIFI in port), without any other charges.

[Athankfulheart]

Carnival probably suggests that you put your device in airplane mode so nobody will blame them for insane charges from their wireless carrier when they return home ;) The packages still work even if you don't put your device in airplane mode.

 

You can absolutely be in airplane mode and still connect to a wifi signal.

 

I wouldn't EVER have a kid on with a wireless device aboard ship unless the service has been cut off. Its just too risky. You maybe able to temporarily cut service via your cell provider for the time of the cruise if you want your kids to have wifi only. This would be MUCH safer. Otherwise, do like we do and toss them all in YOUR safe or leave them in the glove box.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Athankfulheart

[KatieCharlotte]

One option would be to have them bring a Wi-Fi device without cellphone data, like an I-pod touch. Give them the Wi-Fi plan you want them to have and don't give them charging privileges to add a more expensive plan (i.e. full internet access) if you don't want them to. Or, you can be a mean mom like me and forbid all electronics on a cruise. I like them to have a week-long break from screens, and they don't miss it as much as you'd think. :)

[mjhouse2]

Like others have said we put a limit on our kids spending through Carnival. Our kids activated their plans based on that limit if they wanted to spend their money that way. There was a deal for doing the whole cruise not just one day here and there.

[summersigh]

I'd explain to my teens what they were allowed to do on the internet aboard ship. If the signed up for more without permission their devise would be turned off and locked up in the safe for the duration. Some things are not negotiable when you're the parent ... and the one paying.

Just MHO

[BananaAnna]

Put it in air plane mode and you won't connect to anything without changing some other settings, but have at it.

 

Hmmmm... Airplane mode + turning on WiFi worked on 1 kindle, 2 tablets and 2 smartphones two weeks ago. All 5 devices were used for social access only.

Edited January 22, 2016 by BananaAnna