Internet package

[Daenerys T]

I'm going to buy the internet package for our upcoming cruise, and hook up to iconcierge. Will I be able to receive text messages and/or calls from home with this? I know I have to put my phone on airplane mode to avoid data charges. Actually, can I just turn off cellular data? I'm not sure how it all works. Thanks!

Edited February 22, 2016 by Daenerys T

[KeithJenner]

The Internet and iconcierge are two separate things.

 

The Internet packages are just that. Access to the Internet. You can't get messages and calls from the package unless your phone is set up to access them over the Internet (for example iMessage on the iPhone).

 

Iconcierge doesn't get you on the Internet. However, I believe that it does allow you to call home. Those calls won't be via your cellular provider though. NCL will charge you a rate for the calls.

 

You can actually call and receive text messages without either iconcierge or the Internet package. You just call or text as normal, but it will be treated by your provider as if you were abroad and you will pay roaming charges which are expensive.

[Daenerys T]

Gotcha. Thank you.

[xriva]

 

You can actually call and receive text messages without either iconcierge or the Internet package. You just call or text as normal, but it will be treated by your provider as if you were abroad and you will pay roaming charges which are expensive.

 

If you do have the Internet package, you can send and receive text messages using Google Voice, assuming you have a Google Voice account. It's what we use onboard, because it's integrated with our Sprint account.

 

You have to remember to disconnect whenever you are finished using your connection or your minutes will just burn up.

 

The Internet package on most ships is by the minute, so you connect, do whatever online, and disconnect. If you don't disconnect, you will still be using minutes, especially on a smart phone, where apps tend to be connecting in the background all the time.

 

We have noticed that the notifications will come through even if we are not connected to the Internet. However, you can't read the messages until you connect.

Edited February 22, 2016 by xriva