iConcierge App - free to use if not texting?

[kokopelli-az]

I've read many questions about iConcierge and note most of them are related to texting other iConcierge phones while on board.

 

What I want to know is, if you do NOT use it to text someone on the ship and ONLY use it to book shore excursions and restaurants, read the daily activities, etc, is there still a charge?

[hoblitt]

There is no charge to use it to check your account, book reservations, etc. At least they did not charge me to use it to do those things while on the Dawn last week.

[Oldgoat61]

There is no charge as long as you don't contact someone else on the ship by your phone. :)

[BirdTravels]

I've read many questions about iConcierge and note most of them are related to texting other iConcierge phones while on board. What I want to know is, if you do NOT use it to text someone on the ship and ONLY use it to book shore excursions and restaurants, read the daily activities, etc, is there still a charge?

 

The basic functions are free. Download before you board the ship. Only the texting and calling functions cost money.

 

Newer ships and ships that have gone through recent dry docks support full functionality. A few older ships do not have iConcierge capability yet.

[ColinIllinois]

Full details on the App are available on the NCL home page under Apps/Downloads.

[kokopelli-az]

Thanks for all the replies. I received an email about it from NCL for our upcoming cruise but it didn't say said anything about the cost.

 

PS: Does this mean I can use the app instead of carrying the paper copy of the Freestyle Daily around with me? :eek:

[BirdTravels]

Thanks for all the replies. I received an email about it from NCL for our upcoming cruise but it didn't say said anything about the cost. PS: Does this mean I can use the app instead of carrying the paper copy of the Freestyle Daily around with me? :eek:

 

Harder to fiigure out what's going on. We just snap a picture of the schedule page and always have our freestyle with us.

[RobinChuck]

Does anyone know the cost if you want to use the text feature to communicate with another passenger? The NCL website says a nominal one time fee but I'm curious how much that is.

 

 

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[hoblitt]

RobinChuck - it's $7.95.

 

 

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[RobinChuck]

RobinChuck - it's $7.95.

 

 

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Thanks for the info hoblitt :)

[CruiserEK]

I don't think the messaging and calling features exist anymore. I was just on the Getaway and the texting and calling functions did not appear to be present. If it still is, it then it was hard to find. I paid for the function to call and text last year, but the service never properly worked. Not worth it if it is still offered.

 

The app is free and it is useful for booking shows, shore excursions, and the tender. It is also useful for viewing freestyle daily activities. However on my recent cruise, the account activity log showed inaccurate charges for the entire voyage. I had to look at the charges on the in cabin TV.

[spanntx]

Thanks for all the replies. I received an email about it from NCL for our upcoming cruise but it didn't say said anything about the cost.

 

PS: Does this mean I can use the app instead of carrying the paper copy of the Freestyle Daily around with me? :eek:

 

 

 

Kinda... the app doesn't cover all the activities very well or at least for us it didn't. We snapped pics of the daily.

[spanntx]

Does anyone know the cost if you want to use the text feature to communicate with another passenger? The NCL website says a nominal one time fee but I'm curious how much that is.

 

 

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New on this cruise - the Norwegian Dawn, we were able to use imessaging on our iPhones to anyone with an iPhone on board or elsewhere for no charge, for texts only. No pictures.

[Jme4166]

Like Spanntx stated...We were on the Gem and were able to use IMessage on our iPhone with people on the cruise and off. No charge

 

 

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[luckyinpa]

do not rely on the phone for the complete daily schedule

 

also do not reply on the app for accurate account info. its been wrong both times i've been on board. weird charges for entertainment like burn the floor and the tender

[Kidshop]

We were charged 9.99 per person last week on Epic. It did mostly work for texting and calling, a few times it was down. It did not show times from the daily paper, just general info about the restaurants and activites. I'm not sure why the daily just isn't loaded in there. I never understood how to book a tender. All the times were 12 am for the wrong date on the app! Activity charges were accurate on the app for us.

 

I'm 50/50 on it...it worked well to keep track of the kids most of the time. it could be so much better imo for the price.

[lul8]

Does anyone know the cost if you want to use the text feature to communicate with another passenger? The NCL website says a nominal one time fee but I'm curious how much that is.

 

I called yesterday about a cruise on 5/28/17 and they said the cost is $14.95 (or $14.99) per device.

[Loralye]

If you have iphones, save your money. If you have imessage turned on, you can text other folks on the ship using the wifi from the iconcierge app. You do NOT need the paid for wifi. You can text anyone with imessage turned on, including folks back home. Do not try to send a picture, it cannot handle pictures and will try to go out of the imessage and then you have to reset it.

[dpws]

Thanks for the info but re I message do i still need the ncl app to use imessage

[spanntx]

No. U need to connect to norwegian's wifi to imessage and it was no charge for us

[CouponMom]

No. U need to connect to norwegian's wifi to imessage and it was no charge for us

 

I thought there was a charge to connect to NCL wifi?

I would love to find out details on using iMessage without cost because we all have iPhones.

[spanntx]

I thought there was too before we went but to use the app and/or use imessage to phones on and off the ship that can imessage you can connect to NCL wifi for no charge. However, pictures will not go through. You can even use google on safari... but other sites give a message about needing to connect to the paid wifi.

Edited December 31, 2016 by spanntx

[mking8288]

In very simplistic terms, the "free" iConcierge functions connect to the ship's WiFi inTRAnet (within the closed loop or "inside the bubble" if you would) hosted by the hardware/server onboard each ship. The "paid" functions and other features, including access to the inTERnet is outside this "loop" or "bubble" as it has to travel 2,200 miles up & down via satellite relays to land-based, ground towers to connect to other hosted sites. Calling and texting with the App would need certain settings and ports in the user's profile to be enabled or switched, with tiered access beyond that of an activated/registered user ...

 

It's not just iMessages, SMS "headers" from one's "home" carriers are known to get thru - called them loopholes and/or "backdoors" if you would for text-based data to slip in and out easily ... For example, even without subscribing to a data package, it's been known that one can get updated threads or posting as subscribed on Tapatalk's CC forum while on the ship, but you can only see the short message headers but not able to read the full post, unless you are on a data plan.

 

If and when the iConcierge App is updated to a newer version (current one is 13 months+ old and outdated, vulunerable to being "hacked") - expect these "unpaid" functions to stop working & offline, as they should, without warning or notices. Enjoy the discovery & keep it discrete :D

[spanntx]

In very simplistic terms, the "free" iConcierge functions connect to the ship's WiFi inTRAnet (within the closed loop or "inside the bubble" if you would) hosted by the hardware/server onboard each ship. The "paid" functions and other features, including access to the inTERnet is outside this "loop" or "bubble" as it has to travel 2,200 miles up & down via satellite relays to land-based, ground towers to connect to other hosted sites. Calling and texting with the App would need certain settings and ports in the user's profile to be enabled or switched, with tiered access beyond that of an activated/registered user ...

 

 

 

It's not just iMessages, SMS "headers" from one's "home" carriers are known to get thru - called them loopholes and/or "backdoors" if you would for text-based data to slip in and out easily ... For example, even without subscribing to a data package, it's been known that one can get updated threads or posting as subscribed on Tapatalk's CC forum while on the ship, but you can only see the short message headers but not able to read the full post, unless you are on a data plan.

 

 

 

If and when the iConcierge App is updated to a newer version (current one is 13 months+ old and outdated, vulunerable to being "hacked") - expect these "unpaid" functions to stop working & offline, as they should, without warning or notices. Enjoy the discovery & keep it discrete :D

 

 

 

The cruise ship help desk is who told us about it.

[luckyinpa]

so can someone explain why on board even when logged off i get my Gmail. also i get my words with friends updated 'ding' that its time to play but i cannot log on to play.