Does HAL have an APP for texting other passengers?

[bUU]

The leases are relatively short, 3600 seconds (1 hour) if I recall correctly. As long as you are connected and have an active session, the lease will renew. .

That was my instinct, but consequently isn't it likely that when you take your device off ship for an Excursion you'll often or at least sometimes not get the same IP address when you return to the ship? If so, any of these apps that rely on you entering your IP address will be problematic.

 

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

[POA1]

That was my instinct, but consequently isn't it likely that when you take your device off ship for an Excursion you'll often or at least sometimes not get the same IP address when you return to the ship? If so, any of these apps that rely on you entering your IP address will be problematic.

 

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

 

No, you probably won't get the same IP address each time you reconnect. I'm not familiar with the Cruise Ship Messenger app, but LAN messaging apps, which have been around since the 1990s if not earlier, usually just "listen" for compatible nodes (other devices or computers running the messenger program) on a predefined port. You can usually configure the port on these programs in case the local network has specific ports reserved or blocked. Default port is typically 2425 TCP/UDP.

 

 

The reason that the programs support device discovery was historically to deal with laptop users who took their machines home at night. Those users typically get new IP addresses via DHCP each day.

[bUU]

Interesting. We're kind of getting off-topic (but not really) but I have to wonder if a cruise line will get wise to such apps soon and block network discovery.

[POA1]

Interesting. We're kind of getting off-topic (but not really) but I have to wonder if a cruise line will get wise to such apps soon and block network discovery.

They can't really block network discovery, per se. They can, however, block certain ports. These apps are very lightweight in terms of network usage. (Unless you use them to send giant files to another.)

 

If you know what you're doing, you can run a stealth network under the ship's LAN. That's pretty much the opposite of what I want on vacation though.

[clementine01]

On 3/6/2017 at 11:45 PM, pumpkinpatch4 said:

Yes there is an app that you can use on the boat for FREE messages. Load the app "Cruise Ship Messenger" before you get on the boat (requires wi-fi to load) so you won't have to pay. If you wait till you're on the boat you'll have the pay the Wi-fi fees but only to load it. Once you have the APP put in your friend/family's IP addresses and you're all set. You can call or text for free thru that app when you're on the (free) ship network. This only works for people on the boat with you. It was fabulous during my trip in January.

 

I can't believe they don't talk about this more on the HAL boards!

Is this an Android only app?  I don't see it in Apple's App Store.

 

[VMax1700]

9 minutes ago, clementine01 said:

Is this an Android only app?  I don't see it in Apple's App Store.

 

 

It is not an App.  It is a page on the ship's intranet.

When you go onboard you select Flight mode, turn on your wifi and the page should load. There is no charge for the wifi as you are only accessing the ships intranet and not accessing the www.internet!

there will be instructions with your stateroom key card.

[Btimmer]

16 minutes ago, clementine01 said:

Is this an Android only app?  I don't see it in Apple's App Store.

 

HAL has a messaging option within the Navigator that you log on to when onboard.  Its major limitation is that it doesn't alert you to incoming messages.

 

The Cruise Ship Messenger is no longer available in the Apple APP store.  It used to work quite well.

Edited December 1, 2018 by Btimmer

[SetAnOpenCourse]

Sounds like there is now something available that wasn’t available when most posts in this thread were written, although I may misunderstand.  (We get along so far with the old options on board.)

[Moriah]

On 12/1/2018 at 10:05 PM, SetAnOpenCourse said:

Sounds like there is now something available that wasn’t available when most posts in this thread were written, although I may misunderstand.  (We get along so far with the old options on board.)

 

 

YES!!!  Now you can text other passengers for free on the Navigator app on HAL.  Works great, BUT there is no sound for an incoming text.  This means less annoyance around the ship with phones pinging all day, but it also means you have to be sure to check your phone periodically not to miss any text from your travel companion.  Navigator now has a lot of great functions, bringing HAL into the 21st century, and it's free - you don't need to by a wifi package to use it.