iMessages on iPhone

[blueboy98]

Can anyone elaborate on how to stay connected with family back home with iMessages while on the Getaway? I have an iPhone and family at home also have an iPhone. We have both an ATT iPhone and Verizon iPhone with us on the ship.

 

 

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[ClevelandCruisin]

Get the "WhatsApp" app... tell everyone you need to contact it to download it.

 

You'll need an internet package on the ship and the app works on data.

 

Uses the phones internet to connect.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[jakess]

I have ATT also anyone?

 

 

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[Jim The Lizard]

Ok, we have T Mobile. Just being connected on the IConcierge app (NCL), our 14 year old daughter was able to text us ALL WEEK while we were on Escape in February (she was at home with my parents). No charges to our bill.

 

 

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[ClevelandCruisin]

Ok, we have T Mobile. Just being connected on the IConcierge app (NCL), our 14 year old daughter was able to text us ALL WEEK while we were on Escape in February (she was at home with my parents). No charges to our bill.

 

 

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That works great too, but they want to text back home...

 

I have tmobile too.

 

The new plans, they'd have to purchase a plan.

[Jim The Lizard]

Ok, we have T Mobile. Just being connected on the IConcierge app (NCL), our 14 year old daughter was able to text us ALL WEEK while we were on Escape in February (she was at home with my parents). No charges to our bill.

 

 

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I Message.

 

 

 

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[christopherfar]

iMessage works using data, so either wifi or cellular data will send iMessages. Buy wifi on the ship, and you can iMessage without additional charges so long as you stay connected to it. If you leave the ship in a non-US port, however, you'll get charged for international data.

 

Bottom line: Use it on wifi on the ship. Avoid it in non-US ports.

[js]

iMessage works using data, so either wifi or cellular data will send iMessages. Buy wifi on the ship, and you can iMessage without additional charges so long as you stay connected to it. If you leave the ship in a non-US port, however, you'll get charged for international data.

 

Bottom line: Use it on wifi on the ship. Avoid it in non-US ports.

 

 

My dh and I are sailing Escape in July wihout my 19 and 23 year old kids. We all have iPhones. One of our perks is internet minutes. If we all downlod whatsapp, can we text while out to sea? I plan on getting a calling package from Verizon to make calls in ports. I just sailed with my mom on Getaway last month and her bill was $24 and we made multiple calls at port and she texted at port too.

 

Thanks.

 

 

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[ClevelandCruisin]

My dh and I are sailing Escape in July wihout my 19 and 23 year old kids. We all have iPhones. One of our perks is internet minutes. If we all downlod whatsapp, can we text while out to sea? I plan on getting a calling package from Verizon to make calls in ports. I just sailed with my mom on Getaway last month and her bill was $24 and we made multiple calls at port and she texted at port too.

 

Thanks.

 

 

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Need the ships lowest internet package.

Edited March 27, 2017 by ClevelandCruisin

[BirdTravels]

Can anyone elaborate on how to stay connected with family back home with iMessages while on the Getaway? I have an iPhone and family at home also have an iPhone. We have both an ATT iPhone and Verizon iPhone with us on the ship.

 

iMessage uses the internet (not telephone carrier) to message between apple devices.

 

On other ships, there has been a "bug" in the wifi service that has allowed people to text using iMessage. No guarantees that if you have the iConcierge app running, you can do free iMessaging.

 

Starting two weeks ago, the Getaway is piloting NCL's new tiered internet service. Which means that the ship will further restrict the URLs and protocols used over their wifi. So, you would need to talk with the internet cafe manager (who works for the satellite internet company, not NCL), to see if the iMessage loophole still works. And if not, what type of internet service you need to buy on board to text back home.

 

We sail multiple times a year and always purchase an unlimited internet package to stay in contact with work (use to work o.k. with iMessage and Facetime voice and Skype voice).

[808cruisef]

You don't even need the iconcierge app for iMessage to work. Just put phone on airplane mode and turn on wifi. Don't log in, just turn it on. Only works with iMessage. No charges, no wifi needed. One note, pictures won't send or receive.

 

 

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[blueboy98]

To 808cruisef, Have you done this recently on Getaway?

 

 

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[Jim The Lizard]

You don't even need the iconcierge app for iMessage to work. Just put phone on airplane mode and turn on wifi. Don't log in, just turn it on. Only works with iMessage. No charges, no wifi needed. One note, pictures won't send or receive.

 

 

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That's exactly how it worked for us on Escape.

 

 

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[DeltaOne]

You don't even need the iconcierge app for iMessage to work. Just put phone on airplane mode and turn on wifi. Don't log in, just turn it on. Only works with iMessage. No charges, no wifi needed. One note, pictures won't send or receive.

 

We used iMessage all week on the Breakaway earlier this month. Works great for those on-board and at home.

 

I was a little disappointed that one can't send pictures, but texting worked great.

[sanger727]

Glad the iMessage worked free for some people but it def didn't work for us on the jade in Jan. We logged into the wifi for iconcierge. I occasionally got a weather update and an iMessage... but most of the messages people sent me during that time didn't come through until I actually logged into the internet. So, don't count on that working.

 

What you can do, and what I did do, was just log into the internet a couple minutes at a time to send/receive messages and emails. Just did pay as you go and set the spending limit at $25. This works fine if you just want to check in and don't need to get the messages in real time. We used iconcierge on the ship to meet up.

 

 

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[mikeg105]

iMessage does not work anymore on NCL Getaway. I was on the 3/12 sailing and they fixed the loophole. We had to use the iConcierge app to stay in touch while on board. It worked (most of the time), but for $14.99 per device it seems like a total ripoff. NCL added a new texting only plan that was ~$75 for 7 days

[LrgPizza]

For those saying they used iMessage without paying for an internet plan, they need to understand that while this does sometimes work, it is merely a loophole. It is not supposed to work, so it certainly isn't guaranteed. For us, sometimes we could send and receive, most the time we couldn't. (This was on Escape last year). If it is imperative to stay in contact, I'd suggest having a back up plan and not relying on a loophole.

[js]

Need the ships lowest internet package.

 

Thank you. One of the perks with my suite is the internet package as well as whatever I get for Platinum and guessing they can be combined. So, is the answer yes, we can text while at sea with us all having the whatsapp app on our phone. Does it work well?

 

 

Thanks so much!

[Jim The Lizard]

For those saying they used iMessage without paying for an internet plan, they need to understand that while this does sometimes work, it is merely a loophole. It is not supposed to work, so it certainly isn't guaranteed. For us, sometimes we could send and receive, most the time we couldn't. (This was on Escape last year). If it is imperative to stay in contact, I'd suggest having a back up plan and not relying on a loophole.

 

 

Agreed. I think we just got lucky on the Escape in February. I am sure with all the new social media plans, NCL will figure this out.

 

 

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[tdrb]

I just sailed on the Getaway last week with 3 teenagers (15, 17, 19), Internet, wifi, texting was a BIG deal for them. I purchased the unlimited wifi package, downloaded the iConcierge app, and paid an additional $14.95 per phone to use the messaging features. Here the deal... the wifi only allows you to connect with 1 device at a time. So if kid 1 is on, and kid 2 logs on, kid 1 is kicked off. My kids shared the wifi to post to social media, and use wifi

[Cruising...our happy place]

iMessage works using data, so either wifi or cellular data will send iMessages. Buy wifi on the ship, and you can iMessage without additional charges so long as you stay connected to it. If you leave the ship in a non-US port, however, you'll get charged for international data.

 

Bottom line: Use it on wifi on the ship. Avoid it in non-US ports.

 

 

As stated above, we were happily surprised to see IM to IM work well for us last two years on Getaway, Breakaway and Escape. However, it did not work as well -- earlier this month on the Escape. I agree that What'sApp is the way to go for texting for non-IM users/

 

 

 

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[janetz]

You can WiFi call from the islands.

Just find a hot spot. (Follow the crew)

[Moby0215]

Thank you. One of the perks with my suite is the internet package as well as whatever I get for Platinum and guessing they can be combined. So, is the answer yes, we can text while at sea with us all having the whatsapp app on our phone. Does it work well?

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much!

 

 

 

You do not need the whatsapp app. iMessages work over data so as long as you are connected to the internet then you will be fine.

 

 

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[Victorious8]

iMessage worked for me the last two cruises I was on!

[LrgPizza]

You do not need the whatsapp app. iMessages work over data so as long as you are connected to the internet then you will be fine.

Whatsapp was suggested in the event the recipient doesn't have iMessage. Regular texts can't be sent.