Where do I sign up for internet package?

[firemanbobswife]

I love how the social plan both includes and excludes Snapchat.

 

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

 

Yeah! It definitely works as that's all my nieces use.

[firemanbobswife]

Will a phone call go thru using FB messenger? I thought I read here ( can't find it now) that someone was able to make a call using msger.

 

I tried. It rang but wouldn't connect. I had the Value and my friend had the Social.

[KevnSue]

Important note on the internet plans: traditional texting does NOT work on either the Social or Value plans. I got the Value for work (which I will be expensing) and DW got Social (which we ended up cancelling the first day because of the lack of text).

 

However for our Western Caribbean cruise (Costa Maya, Mahogany Bay/Roatan, Belize, and Cozumel), DW was able to get a one-month special on her AT&T to allow phone calls at a discounted rate and 250 MB of data. And it has a sunset clause so we don't have to cancel it.

[firemanbobswife]

Important note on the internet plans: traditional texting does NOT work on either the Social or Value plans. I got the Value for work (which I will be expensing) and DW got Social (which we ended up cancelling the first day because of the lack of text).

 

However for our Western Caribbean cruise (Costa Maya, Mahogany Bay/Roatan, Belize, and Cozumel), DW was able to get a one-month special on her AT&T to allow phone calls at a discounted rate and 250 MB of data. And it has a sunset clause so we don't have to cancel it.

 

iMessage does work. but you're right about regular texts. If I needed to communicate with anyone back home, I used FB Messenger. It was nice to know that it went through that way as well. With regular texts, you can never be sure if they don't answer you right back.

[Tiger0613]

Important note on the internet plans: traditional texting does NOT work on either the Social or Value plans. I got the Value for work (which I will be expensing) and DW got Social (which we ended up cancelling the first day because of the lack of text).

 

However for our Western Caribbean cruise (Costa Maya, Mahogany Bay/Roatan, Belize, and Cozumel), DW was able to get a one-month special on her AT&T to allow phone calls at a discounted rate and 250 MB of data. And it has a sunset clause so we don't have to cancel it.

 

Actually, traditional texting does work, at least with Verizon. When I am on solo cruises, I am texting my mom back home. I get every incoming text. I always purchase the Value plan. Verizon doesn't charge me anything for wifi texting.

[firemanbobswife]

Actually, traditional texting does work, at least with Verizon. When I am on solo cruises, I am texting my mom back home. I get every incoming text. I always purchase the Value plan. Verizon doesn't charge me anything for wifi texting.

 

 

I'm not an electronics expert by any means, but if your cellular data is turned off and your phone is in airplane mode, then I think it has nothing to do with your carrier, but rather with the wi-fi itself. So maybe the Value plan does work with texting even though it's not listed. I could be wrong, though. I had that my last cruise, but didn't try as most everyone in my family has iPhones and iMessage works. The ones that have Androids I simply FB messaged them.

 

I do know that when I'm in a US port such as Puerto Rico or St Thomas, then I turn off the ship wi-fi and use my regular cell service no extra charge as if I'm still at home.

[bUU]

I'm not an electronics expert by any means, but if your cellular data is turned off and your phone is in airplane mode, then I think it has nothing to do with your carrier, but rather with the wi-fi itself.

Cellular providers, though, may stock the smartphones they offer with apps that can work both ways. For example, Verizon offers the Verizon Messages app. With it, I'm able to send and read SMS messages even from my non-cellular tablets - actually Verizon even offers the ability to send and read SMS messages using just a browser. With their app and a Verizon Wireless account, you can even make and receive HD Voice and Video calls through wifi, though only to the extent that the host network (in this case, the ship's network) is willing to pass along that kind of data. And I suspect that the Verizon apps use straight port 80 HTTP requests and responses (because it is well-understood that using other means is more often blocked by host networks), so the ship probably can't and won't block it on that account.

 

The issue boils down to how the host network can differentiate the data. If everything going through the app is being transferred as straight port 80 HTTP requests and responses, then all the host network can do is discriminate based on load (how much data is being transferred, rather than what kind) and/or who the remote server is. The Social plan clearly limits access by the latter, at least. The question I have is how does Carnival differentiate between Value and Premium. It seems that Value blocks certain ports (but again that doesn't do much for apps that use straight port 80 HTTP), but I think the real differentiator between Value and Premium is QOS - the host network explicitly prioritizing requests and responses for Premium accounts.

[firemanbobswife]

Cellular providers, though, may stock the smartphones they offer with apps that can work both ways. For example, Verizon offers the Verizon Messages app. With it, I'm able to send and read SMS messages even from my non-cellular tablets - actually Verizon even offers the ability to send and read SMS messages using just a browser. With their app and a Verizon Wireless account, you can even make and receive HD Voice and Video calls through wifi, though only to the extent that the host network (in this case, the ship's network) is willing to pass along that kind of data. And I suspect that the Verizon apps use straight port 80 HTTP requests and responses (because it is well-understood that using other means is more often blocked by host networks), so the ship probably can't and won't block it on that account.

 

 

 

The issue boils down to how the host network can differentiate the data. If everything going through the app is being transferred as straight port 80 HTTP requests and responses, then all the host network can do is discriminate based on load (how much data is being transferred, rather than what kind) and/or who the remote server is. The Social plan clearly limits access by the latter, at least. The question I have is how does Carnival differentiate between Value and Premium. It seems that Value blocks certain ports (but again that doesn't do much for apps that use straight port 80 HTTP), but I think the real differentiator between Value and Premium is QOS - the host network explicitly prioritizing requests and responses for Premium accounts.

 

 

Sounds like you really know your stuff! So from what I gather Verizon has an app which works like iMessage. Is that correct? Does the other party need to have it too?

 

From what I see as fast as the descriptions of the plans, the main differences is that Value will get you all the sites that Premium will with the exception of the high bandwidth ones such as Skype. I have had both the Social and Value plans. With Social you were limited to the few Social Media apps as well as airlines. You couldn't watch any videos on FB.I prefer the Value as I could get to any non streaming site both on my phone and my MacBook Air.

[bUU]

Sounds like you really know your stuff! So from what I gather Verizon has an app which works like iMessage. Is that correct?

I know the standard Internet, Microsoft and Android stuff; I don't know that funky Apple stuff. :)

 

Does the other party need to have it too?

The TXTs sent through the app go out into the world as regular SMS, so the other party just needs a phone number with texting.

 

From what I see as fast as the descriptions of the plans, the main differences is that Value will get you all the sites that Premium will with the exception of the high bandwidth ones such as Skype.

If the wording Carnival uses is to be taken as 100% accurate as written, then it is a bit more explicit than that. It says, "Skype calling," leading me to believe that Skype messaging itself will work, just not "calling". I don't know if that's the case, and even if it is, it isn't clear if they mean that the Value option excludes both voice and video calling, or just video calling. The wording of the Premium option indicates they are only restricting the Skype video calling capability on the Value option, but again, that's taking their words as 100% accurate as written.

[Computer Nerd]

I know the standard Internet, Microsoft and Android stuff; I don't know that funky Apple stuff. :)

 

The TXTs sent through the app go out into the world as regular SMS, so the other party just needs a phone number with texting.

 

If the wording Carnival uses is to be taken as 100% accurate as written, then it is a bit more explicit than that. It says, "Skype calling," leading me to believe that Skype messaging itself will work, just not "calling". I don't know if that's the case, and even if it is, it isn't clear if they mean that the Value option excludes both voice and video calling, or just video calling. The wording of the Premium option indicates they are only restricting the Skype video calling capability on the Value option, but again, that's taking their words as 100% accurate as written.

 

I can say for certain, that with Whatsapp, messaging and picture messages worked perfect with the Value plan but actual voice calls were not supported. It would act as if it was going through (actually it did) but as soon as the other end answered, the call dropped. I did not try video calling because I made the assumption that if voice calls were not supported then video calls would not be either being more bandwidth intensive. But for messaging and picture messages and FB access, the Value plan worked flawlessly and was cheap (comparatively speaking).

[KevnSue]

I have an iPhone 6 through Verizon and texting (SMS) ain't working with the Value plan. It might be some company (work) setting (it is their plan), but unless the two people I texted just ignored me (I doubt), I am textless.

[Tiger0613]

I have an iPhone 6 through Verizon and texting (SMS) ain't working with the Value plan. It might be some company (work) setting (it is their plan), but unless the two people I texted just ignored me (I doubt), I am textless.

 

Did you get an alert saying the texts were sent and/or delivered? A little black bar appears at the bottom of each message bubble. You may have to enable that setting.

 

I have a Samsung Galaxy S5 with Verizon, and I am using Message+. Are you using the default texting app or Message+? I seem to remember a Verizon rep saying that you needed to use Message+. I could be wrong on that part though.

[christinasreadytocruise]

Can you use the Facebook messenger in Facebook when using the social plan? Looking for the best way to keep in touhch with my mother in law who will be watching our 2 year old while we are gone.

[Computer Nerd]

Can you use the Facebook messenger in Facebook when using the social plan? Looking for the best way to keep in touhch with my mother in law who will be watching our 2 year old while we are gone.

 

Yes. I used FB messenger to chat with my admin staff and I used Whatsapp to send cruise pics to family and friends.

[christinasreadytocruise]

Yes. I used FB messenger to chat with my admin staff and I used Whatsapp to send cruise pics to family and friends.

Awesome! Thank you!