Anyone have experience with Verizon WiFi calling and Surf and Stream package? Help!

[MaritimeR&R]

Question for anyone who has recently done a TA or TP before - I am thinking of upgrading my Samsung Galaxy S4 that doesn't have wifi calling to the new Galaxy S8 which does. I am a Verizon customer and want to know if I purchase the surf and stream internet package from RC whether I will be able to use that internet connection to make wifi calls to the States for no additional cost while on the ship. If I can't do that, then I will keep my current phone as at home, I only use it for emergencies. I will be on both the Explorer and the Rhapsody if that matters.

[Biker19]

Likely yes, but you may have WiFi outages and slow downs which may cause the calls to fail.

[on the square]

I have the galaxy s7 edge on verizon and wifi calling has worked for me with just the surf

 

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[Tony O]

Something else to consider if you upgrade you will have Verizon message plus. So you will be able to send and receive text messages just using Wi-Fi while the phone is in airplane mode

Both DW and I both have the S7 and it worked great.

[golf4me2010]

Tony, so you can text without using wifi calling turned on? I just swapped out an s5 for s7 to use wifi calling and get text via Verizon.

 

Thx.

[on the square]

U can text so long as u have a wifi connection using either messages or verizon messages. Wifi calling doesn't have to be enabled but if it is u can make and receive calls to or from any US number. Hope this helps

 

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[Merion_Mom]

Question for anyone who has recently done a TA or TP before - I am thinking of upgrading my Samsung Galaxy S4 that doesn't have wifi calling to the new Galaxy S8 which does. I am a Verizon customer and want to know if I purchase the surf and stream internet package from RC whether I will be able to use that internet connection to make wifi calls to the States for no additional cost while on the ship. If I can't do that, then I will keep my current phone as at home, I only use it for emergencies. I will be on both the Explorer and the Rhapsody if that matters.

 

I sailed from Sydney to Vancouver on the Radiance over the course of two long TP cruises. I talked to my daughter on the phone almost every day.

[MaritimeR&R]

Thank you all for the information -- looks like an upgrade is in my near future!

[Tony O]

But make sure you enable Wi-Fi calling before your cruise as there is some information you will need to input concerning 911 services.

The info will be your address nothing technical

[Wine-O]

If you have an iPhone, you can FaceTime out in the middle of the Atlantic using your Surf wifi connection.

[Clarea]

But make sure you enable Wi-Fi calling before your cruise as there is some information you will need to input concerning 911 services.

The info will be your address nothing technical

This is a good point, as the phone needs a cellular connection to enable WiFi calling.

[uksimonusa]

AT&T works well with wifi calling on the ship, all calls and texts came through, I would imagine Verizon would be similar

[pretzlaff]

I could not get my verizon iphone 6 to work with just wifi calling a few months ago while on board. It kept asking me to turn on my cellular service. It seems to then use the better of the two signals.

 

I use it at home due to poor cell reception, so I know it works.

 

All our kids have iphones, so we just continued to use Facetime.

[MrsUsman]

OK, I leave on Transatlantic Southampton to Miami Sept. I have a Galaxy S7 Edge on T-Mobile.

 

Please walk me through what to do and where to call and/or text my husband and kids.

 

If screenshots might help, my email is viennadew@sbcglobal.net.

 

Thanks as my dd is special needs so communication is important.

 

Sent from my SM-G935T using Forums mobile app

[on the square]

OK, I leave on Transatlantic Southampton to Miami Sept. I have a Galaxy S7 Edge on T-Mobile.

 

Please walk me through what to do and where to call and/or text my husband and kids.

 

If screenshots might help, my email is viennadew@sbcglobal.net.

 

Thanks as my dd is special needs so communication is important.

 

Sent from my SM-G935T using Forums mobile app

From your settings select advanced calling and then wifi calling turn it on and you should be good to make and receive calls to and from all us numbers over a wifi connection bee sure to put your phone in airplane mode then turn on wifi to avoid any data roaming fees. Hope this helps

 

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[MaritimeR&R]

So, I took the plunge and bought a Galaxy s8+ yesterday and spent a bit of this morning reading about it. Having read some of the horror stories about outrageous cell phone bills while overseas, and coming from the generation of the black rotary phone that only rang when someone died, I am going to spend as much time as I can learning about how to use this thing correctly. Thanks to all, again, for their advice.

[LilBlackDress]

So, I took the plunge and bought a Galaxy s8+ yesterday and spent a bit of this morning reading about it. Having read some of the horror stories about outrageous cell phone bills while overseas, and coming from the generation of the black rotary phone that only rang when someone died, I am going to spend as much time as I can learning about how to use this thing correctly. Thanks to all, again, for their advice.

 

Congrats on the upgrade! There are a lot of 'Tips & Tricks' for the S8 on YouTube. It really helps to follow along with the videos and pause between the tips that you feel you need help with.

 

Enjoy your cruise and your phone :)

[kwahl1]

From your settings select advanced calling and then wifi calling turn it on and you should be good to make and receive calls to and from all us numbers over a wifi connection bee sure to put your phone in airplane mode then turn on wifi to avoid any data roaming fees. Hope this helps

 

Sent from my SM-T800 using Forums mobile app

 

I have the iphone 7S. Is there an "advanced calling" in the settings so I can to the same wi-fi calling?

[Clarea]

I have the iphone 7S. Is there an "advanced calling" in the settings so I can to the same wi-fi calling?

On the iPhone, it's under Settings, Phone, WiFi Calling.

[golf4me2010]

When you activate wifi calling at home do you leave it on the entire trip? Example we are in Bermuda and can potentially use travel pass from Verizon. Do you just turn off wifi and leave wifi calling on? Thanks

[Biker19]

When you activate wifi calling at home do you leave it on the entire trip? Example we are in Bermuda and can potentially use travel pass from Verizon. Do you just turn off wifi and leave wifi calling on? Thanks

Leave it on, don't see a reason to turn it off. If you are ever in a situation where the phone wants to use the available wifi (even though you have a cell signal) but that wifi is really carpy, then simply turn off wifi, not the wifi calling.

[Clarea]

When you activate wifi calling at home do you leave it on the entire trip? Example we are in Bermuda and can potentially use travel pass from Verizon. Do you just turn off wifi and leave wifi calling on? Thanks

I leave WiFi calling on all the time.

[reallyitsmema]

When you activate wifi calling at home do you leave it on the entire trip? Example we are in Bermuda and can potentially use travel pass from Verizon. Do you just turn off wifi and leave wifi calling on? Thanks

 

You just leave wifi calling turned on so you can use it while on the ship's wifi. The travel pass from Verizon will allow you to use your domestic cellular plan while in Bermuda for $10 per day. Do you need to use your cell phone while you are off the ship? I would only activate a travel pass in Bermuda if you plan on using your phone off the ship. If you have purchased a Voom package for shipboard use, you will still be able to use that on the ship while docked in Bermuda. No need to pay the additional money to Verizon if you don't plan on using your phone off ship.

 

I did use travel pass in Bermuda last week while there on NCL Dawn since NCL wifi is ridiculously expensive. Was cheaper for me to just buy a travel pass for one day to touch base at home. Once I put the phone back into airplane mode, I was not charged for any additional days by Verizon.

[golf4me2010]

Thanks everyone. I don't think we need to use the cell off the ship. Just wasn't sure about leaving wifi calling on or off

 

There is a setting under my wifi calling on my Samsung s7 that says when roaming use wifi or cellular. Any tips on what you folks use? Think mine defaulted to cellular.

 

Thanks

[Clarea]

Thanks everyone. I don't think we need to use the cell off the ship. Just wasn't sure about leaving wifi calling on or off

 

There is a setting under my wifi calling on my Samsung s7 that says when roaming use wifi or cellular. Any tips on what you folks use? Think mine defaulted to cellular.

 

Thanks

I turn roaming off unless I absolutely need to make a call when off our regular cell network.