Messaging Apps?

[shorti503]

We are sailing on Adventure in January and for the first time purchased the surf internet package for 3. While one of my favorite things about cruising is being disconnected this cruise we will have 2 young teens (14 and 12) and want to be able to let them enjoy the teen club, but also want to be able to touch base with them easily when we want to. We however do not have iPhones so what apps have you used to either text or call while at sea that works well with the ships wifi.

[Clarea]

We are sailing on Adventure in January and for the first time purchased the surf internet package for 3. While one of my favorite things about cruising is being disconnected this cruise we will have 2 young teens (14 and 12) and want to be able to let them enjoy the teen club, but also want to be able to touch base with them easily when we want to. We however do not have iPhones so what apps have you used to either text or call while at sea that works well with the ships wifi.

If your phones have WiFi calling, no apps are needed.

 

Be sure to enable WiFi calling while at home.

[hucifer]

I have used both WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger on the ship with no issues.

[shorti503]

If your phones have WiFi calling, no apps are needed.

 

Be sure to enable WiFi calling while at home.

 

 

I honestly have never heard of wifi calling outside of an apple how would I know if my phone is capable of this?

[shorti503]

I have used both WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger on the ship with no issues.

 

Thank you! I know you can also make a call using the Facebook messenger app. Have you done that on the ship before?

[Clarea]

I honestly have never heard of wifi calling outside of an apple how would I know if my phone is capable of this?

Contact your cell carrier, they can tell you if your phone is capable and walk you through the process to enable it.

[shorti503]

Contact your cell carrier, they can tell you if your phone is capable and walk you through the process to enable it.

 

 

Thank you I will for sure look into that

[SRF]

Or Google XYZ phone wifi calling.

 

Normally it is in settings. But as said, you need to enable it BEFORE the cruise, as your phone has to be in contact with your cellular carrier.

 

One issue, on some ships, if you are not active online, will log you off after a period of time. So you would not get calls or texts then. So you still have to check your phone every so often.

[reallyitsmema]

Or Google XYZ phone wifi calling.

 

Normally it is in settings. But as said, you need to enable it BEFORE the cruise, as your phone has to be in contact with your cellular carrier.

 

One issue, on some ships, if you are not active online, will log you off after a period of time. So you would not get calls or texts then. So you still have to check your phone every so often.

 

What ships are logging you off after inactivity? That has not been our experience at all.

[hucifer]

Thank you! I know you can also make a call using the Facebook messenger app. Have you done that on the ship before?

Yes I have! Worked well. :)

[M_BA]

Wifi calling is a simple settings feature available on most phones made over the past five years. But you first have to make sure your carrier supports it for your plan and then it is enabled.

 

It's a Godsend for me to be able to call and text my kids 24/7 while on ship. Much better than the $7.99/minute ship to shore phone calls a decade ago!

 

On ship, you can text as normal, or use any of the other apps to connect. RCI Internet disconnects after 1-2 hours on my tablet, but my phone stays connected indefinately, not sure why?

[gatour]

My wife's family uses GroupMe which is an internet based messaging app. You can have seperate groups. For example all of the cousins and since I am inlaw I participate on an on-going basis. In addition there is a whole family group that I am member but don't particpate as much.

 

In addition, I have a seperate group, that is just for me and my wife. We use that oboard ship when we are cruising. We buy a two device package so we can communicate as needed through text message.

 

While I understand why people would need voice type communication to contact people/work at home during a cruise. I find it annoying to be be sitting next to those people while they are speaking on the phone. Since my wife are just trying to update our location, a text message is sufficient.

[shorti503]

Thank you for all the tips. We weren't super excited about having wifi this trip but I think it will be worth it to be able to give the kids a little freedom and still stay in contact with them

[Iamcruzin]

Is the connection for wifi calling different than FaceTime calling? If I'm already able to FaceTime do I have to change any settings for just wifi calling? We will be using an iPhone 7. My son at home does not have an iPhone.

[Clarea]

Is the connection for wifi calling different than FaceTime calling? If I'm already able to FaceTime do I have to change any settings for just wifi calling? We will be using an iPhone 7. My son at home does not have an iPhone.

Same connection, except WiFi calling is for voice calls and texting, not video.

[SRF]

What ships are logging you off after inactivity? That has not been our experience at all.

 

Grandeur did in August.

 

If I did not access wifi for some period of time, when I went back, I had to log in again.

 

Others have reported the same in similar threads. Especially about using it to keep in touch with kids.

[SRF]

Is the connection for wifi calling different than FaceTime calling? If I'm already able to FaceTime do I have to change any settings for just wifi calling? We will be using an iPhone 7. My son at home does not have an iPhone.

 

For wifi calling, once you set it up, you just use your phone like you do on land. Call, text, answers calls, etc.

 

I use wifi calling at my house, as it is better than the cell signal. Only way I can tell is to look at the top of the screen to see if I am on wifi calling or cellular.

 

What your son has, has nothing to do with wifi calling. You can call ANYONE, at ANY number. Just like on land.

[reallyitsmema]

Grandeur did in August.

 

If I did not access wifi for some period of time, when I went back, I had to log in again.

 

Others have reported the same in similar threads. Especially about using it to keep in touch with kids.

 

Not sure what keeping in touch with kids has to do with connectivity. I have not seen anything recently about people dropping connection. We left devices logged in overnight last week on Oasis and they were always still connected in the morning. Same on Radiance in May.

[blackshirt]

Is the connection for wifi calling different than FaceTime calling? If I'm already able to FaceTime do I have to change any settings for just wifi calling? We will be using an iPhone 7. My son at home does not have an iPhone.

 

Same connection, except WiFi calling is for voice calls and texting, not video.

Same wifi connection but different backend systems. WiFi calling is through your carrier. FaceTime is through Apple. With FaceTime you can only call other Apple devices. With WiFi calling, you can call anyone.