Phone and text on board?

[kellieann5]

It looks like there’s a way for $10 per person to phone and text other people on board?  I have the NCL app but don’t see that as an option.  Is there something else I need to download?  Thanks!

[esm54687]

1 hour ago, kellieann5 said:

It looks like there’s a way for $10 per person to phone and text other people on board?  I have the NCL app but don’t see that as an option.  Is there something else I need to download?  Thanks!

You may opt in to the text / call functionality only when you are connected to the ship's intranet....... cannot do it prior to that. 

[sanger727]

4 hours ago, kellieann5 said:

It looks like there’s a way for $10 per person to phone and text other people on board?  I have the NCL app but don’t see that as an option.  Is there something else I need to download?  Thanks!

 

It won’t be an option until you board and can connect your folio number to your account. But the NCL app is all you need.

[BirdTravels]

16 hours ago, kellieann5 said:

It looks like there’s a way for $10 per person to phone and text other people on board?  I have the NCL app but don’t see that as an option.  Is there something else I need to download?  Thanks!

 

[htnut]

I have read that the regular NCL app will activate the ability to call and text onboard once connected to ship WiFi. 

 

My question is, with an iPhone does the app properly notify you when a new message comes in?  I’ve read some people have to open the app to check for messages that were received.  

 

Thanks!

[x2tpd]

It did not always ding for us.  It was about 50% of the time.

[66Cruisin]

On 5/22/2019 at 11:18 PM, htnut said:

I have read that the regular NCL app will activate the ability to call and text onboard once connected to ship WiFi. 

 

My question is, with an iPhone does the app properly notify you when a new message comes in?  I’ve read some people have to open the app to check for messages that were received.  

 

Thanks!

Yes, you can get notifications of incoming messages if you allow it in iphone settings. I was getting them on Epic earlier this year.

[Barb Nahoumi]

We bought a deal through our phone provider, which let us make calls and texts aboard.

[SailorMiken]

Hey All! I am glad to see that there is, what appears to be a convenient means of communication while onboard. It is one of the things on my to-do list. Reading through the brochure it looks like it is $9.95 per phone. What I am hoping to confirm is if the price for the whole cruise? Is it per day? We are heading out on a 16-day and if the $9.95 is for the entire cruise, GREAT! But, I cannot imagine NCL letting this service go for such a reasonable rate! Thanks

[Kenny1080]

You’ll be glad to hear it’s $9.95 for the whole cruise

[SailorMiken]

Yes, Thank you very much! I guess I shouldn't  be surprised that NCL makes this information difficult to find. I only found out about it from this thread. One more (of many) thing off my list!😁

[madre2]

Will the "What's app" work also?  We used this on a different cruise line and could text each other without having to pay anything.

[SailorMiken]

Thank you very much for this information. I will be researching this option as well 😎

[SailorMiken]

Good afternoon! Please bear with me. I have a follow-up question to this “Phone and Messenger Package”. My question being, can two people sign into one account and use this for two phones or do I need to set up a separate account using the same reservation #? I appreciate any input. Thanks. Ken

[Sauer-kraut]

One device at a time, so if you want to text the other person you'll have to pay for each device.

[SailorMiken]

Yes, I had planned to pay for each phone individually, I just didn't know if I had to set up separate NCL log in's  for each phone.

Thanks

[mking8288]

You setup & use your individual MyNcl account login to register & activate your device(s) to use the App, one at a time.  3 uses will be billed at $9.95 per user x 3 to your onboard account(s)  It's not rocket science & pretty simple.

 

These screens are only displayed when connected to ship's WiFi inTRAnet onboard and no WiFi data or minutes are debited.

Edited June 13, 2019 by mking8288

[htnut]

3 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

You setup & use your individual MyNcl account login to register & activate your device(s) to use the App, one at a time.  3 uses will be billed at $9.95 per user x 3 to your onboard account(s)  It's not rocket science & pretty simple.

 

These screens are only displayed when connected to ship's WiFi inTRAnet onboard and no WiFi data or minutes are debited.

 

 

Thank you for posting the screen shots.  Did you have the impression that calls and text messages were handled through the ship's local network only - or did it depend on the ship being in an area where it had active Internet service as well?

[mking8288]

@htnut - IMHO, onboard Cisco-driven hardware and server(s) can easily handled voice calling & text messaging within the ship's closed loop system of firewalled data traffic, i.e. sort of like the token-ring LAN days.  The benchmark network speed I obtained was rather fast and don't see the need to route externally to the inTERnet, unless it is for external data traffic.  

[htnut]

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

@htnut - IMHO, onboard Cisco-driven hardware and server(s) can easily handled voice calling & text messaging within the ship's closed loop system of firewalled data traffic, i.e. sort of like the token-ring LAN days.  The benchmark network speed I obtained was rather fast and don't see the need to route externally to the inTERnet, unless it is for external data traffic.  

 

I share your opinion that the LAN should easily handle the traffic.  Are you saying that your network speed test suggests that the text and data are all handled onboard and not subject to outages when the ship has no Internet access?

 

Another way to ask the question of you (or anyone reading this) is:  Did anyone find periods of "outages" where the NCL app's text and calling feature was down?  Or did it essentially work all the time during the whole cruise?

 

 

[esm54687]

On 5/30/2019 at 5:01 PM, madre2 said:

Will the "What's app" work also?  We used this on a different cruise line and could text each other without having to pay anything.

Unlimited Social Media Wi-Fi package would be required for WhatsApp 

[dbrown84]

I just want to make sure that everyone knows that this is only to call and text people on the ship (who also have the package).  You can't call/text people back home.  To call back home, you'd need the full internet package, as well as WiFi calling on your phone

[SailorMiken]

18 hours ago, mking8288 said:

You setup & use your individual MyNcl account login to register & activate your device(s) to use the App, one at a time.  3 uses will be billed at $9.95 per user x 3 to your onboard account(s)  It's not rocket science & pretty simple.

 

These screens are only displayed when connected to ship's WiFi inTRAnet onboard and no WiFi data or minutes are debited.

Thank you!  The simple answer is no! the one login is sufficient to establish and pay for 2 phones! Much appreciated!

 

[mking8288]

I stand corrected ... should the options are outdated & discontinued by NCL, as always, YMMV.  

 

As Option B.  To call back home, you'd need the full internet package, as well as WiFi calling on your phone (and other specific steps per your device's user's guide, most importantly - airplane mode ON and cellular/data roaming turned off) 

 

Option C.  Use the "Norwegian App" installed & activated on the smartphone/iPhone to make calls onboard to landline & mobile numbers for 79 cents a minute, over ship's inTRAnet (without needing any WiFi package, free or purchased/add-on)  ... over satellite when in range, subject to limitations & coverage and other interference.  Please see official NCL guides below for details (image #1 - lower right section) as a general reference.  

 

There are other options, which I shall not get into - none of these constitute an endorsement of mine and/or approval of not, for using them.