Surf internet package

[vatofla2009]

Will the surf internet package be enough if I just want to keep in touch with family at home.  Mom is in hospital moving to rehab while we are gone so I’d like to be in touch with my sister. Can I text with my sister if I have iPhone and she has android? Also can I check email. I only have phone ...no iPad or laptop. 

[miched]

You can also use wifi calling.  
 

Go to settings on your phone  and put in on WiFi calling and turn off cellular or I think put into airplane mode or both.  Try it at home before you go on your home network.   Doing this uses the WiFi for your phone service.   You then use your phone as normal to call and receive thru the internet.

My wife went thru this with her mother.   She was in her 90s and in and out of the hospital, nursing homes and etc.  We had a cruise scheduled and she and her sister decided if something happens don’t inform her because there was nothing we could really do and she didn’t want to feel bad during the cruise if something did.   We enjoyed our cruise.  

 

Her sister than had a cruise 2 months later. Same agreement.   She enjoyed her cruise.  
 

8 months later we were on another cruise.  Same agreement.  Had a great cruise

 

2 months later we were on a mini land trip.  My wife got the call.  We were only a few hundred miles away and came home but there was nothing she could have done.  There was no  viewing as she didn't want one and was cremated.  
 

My mother died when I was on my first cruise.  The funeral director kept her until we got back at the end of the cruise.   I knew that she was in bad health as she was in a group care home.   I made all the arrangements before we left paying the bills and funeral.   There was no way to get back in something did happen as it was a repo cruise across the pacific.  They kept her until we got back with no issues
 

Just something to think about.  
 

Hope all goes well. 
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Edited January 17, 2020 by miched

[mikkelhansen]

1 hour ago, miched said:

You can also use wifi calling.  

All types of voice calls are DISABLED on the Surf package, be it via Skype, Wifi calling, Facebook Messenger calls etc. You would need the Unlimited package for that.

https://www.celebritycruises.com/things-to-do-onboard/onboard-packages/internet-and-phone-packages

 

2 hours ago, vatofla2009 said:

Will the surf internet package be enough if I just want to keep in touch with family at home.  Mom is in hospital moving to rehab while we are gone so I’d like to be in touch with my sister. Can I text with my sister if I have iPhone and she has android? Also can I check email. I only have phone ...no iPad or laptop. 

You would be able to text via a messaging app, eg. Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp or the like. If you have an iPhone, they can be downloaded from the App Store, and you sister can download the from the Google Play store. Normal text messages/SMS will not work via the wifi onboard.

You can check your e-mails via your phone's built-in browser. Safari is the default browser app on iPhones.

Edited January 17, 2020 by mikkelhansen

[miched]

11 minutes ago, mikkelhansen said:

All types of voice calls are DISABLED on the Surf package, be it via Skype, Wifi calling, Facebook Messenger calls etc. You would need the Unlimited package for that.

https://www.celebritycruises.com/things-to-do-onboard/onboard-packages/internet-and-phone-packages

 

You would be able to text via a messaging app, eg. Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp or the like. If you have an iPhone, they can be downloaded from the App Store, and you sister can download the from the Google Play store. Normal text messages/SMS will not work via the wifi onboard.

You can check your e-mails via your phone's built-in browser. Safari is the default browser app on iPhones.

 

We have used WIFI calling on X during our cruises for at least 2 years using their WiFi either with our free minutes or thru a perk

 

Don't know what the Surf Package is.

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

[mikkelhansen]

4 minutes ago, miched said:

We have used WIFI calling on X during our cruises for at least 2 years using their WiFi either with our free minutes or thru a perk

Don't know what the Surf Package is.

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

Perk internet and the free Captain's Club minutes are Unlimited internet. OP specifically asked about the Surf package, which can only be bought in Cruise Planner or whilst onboard. Surf is the "basic" internet package, where as "Unlimited", as the name suggets, is unlimited in terms of no restrictions on how you use it.

[Reijo]

I'm interested in the internet package but through Celebrity, it only mentions two devices or more....I only want one.  Is this an option?  Also, is the cheaper package (I can't recall the name but no streaming)  can you text or only send email or facebook messages?  I have had RCCL tell me YES you can text while other say No.  I'm confused.

 

Edited January 17, 2020 by Reijo
added more to content

[mikkelhansen]

18 hours ago, Reijo said:

Also, is the cheaper package (I can't recall the name but no streaming)  can you text or only send email or facebook messages?  I have had RCCL tell me YES you can text while other say No.  I'm confused.

 

This thread is indeed about the "Surf" internet package, which has restrictions, as mentioned in my previous post.

[jelayne]

20 hours ago, Reijo said:

I'm interested in the internet package but through Celebrity, it only mentions two devices or more....I only want one.  Is this an option?  Also, is the cheaper package (I can't recall the name but no streaming)  can you text or only send email or facebook messages?  I have had RCCL tell me YES you can text while other say No.  I'm confused.

 

if you scroll through the Internet & More section of the Cruise Planner you should find a single device package.  They do not put all the Internet options together.  They  are  interspersed with photo packages & experience packages so you have to go through the whole section.

[hvbaskey]

We also have aging parents and need the internet to stay in touch with home.  We have purchased the SURF unlimited internet for one device since it became available and it is perfect for our needs to stay in touch with home.  DH & I share the “one device” and simply boot each other off (switch device command) when we need to get in touch with home.   We use the WHATSAPP seamlessly with SURF.

Edited January 18, 2020 by hvbaskey

[venison]

Does anyone know if the 25% select captains club discount apply for the surf package?  or only unlimited?

[HBDave]

15 minutes ago, venison said:

Does anyone know if the 25% select captains club discount apply for the surf package?  or only unlimited?

It did back in April 2019 on my Hawaii cruise and I'm planning on using it again this year on an April 2020 TA. If purchasing before your cruise, you'll need to call Celebrity to purchase and receive the discount. It's my understanding that if you purchase it on the ship, it will automatically be discounted.

Edited January 19, 2020 by HBDave

[hvbaskey]

14 hours ago, venison said:

Does anyone know if the 25% select captains club discount apply for the surf package?  or only unlimited?

 

It indeed applies.  I have used our CC discount on each occasion, I call the Captain’s Club and just let them know what package I want (SURF unlimited, one device) and the rate is calculated, accordingly.

[Reijo]

On 1/19/2020 at 10:20 AM, hvbaskey said:

 

It indeed applies.  I have used our CC discount on each occasion, I call the Captain’s Club and just let them know what package I want (SURF unlimited, one device) and the rate is calculated, accordingly.

Do you recall what the daily rate is for SURF unlimited?  I'm Diamond Plus with RCCL so hopefully I'll get a discount.  I do have a Captain's Club number.

[hvbaskey]

1 minute ago, Reijo said:

Do you recall what the daily rate is for SURF unlimited?  I'm Diamond Plus with RCCL so hopefully I'll get a discount.  I do have a Captain's Club number.

 

Hello - I booked for the duration of the cruise, so I do not know of a daily rate.  

[mikkelhansen]

16 hours ago, Reijo said:

Do you recall what the daily rate is for SURF unlimited?  I'm Diamond Plus with RCCL so hopefully I'll get a discount.  I do have a Captain's Club number.

This should be accurate, or perhaps the rates have gone up about 5$ with the change of year (this info sheet is from June 2019): http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/16049912_CEL_Xcelerate_Trade_Flyer.pdf

 

If you have reciprocal status from RCCL, you would be Elite on Celebrity. This gives you a 30% discount on the above prices. You also get 90 free minutes, but I don't know if you can combine the discount and the free minutes. Someone who is Elite or above could probably answer that.

All other Elite benefits can be seen here: https://www.celebritycruises.com/content/dam/celebrity/pdf/captains-club-tiers-and-benefits-chart.pdf.

Edited January 21, 2020 by mikkelhansen

[bikerunner]

12 minutes ago, mikkelhansen said:

This should be accurate, or perhaps the rates have gone up about 5$ with the change of year (this info sheet is from June 2019): http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/16049912_CEL_Xcelerate_Trade_Flyer.pdf

 

If you have reciprocal status from RCCL, you would be Elite on Celebrity. This gives you a 30% discount on the above prices. You also get 90 free minutes, but I don't know if you can combine the discount and the free minutes. Someone who is Elite or above could probably answer that.

All other Elite benefits can be seen here: https://www.celebritycruises.com/content/dam/celebrity/pdf/captains-club-tiers-and-benefits-chart.pdf.

The free minutes are just that, I got the surf on my last cruise and used my free minutes then the surf.  Easy to use, or go to Guest Relations and they can help.  i just used it for emails and look up a few things on ports etc.  Works fine for what I needed it for.  I am elite and called ahead and got it for 11 days for around 115 or so after the discount.  Never had any issues or problems connecting to the service.  

[Reijo]

3 hours ago, mikkelhansen said:

This should be accurate, or perhaps the rates have gone up about 5$ with the change of year (this info sheet is from June 2019): http://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/16049912_CEL_Xcelerate_Trade_Flyer.pdf

 

If you have reciprocal status from RCCL, you would be Elite on Celebrity. This gives you a 30% discount on the above prices. You also get 90 free minutes, but I don't know if you can combine the discount and the free minutes. Someone who is Elite or above could probably answer that.

All other Elite benefits can be seen here: https://www.celebritycruises.com/content/dam/celebrity/pdf/captains-club-tiers-and-benefits-chart.pdf.

Thank you so much for the information.  Yes, I am considered "Elite" status with Celebrity and look forward to the …...probably 30% discount.  Our cruise is 12 days so anything is helpful.  Thanks for the links.

[LouieT]

there are usually specials given half way through a trip