Verizon cell phone usage on Edge

[dopey1200]

Sailing on the Edge March 1st. I usually don't care about cell phone usage while cruising but my dad just had a medical procedure so I want to be able to text or call him to check on him. I'm not very tech savvy, so I don't really understand all this. We do have the free internet from X (if that matters). Does anybody have any advice? What's the cheapest option? I highlighted in red where the Edge is mentioned. Here's what Verizon says about the Edge: 

 

About Your Samsung Galaxy S10e         Your device will work in Cayman Islands and Mexico. However, you must check the device settings for use outside the U.S. Go to Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks > Data Roaming Access then select Allow access for all trips. Data can be turned off by selecting Deny data roaming access. Set Network Mode to Global. Power the device off and then back on after any changes OR when entering a country/cruise ship. To turn off ALL cellular network service, switch Airplane Mode ON in Settings. You can still use Wi-Fi with this option.

Plan Options Here are some possible plans. This email is not a confirmation that a plan has been added or is available to this specific mobile number.   TravelPass uses your domestic plan allowances for a daily fee   TravelPass is not available in Celebrity Edge     Per line/day Available Countries Allowance $5 Mexico Uses Domestic Talk, Message, and Data $10 Cayman Islands Uses Domestic Talk, Message, and Data $5 Mexico Uses Domestic Talk, Message, and Data $10 Cayman Islands Uses Domestic Talk, Message, and Data     A 24 hour session starts when you place or answer a call, send a text or use data in a TravelPass country. This includes background data and automatic updates. Incoming texts do NOT start a session. If you don’t use service, you won't be charged the daily fee. When 0.5 GB of data is used in one TravelPass session, the data speed will be reduced. We'll send a text that lets you purchase additional high speed data OR the speed will simply resume with the next session. No need to remove TravelPass when you return. It doesn't bill in the US. Calls to numbers within the TravelPass country and calls to US numbers are covered by your domestic plan. Calls to numbers of other countries are charged International Long Distance. See TravelPass FAQs for more information.     Pay As You Go Rates         Talk Rates Per Min Text Sent / Received Multimedia Msg Data Rates To/From US, CA, MX, PR mobile numbers To/From mobile numbers of other countries Pay As You Go (No Allowance) Celebrity Edge $2.99 $0.50 / $0.05 No Service No Service No Service Cayman Islands $1.79 $0.50 / $0.05 Per Your Domestic Plan $0.50 / $0.25 $2.05/MB ($0.002/KB) Mexico $0.99 $0.50 / $0.05 Per Your Domestic Plan $0.50 / $0.25 $2.05/MB ($0.002/KB)     Usage on Cruise Ships is billed at Pay As You Go Rates. If no International plan is added, usage will be billed at Pay As You Go rates. Calls to numbers within the destination country and calls to US numbers are allowed without any International Travel Plan. Pay As You Go rates apply.     Voice and Messaging While traveling internationally, Wi-Fi Calling allows calls to U.S. numbers without incurring International Long Distance charges. Wi-Fi Calls to other countries, including calls to numbers within the country you're currently in, will incur international long distance charges at the rates you would normally pay to call those countries from the US. Important: Multimedia (Picture and Video) Messaging incurs international data usage based on the size of the attachment. You’re charged per message/per address. (If one message is sent to 3 people, you’re charged for 3 messages.) International Talk rates apply when checking Voicemail. For Visual Voicemail, only international data usage applies.   Data Data usage can add up quickly. We recommend adding TravelPass or an International Travel data allowance. Once you're traveling, our data alerts will help you manage your usage or check it on My Verizon.

[Gaile]

I have Verizon as well and have used the free wifi calling feature while sailing in the past.  Very important to make sure that you have all cellular service turned off.  Travel pass will work on land and for a small daily fee you are able to use your regular cell & data plan.  Hope this helps and that your family member recuperates quickly.

[az_tchr]

13 minutes ago, Gaile said:

I have Verizon as well and have used the free wifi calling feature while sailing in the past.  Very important to make sure that you have all cellular service turned off.  Travel pass will work on land and for a small daily fee you are able to use your regular cell & data plan.  Hope this helps and that your family member recuperates quickly.

Hope all goes well. The WiFi will work well when you are in port. Out to sea you are stuck with the ship's service. The $2.99 a minute is cheaper than regular rates. 

Also highly suggest stopping by guest services and notifying them of your situation. Twice they have allowed me to use the ship's phone from the desk at no charge. I think if you simply ask for help they will be very accommodating.

[Jeremiah1212]

Just use WiFi calling onboard the ship. Turn off your cellular connection, connect to the ship WiFi and you’re good to go. If you need service on land in Mexico or Grand Cayman, it’s going to cost you $5 and $10 per day and you’ll use your phone no differently than if you were at home. It may sound overwhelming but it’s really easy. 

[Alakegirl]

Go back to. Verizon and have them activate wifi calling (also called calling over wifi).

 

once you have wifi, calls will be free.

[Essiesmom]

6 minutes ago, Alakegirl said:

Go back to. Verizon and have them activate wifi calling (also called calling over wifi).

 

once you have wifi, calls will be free.

This.  I had it done before my last cruise and although I didn't need to make any calls, a couple came through.  I think they were spam, as I only tried to answer one, in a very noisy piano bar...  EM

[nps001]

I also use wifi calling when at sea.   As others have said, ensure you turn off cellular data (and roaming to be sure) and turn on wifi calling.   Then connect to the ship wifi.   You can send texts and receive calls without issue.   

[dopey1200]

Thank you all for your responses! You've been a great help!

[Jim_Iain]

Just make sure you put your phone on Airplane Mode and then Turn on Wifi and Blue Tooth if needed.    Otherwise you could come home to an unexpected roaming bill.

 

Wifi calling and text work great over the ships wifi.

 

[TeeRick]

16 hours ago, az_tchr said:

Hope all goes well. The WiFi will work well when you are in port. Out to sea you are stuck with the ship's service. The $2.99 a minute is cheaper than regular rates. 

Also highly suggest stopping by guest services and notifying them of your situation. Twice they have allowed me to use the ship's phone from the desk at no charge. I think if you simply ask for help they will be very accommodating.

Not sure what you mean by this.  The WiFi on Edge is the best in the fleet and generally very good.  If you have signed up for unlimited WiFi them just set your phone on airplane mode and use free WiFi calling.  On Edge this was very much trouble-free and cost-free.  Easy to make and receive calls and texts.  You can also do this by finding a free WiFi signal in ports.  Just ask or follow the crew.  If you do not have unlimited WiFi on board but pay for minutes, it also works but you need to pay more attention to your minutes and timing of the calls.

[az_tchr]

37 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Not sure what you mean by this.  The WiFi on Edge is the best in the fleet and generally very good.  If you have signed up for unlimited WiFi them just set your phone on airplane mode and use free WiFi calling.  On Edge this was very much trouble-free and cost-free.  Easy to make and receive calls and texts.  You can also do this by finding a free WiFi signal in ports.  Just ask or follow the crew.  If you do not have unlimited WiFi on board but pay for minutes, it also works but you need to pay more attention to your minutes and timing of the calls.

You have it. WiFi on board is NOT free. You pay for it. Your phone - or really almost any phone can use the ship's WI-FI you purchased.In port you can use the WiFi for free available in almost every port - often while standing on an upper deck 

[TeeRick]

If the OP is getting the unlimited WiFi package anyway or choosing to pay for it anyway for other reasons, then WiFi calling is the best way to go as there is no cost beyond paying for WiFi.  Accessing free WiFi signals in most ports standing on the upper deck or your own balcony is spotty at best in my experience anyway.  Not a good reliable option if important to keep in touch.  If not getting WiFi on board, I have used Verizon's Travel Pass (cellular) option in ports.  In most places it is $10 per 24 hours (like in the Cayman Islands) but in Mexico (and Canada) I think it is only $5 per 24 hours. 

[phoenix_dream]

FYI, our Verizon plan includes Mexico. You might want to double check if yours does as well. What ports are you visiting? We’re also covered in Puerto Rico and St. Thomas.

[dopey1200]

Thanks everybody. We do have the unlimited Wi-fi package, so it looks like wi-fi calling will be an excellent thing to use for this. Thanks!  

[TeeRick]

17 hours ago, dopey1200 said:

Thanks everybody. We do have the unlimited Wi-fi package, so it looks like wi-fi calling will be an excellent thing to use for this. Thanks!  

You need to set up WiFi calling for the first time with Verizon.  Their website tells you how to do this.  Then I would suggest trying it at home a couple of times.  If done correctly your phone will display "VZW Wi-Fi" next to the signal strength meter.