Royal app to charge $1.99/day to use messaging service?

[time4u2go]

4 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

From reading cruise lines press releases and other articles a smartphone or tablet may be required to be had by someone in a cabin. 
 

When cruising restarts there are going to be major changes to the cruise experience as a result of the virus. We will adapt or give up cruising. 

Lol I seriously doubt it would be required. 

[Brucemcdou]

2 hours ago, jptoz said:

My wife and kids have iphones, I hate them so I have an Android phone. The best thing for messaging between the 2 is facebook messenger.  IMO

Traveling internationally we've found most people, tour companies, stores, my nieces and nephews who've studied abroad, etc. use WhatsApp.  It's indifferent to the platform (iOS vs. Android vs. Windows) and is also encrypted, which is important for people in countries where they don't trust their governments not to snoop (ahem).  Of course, this is outside of China where everyone uses WeChat and everyone knows that the government will read whatever you say.

 

WhatsApp was bought by FaceBook in 2014 (?) and I think is slowly being integrated into (or taking over) "FaceBook Messenger."  

[mkmaj]

 

On 12/19/2020 at 1:53 PM, jean87510 said:

I have a galaxy 10.  I cannot TEXT while phone is in airplane mode.  Since I buy the ships wifi, I figured out long ago that amazingly I could turn my wifi on while on my cruise.  I initially responded that rather than text, my husband and I EMAIL each other if we are in separate parts of ship (gym, sunbathing, napping in cabin, working in cabin...).  If you can tell me how I can text with wifi and in airplane mode, let me know.

 

I have an S10 as well. Download "whatsapp" for texting through wifi. FB messenger will work also!

Edited December 20, 2020 by mkmaj

[jean87510]

24 minutes ago, mkmaj said:

 

 

I have an S10 as well. Download "whatsapp" for texting through wifi. FB messenger will work also!

Thank you.  Husband doesn't have Facebook but I have used this and snapchat to contact family members at home.  I was able to verify I could text with airplane mode using wifi calling.  I also did download whatsapp as well.  Gotta love our tech world!!  Its a relief having ways to stay in touch in case of an emergency.  I have my kids dog sitting and house sitting while we are away and I can't imagine just tossing my phones in a safe for a week and ignoring the world.  

[Iamcruzin]

8 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

If you read the cruise lines plans on restarting and the measures they are putting in place it will be more than a little inconvenient.

Those who throw the phone in the safe are only using it as a phone. For most of us with smartphones it has become a tool for entertainment such as music, as well as being a camera, alarm clock, flash light, calculator, a way to make purchases, and to store boarding passes.  Those who only use it as a phone won't need it. I use it to compare prices at home with on board prices. Most of the time it's cheaper at home. I have even placed an online order while in the ship's store for a watch that was cheaper at Macy's.

[twangster]

I have a deep distrust for FB and their related companies including WhatsApp and Instagram which were all acquired by FB.  

 

You'll find none of those app on my devices.  People fear TikTok.  Fear FB.  

[jean87510]

27 minutes ago, twangster said:

I have a deep distrust for FB and their related companies including WhatsApp and Instagram which were all acquired by FB.  

 

You'll find none of those app on my devices.  People fear TikTok.  Fear FB.  

I watched the Social Dilemma on Netflix.  Scary.  

I remember being on a repositioning Norwegian cruise watching GOT Season 8 episode 1 the next day using my wifi and my phone while on the treadmill.  Its times like those where a phone is handy!!  

[Biker19]

39 minutes ago, twangster said:

I have a deep distrust for FB and their related companies including WhatsApp and Instagram which were all acquired by FB.  

 

You'll find none of those app on my devices.  People fear TikTok.  Fear FB.  

Some folks who share your distrust,  may use Signal.

[crazyank]

13 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

Those who throw the phone in the safe are only using it as a phone.

Nope,   we use our phones for many different things.  We just don't walk around with them glued to our hands and missing what's happening around us when we are on a ship.

[time4u2go]

1 hour ago, crazyank said:

Nope,   we use our phones for many different things.  We just don't walk around with them glued to our hands and missing what's happening around us when we are on a ship.

Same here.  I use my phone for MANY things while not on vacation.  I enjoy not using it while on vacation!

[jean87510]

lol, I love comments regarding noses in the phones and how we need to turn off the outside world.  I see most people on cruise ships sleeping in chairs in the solarium or reading books.  Why is reading an article online or even a book on your phone such a faux pas and snoring in a chair is ok?  Maybe that's how WE relax?  I like listening to music or listening to an audible book sometimes.  I am sure I am less offensive then the sleep apneic snorer who needs their bipap in the solarium.

[deliver42]

The only thing I use my phone for on a cruise is putting it in the safe.

[Mikew0805]

 

On 12/18/2020 at 8:23 AM, Joseph2017China said:

depends....if you have an iPhone, you can iMessage.  However, if it is multiple different phones, than it is an actual text and you would need it.  The only person I would text is my wife, and we both have iPhones.  

 

On 12/18/2020 at 8:27 AM, Sail n Snow said:

Yes this is only for the messaging service within the app.  Also there are so many other services you could get , WhatsApp, signal, telegram, Facebook messenger....

 

Hopefully it’s just a trial run and no one buys it!

You can also just turn on WiFi calling with your provider, which is free, and then you can send right from the messages app whether it's to another iPhone or not. 

[Mikew0805]

6 hours ago, jean87510 said:

lol, I love comments regarding noses in the phones and how we need to turn off the outside world.  I see most people on cruise ships sleeping in chairs in the solarium or reading books.  Why is reading an article online or even a book on your phone such a faux pas and snoring in a chair is ok?  Maybe that's how WE relax?  I like listening to music or listening to an audible book sometimes.  I am sure I am less offensive then the sleep apneic snorer who needs their bipap in the solarium.

It's not a faux pas. I do not think of my phone as only for times that I am not on vacation. That seems silly to me. That.. is my opinion.

 

Its not relaxing to me if I am not able to communicate with those I care most about in this world, and I certainly would not be without being able to see my dog. (priority #1 for me)

 

Not to mention, I like to have access to a good camera... which my phone is.

 

 

[franncos]

This is only the beginning of all cruise lines nickel and dimming for everything. Wait until the prices of specialty dining will be.

[Brucemcdou]

On 12/20/2020 at 4:38 PM, Biker19 said:

Some folks who share your distrust,  may use Signal.

Or just use iMessage on an iPhone.  Apple's business model doesn't include selling your data.  They sell hardware at full price and they sell services, which (generally) are more secure than those on an Android system thanks to Apple's "walled garden" model.  

 

I'd rather pay for something outright than get it for 'free' because they're monetizing my data.  

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, Brucemcdou said:

Or just use iMessage on an iPhone.

Lots of folks don't have Apple devices and the really paranoid don't use iMessage on iPhones but choose Signal instead.