If An Emergency....

[leaveitallbehind]

5 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Surf BW is plenty for voice calls or texts.

Perhaps that varies by ship usage?  Our traveling friends had Surf and were not successful with wifi calls - texts, yes.  RCCL on board said Stream was needed for that, which is what we had - and worked for us.

Edited March 3, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[BirdTravels]

6 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Surf BW is plenty for voice calls or texts.

But Wi-Fi calling is blocked unless you have the stream package. 

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Our traveling friends had Surf and were not successful with wifi calls - texts, yes. 

That could be caused by lots of issues, but the Surf BW (up to 500kbps) on all ships should be enough for voice calls (typically 100kbps or less).

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, BirdTravels said:

But Wi-Fi calling is blocked unless you have the stream package. 

False.

[leaveitallbehind]

Just now, Biker19 said:

That could be caused by lots of issues, but the Surf BW (up to 500kbps) on all ships should be enough for voice calls (typically 100kbps or less).

Not arguing the point, as what you suggest makes sense.  However our recent experience as mentioned indicates otherwise. Perhaps as @BirdTravels indicates, it is an internet package related thing with RCCL that is only activated with Stream?  Maybe based on managed bandwidth usage?

[Biker19]

6 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

However our recent experience as mentioned indicates otherwise.

As mentioned, a device not working properly can be caused by a host of reasons, but BW or tier of Voom is not one of them - if voice calls somehow miraculously start working if you switch from Surf to Stream, it is very unlikely it's just due to the switch - something else happened as well.

 

It could also be that in some very limited cases on a ship, the IT guys are trying to drum up business and somehow lock out voice calls on the Surf tier (it would take some work to filter out just that traffic), but that would be a very rare exception.

Edited March 3, 2022 by Biker19

[leaveitallbehind]

2 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

As mentioned, a device not working properly can be caused by a host of reasons, but BW or tier of Voom is not one of them - if voice calls somehow miraculously start working if you switch from Surf to Stream, it is very unlikely it's just due to the switch - something else happened as well.

I believe it is plan related as indicated.  According to the RCCL website regarding their internet packages via the following link, it would seem as though Surf only provides text, while Stream provides face time, streaming, etc.  I would think wifi calling would be part of that and not Surf.

 

This also supports our recent experience and, as indicated, what RCCL told us on board.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/booked/cruise-ship-wifi

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

I would think wifi calling would be part of that and not Surf.

All of those things usually involve video and in that case a recommendation (not a requirement as some limited streaming works even on Surf) for Stream makes sense - for voice only, it does not. Your experience was the exception - countless folks here can confirm that they were able to make voice calls with Surf only.

[RoperDK]

I am fuzzy on texting.  I have surf and stream for 1 device.  My DH and I will share.  We have Verizon.  Can I text over wifi with my phone in airplane mode?  If I text my DH while I'm on the wifi, will he receive the text?  What are the text rates in that circumstance?     

[ticketsunlimited]

1 hour ago, RoperDK said:

I am fuzzy on texting.  I have surf and stream for 1 device.  My DH and I will share.  We have Verizon.  Can I text over wifi with my phone in airplane mode?  If I text my DH while I'm on the wifi, will he receive the text?  What are the text rates in that circumstance?     

If you have Verizon when you leave the port for the open sea you first set your phone to Airplane mode, you then turn on your wifi, you then set your phone for Wifi calling.  

You need to be sure you are connected to the ships internet package that you purchased.   You can call, text, face time to your hearts content at ZERO cost.  My parents always comment when we call from the ship on WIFI that they have never heard us any clearer and my father is deaf as a clam.

I have been sitting back watching this thread move along and kinda laughing to myself.

I was the first to comment, "your phone" and the OP was thinking I was joking.  I hope he knows now  that I was trying to give an honest answer.😉

 

P.S. A very important point was made earlier.  You should set up the wifi 911 service from your house before traveling.  Once you do it once you are good for future travel.  Just follow the promps on your phone when you choose WIFI calling the first time on your phone.  Good luck

[Biker19]

14 hours ago, RoperDK said:

  If I text my DH while I'm on the wifi, will he receive the text?

Only when he takes over the internet connection from you. On some ships at some times (seems to work randomly and not on all ships) iMessage texts on Apples device get through without the paid internet connection (just connected to wifi).

[death_star]

This past weekend my wife and I both had it working on our phones. We both experienced a bit of intermittent connectivity with it. I had restarted my android at one point as it would say sorry can't send message until you turn off airplane mode. Restarted and it would send again. My wife's iPhone just had random delays in texts. I believe this can happen whenever there's a connectivity hiccup between you and the Verizon servers on any phone. 

[SRF]

One BIG GOTCHA, you MUST setup wifi calling while connected to your cellular service.

 

So BEFORE you cruise, while at home, set your phone to wifi calling and do whatever setup it required.

 

Once that is done, you can turn it on and off as needed.  I just leave it on all the time.