Internet on Carnival Sunshine

[sexy ty]

While on the Carnival Sunshine ship we need the ability to receive calls via WIFI and be able to video chat (and text if possible). Does anyone know if the app called "WhatsApp"  will work with the premium WIFi package? will Facetime work? 

[groundloop]

Maybe someone will answer who has specifically attempted to use WhatsApp or Facetime, I haven't.  But I do know that Carnival blocks wifi calling from cell phones, and even the "premium" internet on the pre-Vista class ships stinks.  It's a bit better early in the morning before everyone is up, but not by a lot.

[jerseyjjs]

If this is any indicator for you, I was on the Legend a month ago and the premium wifi was brutally bad.   There was a line about 25 people long looking for refunds when I went to guest services, and getting them, for the non-existant internet capacity.

[cruiserbrianj]

Was on the Sunshine in March and the Internet was straight trash...barely worked the first two days (including the Hub app) and then extremely slow. That said, I was able to use FaceTime...I can't speak for WhatsApp. Also, I had the middle true package.
 

When I think back, I intended to get some kind of refund because it was so bad but then I forgot about it. Good luck to you! 

[coldinerie]

I was on the Sunshine in Dec of 2021, no issues with the Wi-Fi at all. I had the premium.  I did not use a 'facetime' call but would suspect it would work. My daughter was on YouTube a lot with no issues. 

 

 

[sexy ty]

Thanks everyone. I was also told to get the cruise or international phone package with my phone company (which is Verizon). They said it will allow me to use my phone as usual because it will work with the service (WMS) that Carnival has on board. Carnival has an agreement with Wireless Maritime Services... I'm hoping this will work also.. We will be on the Sunshine and I'm sure its booked to max compacity this week..

[wgeddings]

We will be on the Sunshine June 6.  Anyone been on the Sunshine recently and bought internet?  I am especially interested in being able to make/receive calls (using various apps or Facebook, Zoom, etc)

 

I am only interested in the Sunshine, not how it is/was on other ships. Please as much detail as possible and not just a “it sucked” comment.  

Edited May 23, 2022 by wgeddings

[jus4fun]

I was on the Sunshine March 7-14.  There were 9 of us all together.  We all had internet and it did not consistently work for any of us. It was hit or miss for the entire cruise.  We were told by the crew that it was always like this.  Could not  keep a connection long enough to use my computer for email, phone for short calls or just general use.  It was so bad that Carnival refunded the cost at the end of the cruise.

[Luckiestmanonearth]

On 4/15/2022 at 5:32 PM, jerseyjjs said:

If this is any indicator for you, I was on the Legend a month ago and the premium wifi was brutally bad.   There was a line about 25 people long looking for refunds when I went to guest services, and getting them, for the non-existant internet capacity.

My SIL was on a cruise with us and relying on internet for college course homework submission and the only real chance he had was between 2 and 3 AM every night.  Awful

[mz-s]

8 hours ago, wgeddings said:

We will be on the Sunshine June 6.  Anyone been on the Sunshine recently and bought internet?  I am especially interested in being able to make/receive calls (using various apps or Facebook, Zoom, etc)

 

I am only interested in the Sunshine, not how it is/was on other ships. Please as much detail as possible and not just a “it sucked” comment.  

 

I was on Sunshine in late Feb/early Mar and bought the Value internet. It was barely good enough to refresh my Twitter or Instagram feeds. iMessage worked great. I would not expect it to be fast enough for videoconferencing. Even the Hub app wouldn't work at times. Guest Services said their satellites were not working properly and I believe them.

 

I was also on Sunshine a few weeks ago, first week of May, and it seemed that the WiFi was working much better judging by how much better the Hub app was working. I did not buy a WiFi package but it seemed to be working better overall. I did see one big dummy FaceTiming his momma on Lido to show her all the food and it seemed to work fine (the entire Lido restaurant area could see and hear the big dummy's conversation).

[wgeddings]

7 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

I was on Sunshine in late Feb/early Mar and bought the Value internet. It was barely good enough to refresh my Twitter or Instagram feeds. iMessage worked great. I would not expect it to be fast enough for videoconferencing. Even the Hub app wouldn't work at times. Guest Services said their satellites were not working properly and I believe them.

 

I was also on Sunshine a few weeks ago, first week of May, and it seemed that the WiFi was working much better judging by how much better the Hub app was working. I did not buy a WiFi package but it seemed to be working better overall. I did see one big dummy FaceTiming his momma on Lido to show her all the food and it seemed to work fine (the entire Lido restaurant area could see and hear the big dummy's conversation).

Thanks.  That is one of my bigger pet peeves!  People who use speakerphones in a crowd!  🤬  I always want to walk around them blowing a whistle or making poot noises or something.  Maybe now with COVID, just have a fake coughng attack.  It is one thing if you are face timing but people who use speakerphone in public are the reason so many business have a "no cell phone" policy.  

[mz-s]

5 minutes ago, wgeddings said:

Thanks.  That is one of my bigger pet peeves!  People who use speakerphones in a crowd!  🤬  I always want to walk around them blowing a whistle or making poot noises or something.  Maybe now with COVID, just have a fake coughng attack.  It is one thing if you are face timing but people who use speakerphone in public are the reason so many business have a "no cell phone" policy.  

 

The big dummy notwithstanding the take-home was they seemed to have fixed their satellite issues by the time I was on her in early May. So I would probably say you'll be OK whenever you sail. However understand that ship wifi is a shared and limited resource and a lot of it depends on how many people are using it at any particular time.