best wifi option for texting people back home?

[rjm11]

We've always had a cruising policy of "phones in airplane mode, what ever it is can wait" kinda thing.... but new family dynamics are going to require checking in at home more. We are doing the breakaway from NOLA- so I know I text from ports fairly easily- but is there an upgrade package that will allow texting from the ship? We have iPhones if that matters.

[hallux]

Some reports are that iMessage may work without an internet plan and just being connected to the ship's WiFi (I'm not sure if it only works with others on board or if it will work with people not on-board), but even the base plan would work for this if that doesn't.  If you don't need immediate notification of messages, you could just use the 150 free minutes if you got the free-at-sea and sign in to check and then out when you're done.

[phoenix1181]

iPhone to iPhone messaging worked with no problem on my recent Panama Canal (LA ti MIA) cruise without using internet minutes.  No photos & nothing to or from an Android.

 

To get email, I logged on to my (included) minutes for a couple of minutes at a time to download  emails and check facebook.  I was worried about having enough minutes but had plenty of unused time at the end of the cruise.  I could not open any email attachments unless I was logged on but that wasn't an issue for me.

 

Hope this helps...

[rjm11]

12 minutes ago, phoenix1181 said:

iPhone to iPhone messaging worked with no problem on my recent Panama Canal (LA ti MIA) cruise without using internet minutes.  No photos & nothing to or from an Android.

 

To get email, I logged on to my (included) minutes for a couple of minutes at a time to download  emails and check facebook.  I was worried about having enough minutes but had plenty of unused time at the end of the cruise.  I could not open any email attachments unless I was logged on but that wasn't an issue for me.

 

Hope this helps...

that helps a lot thanks! So you were able to message people back home? I thought it only worked to message people on the ship- and even then that system never seemed to work right.... but you're talking about regular iphone to iphone "texting" which uses imessage?

[hallux]

8 minutes ago, rjm11 said:

I thought it only worked to message people on the ship- and even then that system never seemed to work right

Different system, which is inside the NCL app once it's in the 'on ship' mode...

[phoenix1181]

3 hours ago, rjm11 said:

that helps a lot thanks! So you were able to message people back home? I thought it only worked to message people on the ship- and even then that system never seemed to work right.... but you're talking about regular iphone to iphone "texting" which uses imessage?

Yes, reguar iPhone to IOhone messaging.  I was able to send & receive messages to & from family/friends in Mass throughout the cruise.

 

It also works to message people onboard but NCL also has an program that costs about $10.00 per phone that offers calls & messaging.  We used that on the Pearl last summer & it didn't work well for our group but it may work better on other ships.  I was unaware of iPhone message ability at that time but definitely recommend trying it before purchasing the other for use onboard.

[PATRLR]

Encore November, we had the same experience as others: iMessage to phones back home worked without using the internet plan.  

Set phone to airplane mode, connect to ships wi-fi, do NOT open a browser or otherwise "login" to the ships wi-fi (so do not use any of your minutes) and you should be able to send texts from one iPhone to another.

I actually found this worked better communicating to people off ship than on.   That is because wi-fi coverage could be spotty on the ship.

[wally4ever]

I've always just used Facebook Messenger to communicate with land-based folks.

[hallux]

3 hours ago, wally4ever said:

I've always just used Facebook Messenger to communicate with land-based folks.

Sure, as long as you and the people you communicate with use it, and if you pay for internet access...

[uneamie]

7 hours ago, PATRLR said:

Encore November, we had the same experience as others: iMessage to phones back home worked without using the internet plan.  

Set phone to airplane mode, connect to ships wi-fi, do NOT open a browser or otherwise "login" to the ships wi-fi (so do not use any of your minutes) and you should be able to send texts from one iPhone to another.

I actually found this worked better communicating to people off ship than on.   That is because wi-fi coverage could be spotty on the ship.

Hmm....so you can actually log on to the ships Wifi if you have an IPHONE?  Don't you need a password? Also do you have to check with your Iphone carrier to make sure you have international capabilities so you can do that our at sea or in port? All of this confuses me. I have an Iphone but my carrier is Cricket. 

[kiminey65]

I had 3 successful cruises on NCL this past year. Although I did have 300 internet minutes, I used them sparingly and logged off quickly. I did place messages via messenger.

 

All you do to use Imessage is: Make sure anyone you want to contact on ship or at HOME also has an iphone.

 

Download NCL App ahead. Type in your ship and date, etc. Place device on WiFi and airplane mode once you set sail. 

 

Go to settings.go to messages icon (green) and go into it. Then click Imessage. You can then text anyone on or off the ship who also has their device set to Imessage..Messages will be blue while on Imessage setting, not green. The ship can have spotty places. Like, inside the clubs, etc. Also pics won't send...

 

I'd suggest contacting your carrier to validate what fees cost for usage while in port. I carry AT&T and Mexico is free as well as St. Thomas & Puerto Rico. Others are $10/day. It must be placed back in Airplane Mode once ship sets sail to avoid fess!

 

[PATRLR]

7 hours ago, uneamie said:

Hmm....so you can actually log on to the ships Wifi if you have an IPHONE?  Don't you need a password? Also do you have to check with your Iphone carrier to make sure you have international capabilities so you can do that our at sea or in port? All of this confuses me. I have an Iphone but my carrier is Cricket. 

Any phone can connect to the Wi-Fi, no password is needed.  BUT, you won't be able to do much of anything, the cruise lines expects that you will use their ap or browser to "login" to their network and start using your minutes to surf the web (or whatever).  But, my instructions above tell you not to do anything to "login" - so don't.  You will be connected to Wi-Fi and taking advantage of something in the ships Wi-Fi configuration that allows iMessages to leak in and out of their network.  

 

Kiminey65 talks about doing something in settings for iMessage.  I never had to do that, iMessage just works for anyone I send texts to that also has an iPhone.  You don't realize it but when you send a text, some are going by iMessage, others going by SMS (traditional text) - it's transparent to you except if you look at your texts, some are green and some are blue, right?  The blue ones are iMessage, the green ones are SMS.  So today, anyone that you text that has blue messages, you will be able to text when on ship.  

As for when you are in port, I assume you mean when you are away from the ship.  Do you expect to need to text or do anything with your phone when away from the ship?  If yes, then you need to talk to your carrier to understand their rates and such.  If you don't, if you can wait until you are back on the ship then simply don't do anything, leave phone in airplane mode and wait till back on the ship.
 

[tulch]

Anything that would work for android phones?  I'm specifically interested in Signal.  Thank you!

[uneamie]

11 hours ago, PATRLR said:

Any phone can connect to the Wi-Fi, no password is needed.  BUT, you won't be able to do much of anything, the cruise lines expects that you will use their ap or browser to "login" to their network and start using your minutes to surf the web (or whatever).  But, my instructions above tell you not to do anything to "login" - so don't.  You will be connected to Wi-Fi and taking advantage of something in the ships Wi-Fi configuration that allows iMessages to leak in and out of their network.  

 

Kiminey65 talks about doing something in settings for iMessage.  I never had to do that, iMessage just works for anyone I send texts to that also has an iPhone.  You don't realize it but when you send a text, some are going by iMessage, others going by SMS (traditional text) - it's transparent to you except if you look at your texts, some are green and some are blue, right?  The blue ones are iMessage, the green ones are SMS.  So today, anyone that you text that has blue messages, you will be able to text when on ship.  

As for when you are in port, I assume you mean when you are away from the ship.  Do you expect to need to text or do anything with your phone when away from the ship?  If yes, then you need to talk to your carrier to understand their rates and such.  If you don't, if you can wait until you are back on the ship then simply don't do anything, leave phone in airplane mode and wait till back on the ship.
 

Awesome! I don't think I will need to contact anyone off the ship so this info really helps. Thanks so much for taking the time with such detail. I appreciate it. 

[uneamie]

17 hours ago, kiminey65 said:

I had 3 successful cruises on NCL this past year. Although I did have 300 internet minutes, I used them sparingly and logged off quickly. I did place messages via messenger.

 

All you do to use Imessage is: Make sure anyone you want to contact on ship or at HOME also has an iphone.

 

Download NCL App ahead. Type in your ship and date, etc. Place device on WiFi and airplane mode once you set sail. 

 

Go to settings.go to messages icon (green) and go into it. Then click Imessage. You can then text anyone on or off the ship who also has their device set to Imessage..Messages will be blue while on Imessage setting, not green. The ship can have spotty places. Like, inside the clubs, etc. Also pics won't send...

 

I'd suggest contacting your carrier to validate what fees cost for usage while in port. I carry AT&T and Mexico is free as well as St. Thomas & Puerto Rico. Others are $10/day. It must be placed back in Airplane Mode once ship sets sail to avoid fess!

 

Thanks so much for this information. I'm getting good replies. I so appreicate it. I was getting stressed just thinking about it.