Free Internet

[SuzieQ521]

Hello:

 

My husband and I both have the 75 minutes each basic internet for our Bliss cruise next week. Few questions:

 

1) Do the 75 minutes we each have limited to 1 device each (or can I just both my phone and iPad?)?

 

2) When we went on a Princess cruise a few years ago, there was a messaging app where we could message each other onboard. I thought I read somewhere that you had to pay for this on NCL?

If so, would our 75 min free allow us to send each other text messages (via Android phones)?

 

3) Do we login/logout through the internet browser or the NCL app?

 

Thanks

 

 

Edited January 18, 2023 by SuzieQ521

[cruiseny4life]

29 minutes ago, SuzieQ521 said:

Hello:

 

My husband and I both have the 75 minutes each basic internet for our Bliss cruise next week. Few questions:

 

1) Do the 75 minutes we each have limited to 1 device each (or can I just both my phone and iPad?)?

 

2) When we went on a Princess cruise a few years ago, there was a messaging app where we could message each other onboard. I thought I read somewhere that you had to pay for this on NCL?

If so, would our 75 min free allow us to send each other text messages (via Android phones)?

 

3) Do we login/logout through the internet browser or the NCL app?

 

Thanks

 

 

1. You can use it on whatever device you'd like. Just be sure to click "logout" or go to logout.com so you don't waste minutes logged in, when you're not using the internet. 

 

2. It's $9.95 for text messaging on the ship, through the NCL app. On some cruises I've been able to text my husband using SMS without being logged in or paying for the NCL app text messaging. On my most recent cruise (December/January), we were unable to text each other unless we logged into the internet. We both have Android (Samsung S22 model phones). Yes, you would be able to text each other using the 75 minutes. 

 

3. Internet browser. Login is login.com after connecting to the NCL WiFi. Logout is either clicking "Logout" which is a newer option on the login.com screen, or by going to logout.com. 

Edited January 18, 2023 by cruiseny4life

[New2cruise2022]

20 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

1. You can use it on whatever device you'd like. Just be sure to click "logout" or go to logout.com so you don't waste minutes logged in, when you're not using the internet. 

 

2. It's $9.95 for text messaging on the ship, through the NCL app. On some cruises I've been able to text my husband using SMS without being logged in or paying for the NCL app text messaging. On my most recent cruise (December/January), we were unable to text each other unless we logged into the internet. We both have Android (Samsung S22 model phones). Yes, you would be able to text each other using the 75 minutes. 

 

3. Internet browser. Login is login.com after connecting to the NCL WiFi. Logout is either clicking "Logout" which is a newer option on the login.com screen, or by going to logout.com. 

Best step-by-step that I’ve ever seen. Thanks!

[dmccue]

Before you travel get Whatsapp or Signal (which are free to download and use) and then when onboard when you have internet access use that to message each other on the ship.You can also make calls.

[SuzieQ521]

1 minute ago, dmccue said:

Before you travel get Whatsapp or Signal (which are free to download and use) and then when onboard when you have internet access use that to message each other on the ship.You can also make calls.

 

Thank you. Our cellphone provider (Verizon) said we can use wifi texting/calling so I assume that will work just as well? (of course, our phones will be in airplane mode so we do not incur any data charges!).

[dmccue]

6 minutes ago, SuzieQ521 said:

 

Thank you. Our cellphone provider (Verizon) said we can use wifi texting/calling so I assume that will work just as well? (of course, our phones will be in airplane mode so we do not incur any data charges!).

You cellphone provider may also charge you I would imagine but these app's are free to use. I am finding many tour operators and independant accomodation providers like on booking.com and Air BnB etc are using Whatsapp or Signal all over the world for communicating.

 

[BirdTravels]

25 minutes ago, SuzieQ521 said:

 

Thank you. Our cellphone provider (Verizon) said we can use wifi texting/calling so I assume that will work just as well? (of course, our phones will be in airplane mode so we do not incur any data charges!).

If you have a wifi texting application (like Apple iMessage or those mentioned above). iMessage may work connected to the ship's wifi, but not logged on. 

 

Wifi calling may require an upgrade to the basic wifi package included for free. 

[phillygwm]

34 minutes ago, dmccue said:

Before you travel get Whatsapp or Signal (which are free to download and use) and then when onboard when you have internet access use that to message each other on the ship.You can also make calls.

I was wondering this.  If I have the Unlimited (basic) Internet, will WhatsApp work?

[SuzieQ521]

5 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

If you have a wifi texting application (like Apple iMessage or those mentioned above). iMessage may work connected to the ship's wifi, but not logged on. 

 

Wifi calling may require an upgrade to the basic wifi package included for free. 

 

Thank you; so we wouldn't have to waste our free minutes to use imessage from iPad?

 

We have Android phones (we weren't going to be carrying around our ipads outside the room most likely)  so I assume then we cannot text each other from our android phones onboard even with the basic internet package?

[New2cruise2022]

16 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

If you have a wifi texting application (like Apple iMessage or those mentioned above). iMessage may work connected to the ship's wifi, but not logged on. 

 

Wifi calling may require an upgrade to the basic wifi package included for free. 

This is the hope that iMessage works on ship WiFi

[dmccue]

51 minutes ago, phillygwm said:

I was wondering this.  If I have the Unlimited (basic) Internet, will WhatsApp work?

Whatsapp works anywhere you have internet. I have been looking at SIM Cards and for Middle East almost no-one covers calls or text but they do give you wifi - That is when I can use WhatsApp - plus on the ship if I want to contact my wife I will use Whatsapp using the ship wifi package I have.

[dmccue]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

If you have a wifi texting application (like Apple iMessage or those mentioned above). iMessage may work connected to the ship's wifi, but not logged on. 

 

Wifi calling may require an upgrade to the basic wifi package included for free. 

Make sure if using iMessage that you have flight mode turned on otherwise your cell provider might charge you for the message.

[phillygwm]

3 hours ago, dmccue said:

Whatsapp works anywhere you have internet. I have been looking at SIM Cards and for Middle East almost no-one covers calls or text but they do give you wifi - That is when I can use WhatsApp - plus on the ship if I want to contact my wife I will use Whatsapp using the ship wifi package I have.

Yeah, I've used it in Europe on land.  Wasn't sure whether the "basic" Internet onboard is sufficient.  Glad to know it is.  The Caribbean countries I'm going to on my next cruise are covered as part of my cell plan but obviously that doesn't cover at sea.

[Sailing12Away]

Unless you have an unlimited (not minutes based) internet plan, I'm not sure how texting to each other with a non-iPhone will work. Sure, you'll log on real quick to the internet to send a message through whattsapp, but the recipient would need to log on as well to receive it. 

 

If you truly want to text each other look into the talk & text package that NCL has. You may be able to upgrade your free minutes to that for a fee, but that may work better than trying to perfectly time both of you logging in just to see if there's a text present or not. Those free minutes go quick.

[cruiseny4life]

I failed to mention that text messages typically took five to ten minutes to arrive on my device after logging into the NCL internet. If that happens on your phone, then just waiting for texts (and not actually being sure they arrived or not) will really chew into your internet minutes.

 

@New2cruise2022, thanks for the fond review! 🙂 

[Grumpella]

I used my free minutes on the Epic last week to use Messenger to stay in contact with my family.  It was only 1 minute every time I sent a message, as I quickly signed out again.