Hub App on Device without Cellular Plan

[MistyRo76]

Question - we are taking our daughter on a cruise this fall. She does not have her own phone yet but would like to be able to message with her while at kids camp or if we give her a little freedom or if she’s not with us for any other reason. We have an old iPhone that isn’t hooked up to a cell plan any longer. If we connect it to the ship’s WiFi could she access the messaging system thru the hub app on that phone? Sorry…maybe a dumb question but I am not very technologically savvy! Lol 

[dallasdan]

Yes, you don't need a plan.  You will have to pay $5 per person for the hub app chat feature to work.  this is $5 per cruise.  Please note, the notifications sometimes lag and you don't see you received a message right away.  But on my last 2 cruises the I message feature worked without paying for the wifi plan.  put her phone on airplane mode and connect to Carnival wifi and try texting first.  I phone to I phone 

[shof515]

wifi is all you needed and the app works without internet

[weezal]

before you go, make sure carnival app is supported on the old iphone (try to install)

[ProgRockCruiser]

On 3/17/2023 at 9:07 AM, shof515 said:

wifi is all you needed and the app works without internet

Indeed. But:

On 3/17/2023 at 1:00 PM, weezal said:

before you go, make sure carnival app is supported on the old iphone (try to install)

This.  If the "old iPhone" is last year's model, then you'll be fine.  If the old phone is like my old phone (because I keep my phones for 4 years, generally) then it might not support the app any more.  I have Android devices though - not sure how Apple's iOS stuff works regarding long-term compatibility.

[dallasdan]

Let me clarify.  The app works without purchasing the internet plan.  You still have to connect to Carnival wifi internet.  Make sure you are on airplane mode.

[mz-s]

Cellular connectivity is absolutely immaterial for the Hub app to work. Indeed, Carnival (and pretty much everyone else) recommends you leave your device in airplane mode while onboard so it won't connect to the cellular network at all.