GeorgiaMomof4 Posted August 8, 2023 #1 Share Posted August 8, 2023 Sailing on the Sunshine and will need to be able to actually call home and talk to my kids. My cell service is with AT&T. Our only port is Half Moon Cay. Will I be able to use Facebook Messenger audio call if I have the Wi-Fi package? Any tips or recommendations? Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Beach Bum Posted August 8, 2023 #2 Share Posted August 8, 2023 We have AT&T. If you and your kids both have iPhones you will be able to FaceTime them. This has been our experience. I’ve never used fb messenger on a cruise. With iPhones on both ends you can also use use iMessage without additional charges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stick93 Posted August 8, 2023 #3 Share Posted August 8, 2023 With wifi calling I always make calls on the ship. I have AT&T - no issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Beach Bum Posted August 8, 2023 #4 Share Posted August 8, 2023 8 hours ago, Stick93 said: With wifi calling I always make calls on the ship. I have AT&T - no issues. How long ago was that? We haven’t been able to use WiFi calling in a few years. No problem with face time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar1068 Posted August 8, 2023 #5 Share Posted August 8, 2023 9 hours ago, Stick93 said: With wifi calling I always make calls on the ship. I have AT&T - no issues. When did Carnival start allowing wifi calling? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray98 Posted August 8, 2023 #6 Share Posted August 8, 2023 I will add myself to the list....wifi calling has NEVER worked on Carnival in my experience. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennythenose Posted August 8, 2023 #7 Share Posted August 8, 2023 (edited) We get the middle Wi-Fi package and I’ve been able to use FB Messenger and FaceTime with my son. We both have iPhones. A few times the signal was weak and the call dropped but it usually worked. ETA: my first time to use it was Feb. 2020 and most recently last month. Edited August 8, 2023 by lennythenose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pe4all Posted August 8, 2023 #8 Share Posted August 8, 2023 Have never had any luck with wifi calling on the ships with ATT. We get the international day pass - use it when at port and never had an issue. $10 for 24 hours. If I had to make a call when on the ship it was $1.99 a minute. Used our obc to cover the quick calls we had to make. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stick93 Posted August 8, 2023 #9 Share Posted August 8, 2023 9 hours ago, Colorado Beach Bum said: How long ago was that? We haven’t been able to use WiFi calling in a few years. No problem with face time. 8 hours ago, bar1068 said: When did Carnival start allowing wifi calling? When I was on sunrise 2019 and Magic 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mz-s Posted August 8, 2023 #10 Share Posted August 8, 2023 FaceTime Audio/Facebook Messenger should work via the Social wifi plan. You can contact AT&T or look on their website for information on roaming rates if you use Cellular at Sea to make a traditional phone call while onboard or ashore. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar1068 Posted August 8, 2023 #11 Share Posted August 8, 2023 20 minutes ago, Stick93 said: When I was on sunrise 2019 and Magic 2022 Interesting. I’ve been on 8 cruises since the restart and except for the Harmony of Seas, where wifi did work, I like others posting here have not been able to use wifi calling on Carnival. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgiaMomof4 Posted August 8, 2023 Author #12 Share Posted August 8, 2023 Thank you everyone! I think I'll get the medium package and hope that FaceTime works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mz-s Posted August 8, 2023 #13 Share Posted August 8, 2023 7 minutes ago, bar1068 said: Interesting. I’ve been on 8 cruises since the restart and except for the Harmony of Seas, where wifi did work, I like others posting here have not been able to use wifi calling on Carnival. Yeah Carnival explicitly blocks carrier-based Wifi calling. It does not work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakeT Posted August 9, 2023 #14 Share Posted August 9, 2023 With the middle WiFi. Plan. You, should, depending on WiFi gods. Make phone calls. Always could make them. May not work but you Waite a hour then it works. You can do Facebook, iMessage ( all WiFi not data) to communicate. You can set up codes. Blue is all ok. Red call rect. “. The water is blue today”. All ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennas_mum Posted August 9, 2023 #15 Share Posted August 9, 2023 We cruised last month on The Legend and periodically a text would come thru from an iphone. Most of the time though we were not able to text. We did not get any wifi packages. Not sure why sometimes it came thru and the other times it didn't. We just made sure we were on airplane mode. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stick93 Posted August 9, 2023 #16 Share Posted August 9, 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, bar1068 said: Interesting. I’ve been on 8 cruises since the restart and except for the Harmony of Seas, where wifi did work, I like others posting here have not been able to use wifi calling on Carnival. If you get best plan - WhatsApp calling also works. Edited August 9, 2023 by Stick93 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Beach Bum Posted August 9, 2023 #17 Share Posted August 9, 2023 1 hour ago, jennas_mum said: We cruised last month on The Legend and periodically a text would come thru from an iphone. Most of the time though we were not able to text. We did not get any wifi packages. Not sure why sometimes it came thru and the other times it didn't. We just made sure we were on airplane mode. iMessage seems to work when on carnival WiFi without paying for a plan. It seems hit or miss but we’ve had no problem sending texts the last few cruises. So much so, that it’s more reliable than the $5 chat plan they offer to those on the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VIFP1987 Posted August 9, 2023 #18 Share Posted August 9, 2023 AT&T offers 2 cruise plans. You need to call them to have them add it to your account. $50- unlimited texting and 50 minutes of calling $100- unlimited texting and unlimited calling The $100 plan also includes minimal internet service. I’m not sure about the $50 plan. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplelife Posted August 10, 2023 #19 Share Posted August 10, 2023 Thanks, I'll check into that. Cheaper than buying WI Fi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheckersMidwest Posted August 11, 2023 #20 Share Posted August 11, 2023 I will need to check in at home too. Usually we are disconnected while on vacation but this time our daughter is pregnant and I'll need to check in or they will need to get a hold of us in an emergency. I am aware of the International Day Plan through ATT. Used it in Europe last summer & worked great. On the ship.....if I do the wifi plan & use Facetime or messenger video chat........how do I do that? Is the phone still on airplane mode? Same to text another iphone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prometheus1 Posted August 11, 2023 #21 Share Posted August 11, 2023 I had Carnival's wifi for my TA on the Celebration last November and was able to do wifi calling through Google Meet- spoke with DH almost every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vacruisin Posted August 11, 2023 #22 Share Posted August 11, 2023 (edited) On 8/8/2023 at 9:33 PM, jennas_mum said: We cruised last month on The Legend and periodically a text would come thru from an iphone. Most of the time though we were not able to text. We did not get any wifi packages. Not sure why sometimes it came thru and the other times it didn't. We just made sure we were on airplane mode. Same thing happened on my January cruise on the Celebration. We didn't have the WiFi plan and our phones were on airplane mode but out of the blue text messages started coming in from a Cowboys fans text group I'm in while I was sitting in the back of the ship watching the Cowboys/Bucs playoff game. I'd never received a text while on a cruise so wifey glared at me because she thought I'd taken my phone off airplane mode! lol Turns out it was just a random spot out at sea where text came through even while on airplane mode. I was actually able to text back during that brief time (about 30 minutes). Edited August 11, 2023 by vacruisin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Beach Bum Posted August 11, 2023 #23 Share Posted August 11, 2023 56 minutes ago, CheckersMidwest said: I will need to check in at home too. Usually we are disconnected while on vacation but this time our daughter is pregnant and I'll need to check in or they will need to get a hold of us in an emergency. I am aware of the International Day Plan through ATT. Used it in Europe last summer & worked great. On the ship.....if I do the wifi plan & use Facetime or messenger video chat........how do I do that? Is the phone still on airplane mode? Same to text another iphone? Yes. If you and person you are calling both have iPhones you can iMessage or FaceTime while connected to ships WiFi AND on airplane mode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now