Phone/Internet question

[Reijo]

I always purchase the basic Internet package on my RCCL cruises.  With this purchase I can make phone calls at no charge.  Does the same work on Celebrity?  If I purchase the basic package, can I make phone calls also?  Appreciate your help.

[ymncruise]

I could only make wifi calls with the upgraded package. 

[twincheryl]

Have cruised both RC and Celebrity with basic package and have never been able to make phone calls unless it was wifi calling, which comes with many US phone plans and/or phones.  If you’re in port… yes… with Verizon the int’l plan is only $10/day… some are free int’l…

[CaribbeanBound]

Verizon Int'l plan is $10/day almost everywhere except Mexico and Canada where it's $5/day.  Of course it's free with some plans.  If you are being charged, it's per 24-hour period that starts when you activate a local connection.  If you keep your phone on airplane mode and wifi you will not be charged.  Note that when on the ship, the ship's connection takes over and you will be charged higher rates for cellular service.  The Verizon rates are land based only.

[cruisestitch]

On 8/18/2023 at 8:33 AM, Reijo said:

I always purchase the basic Internet package on my RCCL cruises.  With this purchase I can make phone calls at no charge.  Does the same work on Celebrity?  If I purchase the basic package, can I make phone calls also?  Appreciate your help.

Probably not.  Most people find that they must upgrade the wifi in order to use “calling over wifi”.

[Reijo]

10 hours ago, twincheryl said:

Have cruised both RC and Celebrity with basic package and have never been able to make phone calls unless it was wifi calling, which comes with many US phone plans and/or phones.  If you’re in port… yes… with Verizon the int’l plan is only $10/day… some are free int’l…

I had NEVER made phone calls at sea until about two years ago when an RCCL employee was helping me set up my Wifi.  She mentioned that I could now make calls!!!  I questioned her and said that I wasn't interested in paying to make phone calls, I only wanted the basic internet package.  She assured me that phone calls were included.  I asked for her name in case I got home and had charges which I did not.  (This was on a Bermuda sailing).  On my next cruises, I verified again that I could make calls with the basic package and was told "yes"!  Again, no charges on my AT&T bill.  Was is WiFi calling????  I have no clue, don't know much about WiFi calling or how you do it.  All I was told was that I could call as normal, which I did (as well as received calls) a number of times daily.

 

Edited August 19, 2023 by Reijo

[NutsAboutGolf]

Basic:  You CANNOT make or receive native phone calls, you can use third party apps like WhatsApp or Facebook for calls yet if someone calls your phone number, your phone won't even ring

Premium:  You can make or receive native phone calls

[Alakegirl]

23 minutes ago, Reijo said:

I had NEVER made phone calls at sea until about two years ago when an RCCL employee was helping me set up my Wifi.  She mentioned that I could now make calls!!!  I questioned her and said that I wasn't interested in paying to make phone calls, I only wanted the basic internet package.  She assured me that phone calls were included.  I asked for her name in case I got home and had charges which I did not.  (This was on a Bermuda sailing).  On my next cruises, I verified again that I could make calls with the basic package and was told "yes"!  Again, no charges on my AT&T bill.  Was is WiFi calling????  I have no clue, don't know much about WiFi calling or how you do it.  All I was told was that I could call as normal, which I did (as well as received calls) a number of times daily.

 

Yes, that was Wi-Fi calling 

[Reijo]

1 hour ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Basic:  You CANNOT make or receive native phone calls, you can use third party apps like WhatsApp or Facebook for calls yet if someone calls your phone number, your phone won't even ring

Premium:  You can make or receive native phone calls

Not familiar with the term "Native" calls.  As I've said...I could dial out (as I do at home) and receive calls (as I do at home).  The employee just told me you can make phone calls....whether they are native or wifi....I don't know.  I only know that I did make/receive calls on the BASIC package....three times at no cost on my phone bill!

Edited August 19, 2023 by Reijo

[NutsAboutGolf]

5 minutes ago, Reijo said:

Not familiar with the term "Native" calls.  As I've said...I could dial out (as I do at home) and receive calls (as I do at home).  The employee just told me you can make phone calls....whether they are native or wifi....I don't know.  I only know that I did make/receive calls on the BASIC package....three times at no cost on my phone bill!

 

On Celebrity you'll need premium for phone calls

 

Native = Regular calls which includes wi-fi calls.  3rd party calls = whatsapp, FB, etc.  Some claimed to have the Basic and were able to "make phone calls" only to later discover they did so over Whatsapp which is obviously a different kind of phone call.  It's called "native" because when you first buy a phone, only the phone app is loaded; 3rd party apps that can make calls won't be loaded onto the phone yet

[cruisestitch]

57 minutes ago, Reijo said:

Not familiar with the term "Native" calls.  As I've said...I could dial out (as I do at home) and receive calls (as I do at home).  The employee just told me you can make phone calls....whether they are native or wifi....I don't know.  I only know that I did make/receive calls on the BASIC package....three times at no cost on my phone bill!

That was on Royal, yes? On Celebrity you would need premium internet.

[Reijo]

6 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

That was on Royal, yes? On Celebrity you would need premium internet.

Thank you so much for your response, yes my experiences have been on Royal.  This was exactly what I needed to know.  I appreciate your response.

Edited August 20, 2023 by Reijo

[Jim_Iain]

My experience has been that if you put your phone on Airplane Mode and enable WiFi calling my iPhone both receives calls and I can make calls using the Premium Wifi.     I have also used a couple 3rd party apps that enable Wifi Calling.      I've also used Zoom and Facetime.

 

It is important unless you have a separate plan via you carrier to use Telephone at sea that you make sure your phone is in airplane mode or you may come home to a big surprise on your next pone bill.

[rdaniel]

I was on Silhouette this winter and found the basic wifi worthless, maybe ok for text emails but graphics on emails did not load.  I upgraded. I have had the premium wifi in the past and was able to make wifi call on the ship.  I like being able to call my wife onboard if we are not together.

 

[lostchild]

Last year, wifi calling was blocked (by ports blocking) on E class "basic" or "surf" internet pacakge.   It was working on S class "basic" or "surf" internet pacakge.   Wifi calling always work on "stream" or "premium" package as far as I know on all ships.   

[SandyPickle]

So without paying for an Internet plan, we can still use the X app, but I also heard using apps like whatsapp was also free. Can someone recently on Equinox please verify? 

[Wulfwyn]

Just got off the Eclipse, learned you have to upgrade to premium to see or post on Instagram.   On basic plan, I could not send or receive texts.  That was only on the premium plan.

Wulfwyn 

[SoloAlaska]

On 8/21/2023 at 10:10 PM, SandyPickle said:

So without paying for an Internet plan, we can still use the X app, but I also heard using apps like whatsapp was also free. Can someone recently on Equinox please verify? 

WhatsApp requires at least the basic plan which is included in AI

[terrydtx]

On the Equinox in June with the new Starlink system we found making both voice (Wi-Fi calling) and video calls only worked with the premium Wi-Fi and it was so much better than the old systems. We also were able to receive incoming calls too.

Edited August 23, 2023 by terrydtx