Princess Internet "one device" questions

[Greytgrey]

I did a search and didn't come up with anything, so apologies if this has been answered, however...

If you get internet service for one device, is it one device AT A TIME like Netflix, or is it "You signed in with an iPad so that's the only device your internet will work on"?

Also, how reliable is the internet service on-board the ship? I'm leaning toward it not being something I'm willing to pay an extra $100 for, but would love some input.

Thank you!

Laura

[PMGS247]

1 minute ago, Greytgrey said:

I did a search and didn't come up with anything, so apologies if this has been answered, however...

If you get internet service for one device, is it one device AT A TIME like Netflix, or is it "You signed in with an iPad so that's the only device your internet will work on"?

Also, how reliable is the internet service on-board the ship? I'm leaning toward it not being something I'm willing to pay an extra $100 for, but would love some input.

Thank you!

Laura

You can switch between different devices at any time.

 

I'll defer to others who have sailed in the last couple months for speed/reliability as here's been some significant updates. Starlink or something? Last time I sailed in April on the Discovery it was not fast or reliable but I believe that's changed.

[startedwithamouse]

5 minutes ago, Greytgrey said:

I did a search and didn't come up with anything, so apologies if this has been answered, however...

If you get internet service for one device, is it one device AT A TIME like Netflix, or is it "You signed in with an iPad so that's the only device your internet will work on"?

Also, how reliable is the internet service on-board the ship? I'm leaning toward it not being something I'm willing to pay an extra $100 for, but would love some input.

Thank you!

Laura

Yes, one at a time, you can switch between devices.

 

We've streamed and use Facetime with no problem. The only place it gets glitchy is the elevators.

[memoak]

You can switch back and forth between devices. Speed will depend on where you are and what you need to do. All I use it for is checking news, texting friends on ship and email. It works fine for those things but I do not try to download 3 hour movies while on board. I would download things like that before you sail

[1965]

36 minutes ago, memoak said:

You can switch back and forth between devices. Speed will depend on where you are and what you need to do. All I use it for is checking news, texting friends on ship and email. It works fine for those things but I do not try to download 3 hour movies while on board. I would download things like that before you sail

I've had medallion net pkg on last 2 or 3 cruises. I didn't realize I can text someone onboard. On our upcoming June cruise our daughter & sil will cruise with us. If they also have a medallion net pkg how do I text them? Is it done with their cell # like on land? Any info you can provide is very much appreciated. 😊

[DCThunder]

6 minutes ago, 1965 said:

I've had medallion net pkg on last 2 or 3 cruises. I didn't realize I can text someone onboard. On our upcoming June cruise our daughter & sil will cruise with us. If they also have a medallion net pkg how do I text them? Is it done with their cell # like on land? Any info you can provide is very much appreciated. 😊

You can communicate with others aboard either through the app (Shipmate Chat or something like that), or if the other person is also on WiFi the same as you would on land.

 

I was on Island in Norway, Iceland, Greenland in July/August and the internet service was great.  I think Island has upgraded to Starlink (Yay SpaceX and Elon Musk!!!)

[1965]

Thank you DCThunder. My sisters & I used the shipmate chat feature in Feb. The fact that there's no notification when chat messages are sent is a disadvantage. Knowing I can actually text onboard is great news provided the recipients also have medallion net wifi. 😊

[memoak]

1 hour ago, 1965 said:

I've had medallion net pkg on last 2 or 3 cruises. I didn't realize I can text someone onboard. On our upcoming June cruise our daughter & sil will cruise with us. If they also have a medallion net pkg how do I text them? Is it done with their cell # like on land? Any info you can provide is very much appreciated. 😊

We have been doing this for over a year.  Assuming everyone has unlimited texts and on medallion net you can text just like on land. We even use it in the casino when we are at different slots

[Thrak]

Many people here have advised that it is better to use WhatsApp than the built-in messaging service.  In the past we have used the messaging that is included with the Medallion app but, for our upcoming cruises, I have installed WhatsApp on our phones - despite it being a product of an evil empire that I will have nothing to do with in other circumstances.

[shutterbug12]

7 minutes ago, Thrak said:

Many people here have advised that it is better to use WhatsApp than the built-in messaging service.  In the past we have used the messaging that is included with the Medallion app but, for our upcoming cruises, I have installed WhatsApp on our phones - despite it being a product of an evil empire that I will have nothing to do with in other circumstances.

 

If you are looking to avoid any products from WhatsApp's parent company, you can use Signal Messenger, signal.org. It's has end-to-end encryption and is quite secure. I'll let you do your own research on this company, but you will find that they are not owned by any company that relies on data collection for profit.

[1965]

53 minutes ago, Thrak said:

Many people here have advised that it is better to use WhatsApp than the built-in messaging service.  In the past we have used the messaging that is included with the Medallion app but, for our upcoming cruises, I have installed WhatsApp on our phones - despite it being a product of an evil empire that I will have nothing to do with in other circumstances.

I'm out of the loop. Evil empire? 

[Thrak]

30 minutes ago, 1965 said:

I'm out of the loop. Evil empire? 

 

A corporation which it has been decreed is not to be named here.

[t&atravel]

2 hours ago, 1965 said:

I've had medallion net pkg on last 2 or 3 cruises. I didn't realize I can text someone onboard. On our upcoming June cruise our daughter & sil will cruise with us. If they also have a medallion net pkg how do I text them? Is it done with their cell # like on land? Any info you can provide is very much appreciated. 😊

Do not use your cell service on board $$$$!  Whatever texting you do must be able to be done using a wifi signal only (apple device to apple device (no android), what’s app, signal messenger, etc).  

[Rick&Jeannie]

I think *most* people in the previous posts are assuming that everybody is using an iPhone.  Admittedly, iPhone users *do* have an advantage over us "real" phone users (Hah!) in that they only need the internet to text.  Android phones require the actual cellular signal in order to text.  That's why WhatsApp (as referred to by @Thrak)  has become so popular on cruise ships...it uses the internet and using that app you can text, video call and even make phone calls...but the recipients must be using WhatsApp as well.  And as @t&atravel states...you REALLY don't want to activate a cell connection while on a ship!  CRAZY expensive.

[memoak]

3 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I think *most* people in the previous posts are assuming that everybody is using an iPhone.  Admittedly, iPhone users *do* have an advantage over us "real" phone users (Hah!) in that they only need the internet to text.  Android phones require the actual cellular signal in order to text.  That's why WhatsApp (as referred to by @Thrak)  has become so popular on cruise ships...it uses the internet and using that app you can text, video call and even make phone calls...but the recipients must be using WhatsApp as well.  And as @t&atravel states...you REALLY don't want to activate a cell connection while on a ship!  CRAZY expensive.

Agreed stay on ship Wi-Fi to avoid charges. All of my traveling party ate on I phones with unlimited texting so we do not incur any extra charges. 

[antsp]

If you are together, just switch tethering on, and then you can have as many devices at once connected

[1965]

Just to make sure I understand- I have an android so I would need whatsapp in order to text onboard without charges, even if I'm connected to wifi with medallion net. If no whatsapp then I should stick to shipmate chat.

[Rick&Jeannie]

2 minutes ago, 1965 said:

Just to make sure I understand- I have an android so I would need whatsapp in order to text onboard without charges, even if I'm connected to wifi with medallion net. If no whatsapp then I should stick to shipmate chat.

Anybody that you wish to "text" with (using WhatsApp) will also need to have WhatsApp.  Advantage is that you will get your "normal" audible alerts when you receive an incoming communication with WhatsApp.

[Rick&Jeannie]

5 minutes ago, 1965 said:

Just to make sure I understand- I have an android so I would need whatsapp in order to text onboard without charges, even if I'm connected to wifi with medallion net. If no whatsapp then I should stick to shipmate chat.

Using the term "text" with WhatsApp is a bit of a misnomer.  You're not using your "normal" texting app...WhatsApp has a similar built-in function which serves the same purpose...but you will need the internet package plan to use WhatsApp.

Edited September 11, 2023 by Rick&Jeannie

[Treasure Hunter]

On board Emerald now and WiFi has been great

[Steelers36]

3 hours ago, 1965 said:

I've had medallion net pkg on last 2 or 3 cruises. I didn't realize I can text someone onboard. On our upcoming June cruise our daughter & sil will cruise with us. If they also have a medallion net pkg how do I text them? Is it done with their cell # like on land? Any info you can provide is very much appreciated. 😊

WHATSAPP.  If everyone has iPhones, you can use iMessage without MedallionNet apparently (could be device model dependent - IDK as I don't do Apple products).  Otherwise, you do not do cell SMS because that will cost a fortune at sea.

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, shutterbug12 said:

 

If you are looking to avoid any products from WhatsApp's parent company, you can use Signal Messenger, signal.org. It's has end-to-end encryption and is quite secure. I'll let you do your own research on this company, but you will find that they are not owned by any company that relies on data collection for profit.

BUT, to get everyone you know to change over is huge.  Plus so many travel tour providers also use WA and it is so much easier to reach them this way to talk/text about tours.  If you only use ship tours then it wouldn't matter.

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, 1965 said:

I'm out of the loop. Evil empire? 

Zuckerberg.

[Thrak]

33 minutes ago, 1965 said:

Just to make sure I understand- I have an android so I would need whatsapp in order to text onboard without charges, even if I'm connected to wifi with medallion net. If no whatsapp then I should stick to shipmate chat.

 

Not exactly. You can use the function that is built into the Medallion app. The downside is that there is no notification so one has to actually check to see if there is a message.

[Steelers36]

45 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I think *most* people in the previous posts are assuming that everybody is using an iPhone.

I would not assume that.  There are more Android phones in use than Apple.  But the ones claiming to text would have to be on Apple, or have large pockets of cash.