Princess Internet "one device" questions

[dreaminofcruisin]

1 hour 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.

 

Download Whatsapp now before you get on the ship and also have your shipmates do it. Try it out now so you know how to use it before you get on the ship. It's pretty straight-forward.

[coo359a2]

Don't know if I'm missing something  in this discussion, but have an iPhone and with the ship's internet we call, text, Facetime with family/friends back home or with family/friends cruising with us.   Always get a "beep/ring" when text, etc comes in.    Was going to try What's App but no one at home wants to download/use the app. 

[djwool]

Maybe dumb questions but I have to ask. If I place my android phone in airplane mode, turn wifi back on and make certain that wifi calling in on, then I should be able to make and receive calls at no added cost... correct? (We have purchased the wifi package.)

 

Does airplane mode disable standard SMS incoming and outgoing texts? Don't want incoming texts to run up a surprise bill.

[Greytgrey]

8 hours ago, DCThunder said:

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.

So, does the app work on-board independent of purchasing WiFi? I don't need to text anyone, but just in terms of seeing where my kid's medallion is and looking/bookmarking activities, etc.

Thanks everyone for all of the answers and discussion. This is helping me in my decision-making a lot!

[Greytgrey]

6 hours ago, antsp said:

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

Genius brain here! Thanks! We can totally do that.

[t&atravel]

9 minutes ago, Greytgrey said:

So, does the app work on-board independent of purchasing WiFi? I don't need to text anyone, but just in terms of seeing where my kid's medallion is and looking/bookmarking activities, etc.

Yes, you aren’t actually purchasing wifi, but access to the inTERnet. The app works by connecting to the ships inTRAnet. 
 

[t&atravel]

38 minutes ago, djwool said:

Does airplane mode disable standard SMS incoming and outgoing texts? Don't want incoming texts to run up a surprise bill.

Yes.

[t&atravel]

50 minutes ago, coo359a2 said:

Don't know if I'm missing something  in this discussion, but have an iPhone and with the ship's internet we call, text, Facetime with family/friends back home or with family/friends cruising with us.   Always get a "beep/ring" when text, etc comes in.    Was going to try What's App but no one at home wants to download/use the app. 

If you have an iphone you can do all those things with anyone at home or on board who also has an iphone.  If you want to text with someone who uses android you would need to have What’s App and so would the person you’re communicating with.

[antsp]

15 minutes ago, t&atravel said:

If you have an iphone you can do all those things with anyone at home or on board who also has an iphone.  If you want to text with someone who uses android you would need to have What’s App and so would the person you’re communicating with.

Whatsapp is the most popular messaging system in the world, its just not popular in the USA for some reason 

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, coo359a2 said:

Don't know if I'm missing something  in this discussion, but have an iPhone and with the ship's internet we call, text, Facetime with family/friends back home or with family/friends cruising with us.   Always get a "beep/ring" when text, etc comes in.    Was going to try What's App but no one at home wants to download/use the app. 

IDK why they would shy away from that one.  Ask them if they have TikTok on their phones - LOL. 

Anyway, if everyone you want to reach out is on Apple, then fine.  Otherwise, need something else, like Facetime.  You have more flexibility with Internet.  If you do not have internet, then I think Apple iMessage is about it.

[coo359a2]

11 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

IDK why they would shy away from that one.  Ask them if they have TikTok on their phones - LOL. 

Anyway, if everyone you want to reach out is on Apple, then fine.  Otherwise, need something else, like Facetime.  You have more flexibility with Internet.  If you do not have internet, then I think Apple iMessage is about it.

Always have internet but no tik tok. 

[Steelers36]

16 minutes ago, coo359a2 said:

Always have internet but no tik tok. 

That is a good thing I am sure.  Wouldn't let it near my phone.

[brovol]

16 hours 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.

I have android phone, and I can text on ships internet using my standard android messaging.  I can also make phone calls.  No special app required for either.  Enable wifi calling on your settings.

[1965]

44 minutes ago, brovol said:

I have android phone, and I can text on ships internet using my standard android messaging.  I can also make phone calls.  No special app required for either.  Enable wifi calling on your settings.

Without charges, except for the purchase of the medallion net wifi? 

[Treasure Hunter]

Since three of our five ports are US we just have to remember to take off the airplane mode when on land. 

[deltahog]

22 hours ago, t&atravel said:

Do not use your cell service on board $$$$!  

I assume this is not true while on the ship but docked in port, where your phone will find a land-based signal.  Correct?  The ports:

Seattle

Juneau

Ketchikan

Skagway

Vancouver

[Rick&Jeannie]

32 minutes ago, deltahog said:

I assume this is not true while on the ship but docked in port, where your phone will find a land-based signal.  Correct?  The ports:

Seattle

Juneau

Ketchikan

Skagway

Vancouver

Correct. As soon as you get to a port and have access to land based cell signal you can come off of airplane mode. 

[Thrak]

5 hours ago, brovol said:

I have android phone, and I can text on ships internet using my standard android messaging.  I can also make phone calls.  No special app required for either.  Enable wifi calling on your settings.

 

5 hours ago, 1965 said:

Without charges, except for the purchase of the medallion net wifi? 

 

Yes. You have to have a phone that supports WiFi calling. If you have that - and have enabled it - you can make calls while connected to WiFi while data is turned off.

 

Enable Airplane Mode (kills WiFi and data both)

Enable WiFi

Connect to the Internet

Make calls for free

 

To see if your Android phone supports WiFi calling try this:

Open the PHONE app

Open Settings in the app (probably 3 vertical dots)

Look to see if Wi-Fi calling is listed

If it's not listed you can't use it. If it is listed just enable it.

 

Try it out at home using the first set of instructions above. (Don't forget to turn off Airplane Mode after your test.) I don't use WiFi calling at home but will turn it on while on the ship. I rarely make phone calls but it's good to have the ability.

 

 

[Thrak]

3 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Correct. As soon as you get to a port and have access to land based cell signal you can come off of airplane mode. 

Be careful.

 

My wife once assumed she was safe as we were docked in San Francisco. She was standing on our balcony which overlooked the port buildings. She sent some pics an almost immediately got a notice from Verizon that she would be charged a bunch of money. Apparently the ship failed to turn off their system or else turned it on well before the ship left port and she was unknowingly connected to the ship system. Fortunately Verizon was willing to drop the fee. Since then we make very sure we are connected to a land-side tower and not the ship.

[Rick&Jeannie]

7 minutes ago, Thrak said:

Be careful.

 

My wife once assumed she was safe as we were docked in San Francisco. She was standing on our balcony which overlooked the port buildings. She sent some pics an almost immediately got a notice from Verizon that she would be charged a bunch of money. Apparently the ship failed to turn off their system or else turned it on well before the ship left port and she was unknowingly connected to the ship system. Fortunately Verizon was willing to drop the fee. Since then we make very sure we are connected to a land-side tower and not the ship.

Good point! I am guilty of making the assumption that your phone will automatically connect to a land based system...maybe not. (I've never had that happen but it's certainly not impossible.)

[thinfool]

On 9/11/2023 at 2:14 PM, 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.

You can use Signal...written by the same dude as WhatsApp, but he refuses to sell it to you know who.

[NavyVeteran]

2 hours ago, deltahog said:

I assume this is not true while on the ship but docked in port, where your phone will find a land-based signal.  Correct?  The ports:

Seattle

Juneau

Ketchikan

Skagway

Vancouver

Does your plan include Canada? If not, you may want to leave airplane mode on in Vancouver.

[Rick&Jeannie]

For those Android users out there...I've just had a Eureka moment! I've always been scratching my head over people claiming to be able to text on their Android while on board. Well, today I decided to get to the bottom of it. For YEARS I've just been going with the flow in regards to the messaging app that I was using on my Samsung S22 (and 4 prior Samsung phones). Turns out it was the default Samsung "Messages" app. Duh! I just switched over to Google Messages (with RCS) and now I am able to text while on airplane mode!

So...Don't assume that you are using the "best" app as far as what comes with your phone. I had both apps pre-installed...just never realized that there was such a huge difference in capabilities. 

[Greytgrey]

34 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I just switched over to Google Messages (with RCS) and now I am able to text while on airplane mode!

My husband and I exclusively communicate through Google Hangouts/Chat/whatever-it's-called. I have an iPhone, he has an Android, and we both already had Google accounts, so it's the easiest way communicate!

Editing to add: We speak to each other, too! I'm just talking about when we're not in the same room. 🙂

Edited September 12, 2023 by Greytgrey
Ha ha.

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, Greytgrey said:

My husband and I exclusively communicate through Google Hangouts/Chat/whatever-it's-called. I have an iPhone, he has an Android, and we both already had Google accounts, so it's the easiest way communicate!

Editing to add: We speak to each other, too! I'm just talking about when we're not in the same room. 🙂

Do you "discuss" which is better? 😉