QQ : NCL Messaging Service and any Tips on Transportation

[Stella3882]

Hey!

 

Two quick questions I'm hoping more seasoned cruise travelers can help me out on please!

 

Taking the NCL Breakaway cruise in Sept 1. I see a lot of folks talking about an inboard messaging app? Curious if anyone had any info on it? I don't see a thing in the NCL app itself but then I thought maybe it won't appear until after check in? 

 

Other random question is does anyone have any best practices for transport to the Manhattan terminal in terms of shuttle service they have used coming from NJ? 

[1025cruise]

For you second question, you should ask on the east coast departures board.

 

 For the first, cruise line app messaging tends to be hit or miss, it doesn’t matter which line.

[mjkacmom]

We live in NJ, haven’t heard about a shuttle, we drive or Uber to the MCT (both cost around the same). ETA you pay for that part of the app and you can message on the ship.

Edited July 2 by mjkacmom

[mking8288]

Messaging app is $10 per device 2 or more to contact each other also registered n activated, you'll see this onboard once connected to ship's WiFi inTRAnet.

 

[sanger727]

We have used the messaging app and it's only ok. Nowhere near as reliable as SMS or imessage. But the price is significantly cheaper than paying for cell service or internet. Each person who wants to be able to message has to purchase the $10 package.  It just goes phone to phone within the ship, doesn't communicate out to other people. 

[lax19]

IPhone to iPhone text messaging works without having to get the messaging package ( at least it did on my last NCL Cruise).

 

Place phone in airplane mode and connect to ships Wi-Fi ( but do not log in).

 

Works like regular texting with alerts. We were also able to sent text messages to family back home.

 

if you have iPhones, try this before spending money on the NCL messaging app.

[Turtles06]

On 7/2/2024 at 9:38 AM, mking8288 said:

Messaging app is $10 per device 2 or more to contact each other also registered n activated, you'll see this onboard once connected to ship's WiFi inTRAnet.

When using the texting feature, does the recipient of the text get any sort of alert that a new text has come in? (I know on some cruise line apps there’s no alert, you have to check periodically to see if you’ve received any messages.)

 

Also, can you text more than one person at the same time (assuming of course that they’ve paid for and activated the messaging app)?

 

Thanks! 

[mking8288]

2 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

When using the texting feature, does the recipient of the text get any sort of alert that a new text has come in? ... can you text more than one person at the same time (assuming of course that they’ve paid for and activated the messaging app)?

Hi, Judith ... as best as I can remember as it was from late 2022, the NCL App messaging function did NOT have an alert of message arrival to prompt you to check & read the message.  As a result, you have to go to the app & check it once in a while.  I don't believe anything has changed since ... or else, NCL would be bragging about it.  

 

I recalled someone else from the roll call using it for their group messaging, with everyone paying for the access & joining the "pool" list.  Probably like most text messaging app, use a semicolon to separate the intended receiving party's extension (or name) - compose the message and then "Send" 

 

I think one of the solo cruiser was using the app among her group of posse during this May's TA onboard the Prima, tagging her & see if @Sugar Magnolia can help you with this.

 

 

Screenshot of the App from the Prima, "enabled" once connected to ship's free WiFi inTRAnet.  Best regards & wishes - Henry a/k/a mking8288

 

Edited July 15 by mking8288

[Turtles06]

27 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Best regards & wishes - Henry a/k/a mking8288

Huge thanks, Henry. Much appreciated!  We’ll be traveling with a bunch of friends next year and I’m starting to look into the best way for everyone to be able to keep in touch on board. 
 

Thanks again,

Judith 

[Sugar Magnolia]

1 hour ago, Turtles06 said:

Huge thanks, Henry. Much appreciated!  We’ll be traveling with a bunch of friends next year and I’m starting to look into the best way for everyone to be able to keep in touch on board.

 

Yes, as @mking8288 mentioned, my posse and I all signed up for the $10 NCL app messaging function and it worked well for us on our recent Prima TA, especially since some members did not have unlimited WIFI. It was the best way for our group to make plans for meals, entertainment, pickleball tournaments and Monopoly showdowns. We were also able to make calls to each other, and send and receive photos through the app which became a hilarious game of "Where am I now?"

 

You can sign up for the messaging function after logging into the ship's INTRAnet. Group chats can be set up so that everyone is on the same page. Unfortunately, the app does not alert you when you have received a text so you would have to check the app every so often for text messages; there is an indicator on the Message icon when you have received a text.

 

If everyone in the group has unlimited WIFI, WhatsApp is the best texting platform for both Apple and Android users alike. Some prefer to text using FB Messenger but not everyone has a FB account.

 

On my most recent cruise on the Joy, Apple to Apple iMessaging  did not work unless we were using either the FAS free minutes or the paid WIFI, i.e., the loophole, which previously allowed Apple users to text other Apple users without using FAS or paid WIFI, was closed...at least on the Joy.

 

[Turtles06]

5 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

Yes, as @mking8288 mentioned, my posse and I all signed up for the $10 NCL app messaging function and it worked well for us on our recent Prima TA, especially since some members did not have unlimited WIFI. It was the best way for our group to make plans for meals, entertainment, pickleball tournaments and Monopoly showdowns. We were also able to make calls to each other, and send and receive photos through the app which became a hilarious game of "Where am I now?"

 

Thank you SO much for all of your information.  It's exactly what I was looking for.  We'll be traveling with a mixed group of cruising vets and newbies, I suspect some will have unlimited WiFi, some won't, and I'm trying to make it as easy as possible for us all to stay in touch, make plans for meals as you mentioned, etc.  The app sounds like the way to go, especially with the chat feature.  (Is that different from having a group text?  In other words, can you send a text to all of the members of the group, or is that the same as the chat?)

 

When getting ready to use the app, is it difficult to differentiate between the ship's INTRAnet used for the app, and the INTERnet used for FAS WiFi minutes and additional paid-for minutes?  (We'll probably have some folks not as "comfortable" with tech as others.  🙂 )

 

Thanks for mentioning the closed loophole for iPhone to iPhone texting.  I've read that elsewhere and won't plan on it (especially since I suspect some of our group won't have Apple devices).

 

Thanks again!  And @mking8288, Henry, thank you for tagging @Sugar Magnolia for the assist!

 

Judith

[Sugar Magnolia]

27 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

Thank you SO much for all of your information.  It's exactly what I was looking for.

 

It was my pleasure. Please let me know if anything is unclear.

 

When everyone is on board and ready to sign up for the messaging app, perhaps it might be helpful if the group met in the Internet Cafe area in case help is needed.

 

37 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

I suspect some will have unlimited WiFi, some won't, and I'm trying to make it as easy as possible for us all to stay in touch

 

Yes, the NCL $10 messaging app is the best option to stay in touch if not everyone in your group will have unlimited Wi-Fi.

 

40 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

The app sounds like the way to go, especially with the chat feature.  (Is that different from having a group text?  In other words, can you send a text to all of the members of the group, or is that the same as the chat?)

 

A group chat is the same thing as a group text. You can send a text to the group, to a sub group (like your immediate family members or cabin mates) or to an individual.

 

Prior to sailing, be sure everyone in the group has downloaded the NCL app on their phones and are able to log into their NCL accounts.

 

When the group is on board and ready to sign up for the messaging app...

-under Settings on the phone, turn on Airplane Mode

-also under Settings look for the name of the ship's Wi-Fi network and click on it to use the ship's INTRAnet

-go to the NCL app which will direct you to log on with your NCL credentials

-sign up for the $10 Phone and Messenger Package

 

Once you purchase the $10 package, you can start adding members of your group to your Contacts section of the app. Everyone is assigned a unique onboard number which you will find under Contacts. Once you add everyone's onboard numbers to your Contacts, you can start texting them individually or create group chats. 

 

1 hour ago, Turtles06 said:

When getting ready to use the app, is it difficult to differentiate between the ship's INTRAnet used for the app, and the INTERnet used for FAS WiFi minutes and additional paid-for minutes?

 

In order to use the INTERnet (FAS minutes or paid minutes), you must click on "Internet" from the NCL app and log on. And most importantly, for those who do not have unlimited Wi-Fi and are only using the FAS minutes, they must remember to log off from the Internet or else those precious minutes will continue to be depleted.

 

Miscellaneous mentions...

 

-Wait until some time after 1:00 PM to switch over to the ship's INTRAnet. More often than not, I am unable to use the NCL onboard app until later in the afternoon when the system kicks in for the new sailing.

 

-As with all technology, the NCL onboard app can be temperamental. Depending on where you will be sailing, the app might not be working at times, though it was always only temporary for us.

 

-Sometimes the system inexplicably kicks you off the network, so you have to go back to your phone's Setting, click on the ship's Wi-Fi network and log back onto the NCL onboard app to get back onto the INTRAnet so that you can use the messaging function again.

 

-When all else fails, simply turn your phone off and on to reboot and start over. I find myself having to do this when returning to the ship after using the local cellular service when ashore.

 

For more information here is the link to the NCL FAQ section regarding Mobile Apps:

https://www.ncl.com/apps

 

 

[Turtles06]

8 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

Once you purchase the $10 package, you can start adding members of your group to your Contacts section of the app. Everyone is assigned a unique onboard number which you will find under Contacts. Once you add everyone's onboard numbers to your Contacts, you can start texting them individually or create group chats. 

Thanks so much for the great tutorial and advice! One question about the above — when you say “everyone is assigned a unique onboard number which you will find under Contacts,” who is the “everyone” to whom you refer? All guests on the ship? Only people whose onboard numbers you have permission (some how) to see? Sorry to be confused here. 

[Sugar Magnolia]

22 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

Thanks so much for the great tutorial and advice! One question about the above — when you say “everyone is assigned a unique onboard number which you will find under Contacts,” who is the “everyone” to whom you refer? All guests on the ship? Only people whose onboard numbers you have permission (some how) to see? Sorry to be confused here. 

 

Under Contacts, you will initially only see your own onboard number. Your traveling companions will need to add your onboard number to their Contacts section so that they can start texting you, or vice versa.

 

You will only see the onboard numbers of those you have added to Contacts.

 

 

Edited July 15 by Sugar Magnolia

[Turtles06]

8 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

Under Contacts, you will initially only see your own onboard number. Your traveling companions will need to add your onboard number to their Contacts section so that they can start texting you, or vice versa.

 

You will only see the onboard numbers of those you have added to Contacts.

 

 

Got it, thanks so much!

[back2cruising1]

I see in the image above that you can use CC for free (presumably does not use your WiFi minutes). Is there something special you have to do to make sure it won't eat up your WiFi minutes if you go on the websites that are free, or will it automatically not count those toward your minutes?

[mking8288]

7 hours ago, back2cruising1 said:

 ... Is there something special you have to do to make sure it won't eat up your WiFi minutes if you go on the websites that are free, or will it automatically not count those toward your minutes?

Assuming you are being limited to your "free" or limited WiFi minutes under FAS, you can stay connected to ship's basic WiFi inTRAnet only at all times to access functions on the NCL App, check your onboard account balance (daily, as I strongly recommend) and read the digital version of FSD, etc.  You can access those free external websites free, including CC (best to log into your CC account, of course - will be slow & sluggish at times)

 

When you wish to connect to other external websites or the inTERnet, you must sign-in and connect with your "credentials" to be given access, and the "metering" start/resume, until you properly sign-out and log-off.  When you are properly signed out, stopping the "clock" or usage meter, the number of remaining minutes will be shown on your device's screen. 

 

NCL's systems/servers does NOT know and/or automatically count your "minutes" used to differentiate free access vs. "billable" use.  

 

There will be a mini printed guide that you can pickup at the iCafe, as procedures might vary slightly for different NCL ships.  Within the printed FSD, there is also a QR code that explain how to sign-in properly (and, most important, sign-out ... to stop the "meter" or countdown of remaining minutes.)  

 

Sample illustration from the Prima below ... 

When in doubt and if you aren't sure, feel free to join the queue to see the iCafe manager for help during her/his posted office hours for assistance.  

 

 

Edited July 16 by mking8288

[back2cruising1]

3 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Assuming you are being limited to your "free" or limited WiFi minutes under FAS, you can stay connected to ship's basic WiFi inTRAnet only at all times to access functions on the NCL App, check your onboard account balance (daily, as I strongly recommend) and read the digital version of FSD, etc.  You can access those free external websites free, including CC (best to log into your CC account, of course - will be slow & sluggish at times)

 

When you wish to connect to other external websites or the inTERnet, you must sign-in and connect with your "credentials" to be given access, and the "metering" start/resume, until you properly sign-out and log-off.  When you are properly signed out, stopping the "clock" or usage meter, the number of remaining minutes will be shown on your device's screen. 

 

NCL's systems/servers does NOT know and/or automatically count your "minutes" used to differentiate free access vs. "billable" use.  

 

There will be a mini printed guide that you can pickup at the iCafe, as procedures might vary slightly for different NCL ships.  Within the printed FSD, there is also a QR code that explain how to sign-in properly (and, most important, sign-out ... to stop the "meter" or countdown of remaining minutes.)  

 

Sample illustration from the Prima below ... 

When in doubt and if you aren't sure, feel free to join the queue to see the iCafe manager for help during her/his posted office hours for assistance.  

 

 

This is very helpful, thank you!