Premium WiFi Question - Specifically on Beyond

[horseymike]

Hello Everyone,

I am a bit rusty on the Premium Wifi capabilities on the Beyond as I have yet to cruise the Edge class ships.

Does Premium WiFi facilitate both texting and calls from outside of the ship ? Or just texting ?
Thanks in advance for your replies.

[leaveitallbehind]

Don't know why Beyond would be any different than any other ship, but when set in WiFi calling mode on Eclipse last month with the Premium package all calls incoming and outgoing could be made as well as texts.  That is one of the primary reasons we choose the Premium package is to facilitate phone calls and texts from home.  You just have to have it set in airplane mode with WiFi calling enabled once connected to the ship WiFi.

Edited July 30 by leaveitallbehind

[horseymike]

4 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Don't know why Beyond would be any different than any other ship, but when set in WiFi calling mode on Eclipse last month with the Premium package all calls incoming and outgoing could be made as well as texts.  That is one of the primary reasons we choose the Premium package is to facilitate phone calls and texts from home.  You just have to have it set in airplane mode with WiFi calling enabled once connected to the ship WiFi.

Thanks.

I was not sure if the WiFi was any different on the different classes of ships.

[leaveitallbehind]

Just now, horseymike said:

Thanks.

I was not sure if the WiFi was any different on the different classes of ships.

I get it and have not been on "E" class ships yet.  But I can't imagine it would be any different.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[Jim_Iain]

The WiFi works the same on all ships M, S and E.   With the Classic you can make WiFi Calls, Facetime Calls, What's App calls.   You can not stream and many experience trouble with CruiseCritic due to its data usage.

 

With Premium You can stream, upload photos and most anything.   CruiseCritics works fine.

 

Not quite sure what you men by - Does Premium WiFi facilitate both texting and calls from outside of the ship ?

 

If you are asking whether you can use the Premium WiFi when not on the ship -- the answer is no.  It will only work when connected to the wifi on the ship. 

 

If you are asking whether you can call, text ect to other who are off the ship,  that is yes. 

[Stem to Stern]

Thank you!!  I had no idea regular calls could be made on the ship’s WiFi with the correct settings enabled.  Can incoming calls be received as well?

[jwlane]

42 minutes ago, Stem to Stern said:

Thank you!!  I had no idea regular calls could be made on the ship’s WiFi with the correct settings enabled.  Can incoming calls be received as well?

It's WiFi calling---in and out.

[canderson]

1 hour ago, Stem to Stern said:

Thank you!!  I had no idea regular calls could be made on the ship’s WiFi with the correct settings enabled.  Can incoming calls be received as well?

Probably, though there are a handful of carriers that don't play the game well.

 

RECEIVING texts and calls by WiFi when someone uses your phone number isn't an entirely trivial thing.

 

Understand that when someone tries to call or text to your phone number in a normal cellular environment, the only way you can be found is because your phone has been regularly reporting itself to local cell towers wherever you are.  The system needs that information to route the call to the appropriate tower.

 

Something similar in concept but very different in execution has to happen when you are using WiFi to make that phone connection.  Your carrier, who is the authority for your phone number and its current location, has to be willing to keep a record of where you are in the great world of the internet in order to route calls TO you aboard the ship.  That means that your phone, when connected to shipboard internet services, needs to regularly report to your home carrier where you are (IP address of the local WiFi you're using), and the carrier needs to keep track of that information if it wants to route texts and calls to you when someone uses your phone number to make contact. 

 

In short, somebody has to keep a record that ties your phone number to the WiFi IP address to which you are connected -- all so they can find you when they want to make the connection via text or voice.

 

Most do a great job of this.  But not all.

 

 

[keesar]

Another factor to consider is your location.  We had Premium and in certain areas of the Caribbean I could not do FaceTime or even send photos.  In other areas, no problem.  

[DaKahuna]

9 hours ago, Stem to Stern said:

Thank you!!  I had no idea regular calls could be made on the ship’s WiFi with the correct settings enabled.  Can incoming calls be received as well?

 

 You need to make sure that your carrier supports WiFi calling and that they have enabled it for your phone account.  Many carriers have this as a feature but require the customer to request that it be enabled. 

 

 I recommend you test this at home before boarding the ship.  You can do this by putting your phone in Airplane mode, enabling WiFi, (if you are using an iPhone under Cellular turn Wi-Fi Calling on), connecting to your home WiFi, and then  phoning a friend.  Once successful, ask them to to hang up and to call you back.  

 

[septrack]

Heading out on the Edge Oct 3 for 18days. Has anyone tried connecting a laptop to their Direct TV stream acct or playback from a recorded show. I want to watch a nfl game with premium wifi on ship. Any success?

[horseymike]

On 7/30/2024 at 12:21 PM, Jim_Iain said:

The WiFi works the same on all ships M, S and E.   With the Classic you can make WiFi Calls, Facetime Calls, What's App calls.   You can not stream and many experience trouble with CruiseCritic due to its data usage.

 

With Premium You can stream, upload photos and most anything.   CruiseCritics works fine.

 

Not quite sure what you men by - Does Premium WiFi facilitate both texting and calls from outside of the ship ?

 

If you are asking whether you can use the Premium WiFi when not on the ship -- the answer is no.  It will only work when connected to the wifi on the ship. 

 

If you are asking whether you can call, text ect to other who are off the ship,  that is yes. 

Jim Ian 

The later was what I was referring to. Thanks for clarifying it for me.

So we will be able to text and call family and friends back home while on the ship with the Premium WiFi.

👍🚢

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, horseymike said:

Jim Ian 

The later was what I was referring to. Thanks for clarifying it for me.

So we will be able to text and call family and friends back home while on the ship with the Premium WiFi.

👍🚢

Yes for sure.   Many report they can also do with the the basic package.

 

Just put phone in Airplane mode, turn on WiFi if turned off and turn on Phone over WiFi.   I talk and text one of my daughters daily all over the world.    Some also enjoy using What's App.    In addition to making calls your family can call you at no charge.

[cruisegal40]

So if  I am not doing any streaming or the likes, I can get away with the basic wifi package?  Just checking e-mail, insta and FB and such?  Would be able to make calls with wifi calling turned on? Sorry not techy.

[Jim_Iain]

22 hours ago, cruisegal40 said:

So if  I am not doing any streaming or the likes, I can get away with the basic wifi package?  Just checking e-mail, insta and FB and such?  Would be able to make calls with wifi calling turned on? Sorry not techy.

 

I've never had the basic package but I have read many report that those wish Classic can do email, phone calls etc  but if you are planning on doing uploading to Instagram and FB it can be problematic.

 

Even with Starlink the ship throttles connections  Premium about 4.5 MPS Download 2.5 Upload.   Classic is more like 2 Download and less than 1 MPS upload (about old dial up speeds)   

 

A strategy may be to try the Classic and if it doesn't work upgrade.  Upgrading just takes a couple click or stopping by the Internet Cafe.

Edited August 3 by Jim_Iain