Anthem Texts from Home?

Hi All!

I'm on the Anthem starting July 6th and I have a silly question. Usually we just unplug from everything but we're leaving my mom behind on this cruise so I want to have a way for her to contact us. Aside from using the free time we have being diamond members and the "emergency shore to ship" number is there a way without buying the Voom package. Some said that while using Royal IQ they were able to message family back home, I feel like there's more to that story but I wanted to double check with those here? Otherwise I'll just use my free diamond minutes or just ping her while we're in port.....Just Curious.

Hi All!

 

I'm on the Anthem starting July 6th and I have a silly question. Usually we just unplug from everything but we're leaving my mom behind on this cruise so I want to have a way for her to contact us. Aside from using the free time we have being diamond members and the "emergency shore to ship" number is there a way without buying the Voom package. Some said that while using Royal IQ they were able to message family back home, I feel like there's more to that story but I wanted to double check with those here? Otherwise I'll just use my free diamond minutes or just ping her while we're in port.....Just Curious.

You can leave your cell connection enabled and receive texts for free if you are on AT&T. Verizon may charge $0.05 per received text. Sending texts is $0.50 per text on both carriers.

Some said that while using Royal IQ they were able to message family back home, I feel like there's more to that story but I wanted to double check with those here? .....Just Curious.

When you get on the ship and connect to the ship's WiFi you are connected to the Internet, but what gets through (in either direction) depends on software that filters traffic. Without VOOM, that software is supposed to filter out everything but RCI related sites. It sometimes misses some traffic and some have reported some things working (such as messages). That has nothing to do with the texting portion of the Royal iQ app, which has no connection off the ship. The fact that they had the app is just a coincidence['

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I am just off Anthem. I have an iphone and my messages came thru both directions when on wi-fi-airplane mode

I was not logged on to internet.

I was not logged on to internet.

To cut down on the confusion of some technophobes - you didn't have a VOOM package and didn't log into that - you were certainly connected to the internet to get/send any kind of message, but didn't pay for it.

I'm on July 6th cruise also and I was told by Verizon calls can be made at no charge as long as you are on Internet on ship. I ordered the vroom should be fine

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I'm on July 6th cruise also and I was told by Verizon calls can be made at no charge as long as you are on Internet on ship. I ordered the vroom should be fine

True, but the OP wanted texting without buying VOOM.

Ok thanks

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I'm on July 6th cruise also and I was told by Verizon calls can be made at no charge as long as you are on Internet on ship. I ordered the vroom should be fine

Make sure you try at home before you go. Put it in plane mode and turn on WiFi only.

I'm on July 6th cruise also and I was told by Verizon calls can be made at no charge as long as you are on Internet on ship. I ordered the vroom should be fine

 

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Yes, this is true if your phone supports wifi calling, you have enabled wifi calling and you have a voom package. Make sure you go into airplane mode and then enable wifi.

In February, I put my iPhone in airplane mode, connected to rccl wifi to use the royal iq app.

Received iMessages as well as my aol email. I did Facebook and Instagram notifications but could do anything with them.

I'm on July 6th cruise also and I was told by Verizon calls can be made at no charge as long as you are on Internet on ship. I ordered the VOOM. Should be fine

 

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Yes. I have Verizon and I use WIFI calling all the time. Make sure that you have WIFI calling enabled in your settings.

Hi All!

 

I'm on the Anthem starting July 6th and I have a silly question. Usually we just unplug from everything but we're leaving my mom behind on this cruise so I want to have a way for her to contact us. Aside from using the free time we have being diamond members and the "emergency shore to ship" number is there a way without buying the Voom package. Some said that while using Royal IQ they were able to message family back home, I feel like there's more to that story but I wanted to double check with those here? Otherwise I'll just use my free diamond minutes or just ping her while we're in port.....Just Curious.

Turn off data roaming, and data. (two items that causes surprises). Leave WiFi on because in port, you might find some free. So, now you can receive texts (and phone calls) while on the ship. Don't answer the phone because it's expensive, but you can use texting. Depending on your carrier, it is usually $0.50 to send and anywhere from free to $0.10 to receive. I only pay $1-$2 per cruise with keeping my texting open.

In February, I put my iPhone in airplane mode, connected to rccl wifi to use the royal iq app.

Received iMessages as well as my aol email. I did Facebook and Instagram notifications but could do anything with them.

In December my sister & I were on a 1 week Anthem cruise. We both had IQ app on our phones, which we downloaded before boarding We each paid $7.99 for the week to have access to text & call on board the ship. We were also able to send & receive texts from people not on the cruise who had iphones. We were able to read our mail but not send it as well.

Sure sounds like the firewall on the Anthem lets traffic through when not logged into VOOM that would not work on other ships. I'm guessing they have to open up some ports for the Royal IQ app that other apps (like iMessage) are able to use.

I'm guessing they have to open up some ports for the Royal IQ app that other apps (like iMessage) are able to use.

I don't think this (iPhone receiving texts without VOOM) happens on Harmony so I don't think it's related to Royal iQ. Also, I don't think any of the Royal iQ traffic goes off ship.

I'm also on your July 6th sailing

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I was just on the anthem of the Seas got home today and I used Vroom and kept phone on Airplane mode and I was able to get texs back and forth from Friends the entire time I was also able to call them on Facebook Messenger and I was also able to Skype with no issues at all never missed conversation with anyone all during the cruise

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We just got back a few days ago, i purchased 2 vroom packages for 5 of us. My wife has an iPhone and she logged on to the wifi, but didn't log into the vroom and she had full internet. however she could only receive texts from others with iPhone. Anthem has "cellular at sea" cell service which is compatible with at&t and Verizon i believe. I believe there is a roaming charge for that. I have a droid which has wifi calling so as long as i was logged into vroom i could send receive calls and texts all day at no charge. However the wifi coverage was lousy. i was mad i couldn't get wifi signal out on the balcony, where i really wanted to handle my morning work.

We just got back a few days ago, i purchased 2 vroom packages for 5 of us. My wife has an iPhone and she logged on to the wifi, but didn't log into the vroom and she had full internet. however she could only receive texts from others with iPhone. Anthem has "cellular at sea" cell service which is compatible with at&t and Verizon i believe. I believe there is a roaming charge for that. I have a droid which has wifi calling so as long as i was logged into vroom i could send receive calls and texts all day at no charge. However the wifi coverage was lousy. i was mad i couldn't get wifi signal out on the balcony, where i really wanted to handle my morning work.

If you wife was logged onto wifi, she was using Voom. As far as texts on her phone, if she has an older iphone that doesn't support wifi calling, then that was likely her issues with texts.

When we have sailed Anthem, we were able to use voom on our balcony as long as we connected prior to going out on the balcony. Our older kindles would not establish a connection while on the balcony but could use an established connection.

If you wife was logged onto wifi, she was using Voom. As far as texts on her phone, if she has an older iphone that doesn't support wifi calling, then that was likely her issues with texts.

 

When we have sailed Anthem, we were able to use voom on our balcony as long as we connected prior to going out on the balcony. Our older kindles would not establish a connection while on the balcony but could use an established connection.

not true, anyone can log on to wifi but you have to log into the the vroom with the passcode, she never had the passcode nor did it ever ask her. once you log onto wifi and open internet browser its supposed to redirect you to the RC page where you put your passcode in and once you do that then your able to surf. she never did that, we only paid for 2 devices which my oldest daughter used 100% of the time and the other passcode was used between me, my youngest daughter and my son. only 2 of us could be on at the same time and to log off you had to type in the web browser logout.com and then my son could log on. I thought it was strange that she was on the entire time. I was on the 13th floor and there was zero reception on the balcony.

not true, anyone can log on to wifi but you have to log into the the vroom with the passcode, she never had the passcode nor did it ever ask her. once you log onto wifi and open internet browser its supposed to redirect you to the RC page where you put your passcode in and once you do that then your able to surf. she never did that, we only paid for 2 devices which my oldest daughter used 100% of the time and the other passcode was used between me, my youngest daughter and my son. only 2 of us could be on at the same time and to log off you had to type in the web browser logout.com and then my son could log on. I thought it was strange that she was on the entire time. I was on the 13th floor and there was zero reception on the balcony.

How does one "log onto wifi" without a code? Do you mean she connected to the ships wifi? Anyone can connect to the ships wifi and use the Royal IQ app. There are also some ports open that allow you to do more than they say you have access to, but that does not give you full access to the internet. Was she in airplane mode or was she actually using cellular data the whole time? You mentioned AT&T and Verizon in your prior post. Verizon no longer supports cellular data on cruise ships, but AT&T still does.

How does one "log onto wifi" without a code? Do you mean she connected to the ships wifi? Anyone can connect to the ships wifi and use the Royal IQ app. There are also some ports open that allow you to do more than they say you have access to, but that does not give you full access to the internet. Was she in airplane mode or was she actually using cellular data the whole time? You mentioned AT&T and Verizon in your prior post. Verizon no longer supports cellular data on cruise ships, but AT&T still does.

Some have reported being able to use iMessage when connected (but not logged in) to WiFi. Some ships may not have their internet firewall locked down quite enough.

Some have reported being able to use iMessage when connected (but not logged in) to WiFi. Some ships may not have their internet firewall locked down quite enough.

Which is what I had said in prior posts, but I have not seen a post from anyone who had "full internet" without buying Voom. Have you?

Which is what I had said in prior posts, but I have not seen a post from anyone who had "full internet" without buying Voom. Have you?

Nope, but that does not mean it has not happened. I know the firewalls allow free access to RC websites, and I could see a temporary firewall misconfig allowing access to other sites.