Phone usage on ship

If I sign up for AT&T package which includes unlimited talk and text for 30 days for $100 per device. Do I also have to purchase anything from Royalcaribbean on the ship in order to make calls and text?

If I sign up for AT&T package which includes unlimited talk and text for 30 days for $100 per device. Do I also have to purchase anything from Royalcaribbean on the ship in order to make calls and text?

Depends. Are you sure your AT&T package includes coverage on a cruise ship while at sea? Many times those international packages for for land based connections.

Nope, nothing more needed. The $100 cruise ship package even provides 200mb of data but I would advise you leave data roaming off and only turn it on if you want to use data. 200mb is not much, your phone could use that up in the background without you knowing it. You will be charged $2 per mb for any data overage.

Sharing a one device VOOM Surf package (which is good enough for calls/texts) might be cheaper, and then you would have unlimited data.

If you get VOOM, you can use WiFi calling at no cost. That would give you phone , text and data. But a lot more $$ for 30 days

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I agree you need to be very careful with data. Apps may update in the background, etc...

It's really a cruise ship, Canada, Mexico, and a Caribbean island package.

https://www.att.com/offers/international-plans/cruise-packages.html

Nope, nothing more needed. The $100 cruise ship package even provides 200mb of data but I would advise you leave data roaming off and only turn it on if you want to use data. 200mb is not much, your phone could use that up in the background without you knowing it. You will be charged $2 per mb for any data overage.

Just got off the phone with AT&T and they told me to access the ship system with this plan I would have to turn data roaming ON when I want to use the phone

If you get VOOM, you can use WiFi calling at no cost. That would give you phone , text and data. But a lot more $$ for 30 days

This. I discovered that my then-new LG V20 phone supported Wi-Fi calling and enabled it before our cruise on the Indy last February. It worked like a top, and I felt like a rockstar when I was walking in the Windjammer and my phone rang with a call from home. People gave me odd looks, like "Wow, isn't that service at sea kinda expensive?" :)

This. I discovered that my then-new LG V20 phone supported Wi-Fi calling and enabled it before our cruise on the Indy last February. It worked like a top, and I felt like a rockstar when I was walking in the Windjammer and my phone rang with a call from home. People gave me odd looks, like "Wow, isn't that service at sea kinda expensive?" :)

We will be doing eight nights in Europe and then 14 nights transatlantic crossing on the Indy.

Did you have to do anything else to the phone other than enable Wi-Fi calling. Also the Wi-Fi calling has to be done prior to boarding the ship correct? Did that also work on land as we will be in London for three nights prior to the cruises and we will be taking several excursions of the ship.Will that also work for texting and sending photos?

Don't spend that on the ATT cruise plan. We have put the international plan on for the month only on DW IPhone and it's $20. That isn't for onboard but only when on land. It does work great and we have used it on land all over Europe, Canada, and Mexico. I was amazed the first time we got a call from home in Sweden and then called home just using the stored speed dial. However, unless you want to make/receive calls on land don't spend that for the land based international plan from ATT.

We use the ships WiFi onboard and enable WiFi calling. We can also text, Email, and do anything we normally do at home on WiFi (albeit slower).

Just got off the phone with AT&T and they told me to access the ship system with this plan I would have to turn data roaming ON when I want to use the phone

That is only true if you want to use data. Calls and texts will work fine with data roaming off.

We will be doing eight nights in Europe and then 14 nights transatlantic crossing on the Indy.

Did you have to do anything else to the phone other than enable Wi-Fi calling. Also the Wi-Fi calling has to be done prior to boarding the ship correct? Did that also work on land as we will be in London for three nights prior to the cruises and we will be taking several excursions of the ship.Will that also work for texting and sending photos?

WiFi calling will work over any WiFi connection. If you have access to WiFi in London, it will work there as well. Yes, you can can send both SMS and MMS (picture messages) over WiFi calling.

We have put the international plan on for the month only on DW IPhone and it's $20.

Not sure what plan you mean but ATT has no international plan for $20. Perhaps you mean the $10 daily pass and you only used it twice in a month.

Not sure what plan you mean but ATT has no international plan for $20. Perhaps you mean the $10 daily pass and you only used it twice in a month.

Granted it's been a couple of years since we did Europe and we all know how providers like to change plans. But, we did have that for that price for the month. I see ATT currently has an international plan for $5.99 a month plus minutes per call.

Our normal USA ATT plan covers free calling/text/data within Mexico and Canada. In November we went to the Maldives and put on the $5.99 plan. I can't recall using the cellular. But mostly used the WiFi at the resort to do what we needed, which included calling, FaceTime, text, Email, etc.

Granted it's been a couple of years since we did Europe and we all know how providers like to change plans. But, we did have that for that price for the month. I see ATT currently has an international plan for $5.99 a month plus minutes per call.

Look again. That plan is for calling international numbers from the US, not for calls when roaming internationally. The cheapest 30 day international plan is $60. They also have a $10 day pass, $10 per each day used.

Switch to T-Mobile. :D

Free text and unlimited data in 210+ countries, and 20 cents per minute calling. Also supports wifi calling.

After reading and reading, I want to be sure I understand.

We will be on Harmony.

1. Buy Voom.

2. Before you get on the ship, turn wifi calling on.

3. Be sure roaming is off

4. On the ship, login to Voom to make calls and texts

Others in my extended family on the cruise in different cabins are not buying Voom.

So:

5. Each person that would like to communicate on board buys Royal IQ.

6. Possible bonus: It may be possible for those with iPhones to communicate for free via iMessage until the loop hole is closed and not have to buy IQ if only messaging iPhones on board?

Thank you for helping.

After reading and reading, I want to be sure I understand.

We will be on Harmony.

 

1. Buy Voom.

2. Before you get on the ship, turn wifi calling on.

3. Be sure roaming is off

4. On the ship, login to Voom to make calls and texts

 

Others in my extended family on the cruise in different cabins are not buying Voom.

So:

5. Each person that would like to communicate on board buys Royal IQ.

 

6. Possible bonus: It may be possible for those with iPhones to communicate for free via iMessage until the loop hole is closed and not have to buy IQ if only messaging iPhones on board?

 

Thank you for helping.

I would change #4 to be:

4. Once on the ship, put the phone in Airplane Mode, turn on WiFi, login to Voom.

This way you ensure no charges from your cell carrier from Cellular at Sea.

Sharing a one device VOOM Surf package (which is good enough for calls/texts) might be cheaper, and then you would have unlimited data.

This is the best way. Plus if you have an iPhone (I dont know about other phones) you should be able to enable WiFi calling through your provider. Then when on airplane mode and on the ships wifi, you can call and receive calls like normal. It all goes over the wifi, and is just as clear as at home. Does not cost anything more than your internet package.

I would change #4 to be:

 

4. Once on the ship, put the phone in Airplane Mode, turn on WiFi, login to Voom.

 

This way you ensure no charges from your cell carrier from Cellular at Sea.

Thank you much!

 

6. Possible bonus: It may be possible for those with iPhones to communicate for free via iMessage until the loop hole is closed and not have to buy IQ if only messaging iPhones on board?

Those with Android phones can also take advantage of this using an app like Google Voice. Not only can you avoid buying the texting option inside of the Royal IQ app, but you can text others off the ship.

Those with Android phones can also take advantage of this using an app like Google Voice. Not only can you avoid buying the texting option inside of the Royal IQ app, but you can text others off the ship.

No, there is a hole in the RCI system that allows iMessages (ONLY) if you connect to their to the system, but not log in, and be able to send messages.

No cost at all.

Only one some ships.

No, there is a hole in the RCI system that allows iMessages (ONLY).

I am very familiar with this issue on ships which use the Royal iQ app and can confirm that other things besides iMessage texts get through, including texts on Android devices using Google Voice.

Other things that work on these ships without a VOOM package are YouTube and App Store updates.

The AT&T cruise plan is for usage on land only !!

The AT&T cruise plan is for usage on land only !!

False. The ATT cruise plan is specifically for use on cruise ships. It covers usage on land in the Caribbean also but the plan is meant for use on the ship.