Need Help with iPhone settings for texting only on ship

[Nightowl11]

I would like to stay in contact with my kids on the Star Princess on our upcoming cruise to Alaska. On the Disney ships, they have WAVE phones which worked well and my kids were able to let me know where they were going at all times.

 

Can someone please give me step by step instructions on how to set up text only on the AT&T iPhone 4s. I read somewhere that it only cost .50 for outgoing and .05 for incoming texts. I don't want to use unnecessary data or get an outrageous bill when I get home. Do I have to purchase a wifi plan on the ship? Doesn't the ship's wifi work by minutes used, not by per text? I'm totally confused on how this works. Please explain in the greatest of details. Thank you in advance.

[Colo Cruiser]

I would like to stay in contact with my kids on the Star Princess on our upcoming cruise to Alaska. On the Disney ships, they have WAVE phones which worked well and my kids were able to let me know where they were going at all times.

 

Can someone please give me step by step instructions on how to set up text only on the AT&T iPhone 4s. I read somewhere that it only cost .50 for outgoing and .05 for incoming texts. I don't want to use unnecessary data or get an outrageous bill when I get home. Do I have to purchase a wifi plan on the ship? Doesn't the ship's wifi work by minutes used, not by per text? I'm totally confused on how this works. Please explain in the greatest of details. Thank you in advance.

 

No wifi needed if you are using the phone. It should connect to the ships cell service automaticly when the ship is at sea. When near land you may connect to local cell service which may be even more$$. I have AT&T and have never been charged for incoming text only the .50 for each out going. AT&T has a 200 text plan for $30 per month I believe, that may help.

[LucyDiamond]

I would like to stay in contact with my kids on the Star Princess on our upcoming cruise to Alaska. On the Disney ships, they have WAVE phones which worked well and my kids were able to let me know where they were going at all times.

 

Can someone please give me step by step instructions on how to set up text only on the AT&T iPhone 4s. I read somewhere that it only cost .50 for outgoing and .05 for incoming texts. I don't want to use unnecessary data or get an outrageous bill when I get home. Do I have to purchase a wifi plan on the ship? Doesn't the ship's wifi work by minutes used, not by per text? I'm totally confused on how this works. Please explain in the greatest of details. Thank you in advance.

Since you have the AT&T iPhone 4s I would recommend you wait until you are in port to text, if you can. Alaska is included in AT&T's domestic coverage area so you can use your iPhone 4s just as you do at home. In fact, you can even call your kids while in port and it will be a part of your normal minutes. :)

 

Paula

[Colo Cruiser]

Since you have the AT&T iPhone 4s I would recommend you wait until you are in port to text, if you can. Alaska is included in AT&T's domestic coverage area so you can use your iPhone 4s just as you do at home. In fact, you can even call your kids while in port and it will be a part of your normal minutes. :)

 

Paula

 

Sounds like mybe the kids are on the cruise with them?

Maybe they want to stay in touch onboard.

[LucyDiamond]

Sounds like mybe the kids are on the cruise with them?

Maybe they want to stay in touch onboard.

I didn't think of that.

[Loonbeam]

There is no on board network for texting, all phones will have to go via cell-at-sea. As noted, your plan may vary but $.50 per text is a fair baseline to consider.

[Nightowl11]

Yes. My kids, both teenagers, will be on the cruise with me. I don't want to be spending a lot of time trying to find my kids when they roam the ship with their new friends. Leaving messages on the cabin phone won't work unless you can retrieve the messages from other parts of the ship. Do they even have phones around the ship in public areas? But more important, I don't think my kids will want to use public phones in the middle of a scavenger hunt or a dodge ball competion. "Hey, everybody, we need to stop so I can find a phone to call the cabin." NOT. Leaving written messages in our cabin won't work too well either because we have an aft cabin and walking back and forth in between activities takes too much time. So, texting seems to be the best way to communicate with them.

 

So I'm still confused about how to set my iPhone to send and receive texts only. How does the ship's cellular service work? Is that where the .50 per text comes from? Do the charges show up on your daily bill or on your AT&T bill? I have unlimited family texting currently on my AT&T iPhone service. Will that make a difference? Do I have to set up an additional plan with AT&T before I leave?

 

What are the steps that need to be taken from start of the cruise until the end of the cruise? Thank you.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Yes, there are phones all over the ship - by the elevators and almost always in the main passenger deck halls (6, 7 & part of 8).

[Pam in CA]

So I'm still confused about how to set my iPhone to send and receive texts only. How does the ship's cellular service work? Is that where the .50 per text comes from? Do the charges show up on your daily bill or on your AT&T bill? I have unlimited family texting currently on my AT&T iPhone service. Will that make a difference? Do I have to set up an additional plan with AT&T before I leave?

 

What are the steps that need to be taken from start of the cruise until the end of the cruise? Thank you.

You need to leave the phone on as usual in order to text between phones. That's the best way to send and receive texts. If you all have iPhones, you can text between phones for free as you'll connect via iMessage automatically. If your texts are blue, you're using iMessage. If they are green, you're sending/receiving texts.

 

Turn off all automatic updates and notifications. For instance, make sure your email is not automatically checking for new mail. Go to Settings > Cellular and turn off Data Roaming.

Edited May 2, 2014 by Pam in CA

[more cruises]

I don't have an iPhone, just an android but I had to leave my phone on to get texts, which meant that expensive phone calls could come in. I also found that the texts weren't very reliable. Sometimes they would go through and sometimes they wouldn't.

 

Your texts aren't part of the wifi system on your phone, they're part of the telephone so you don't need a wifi plan. As someone mentioned, make sure to turn your data OFF otherwise you could get a crazy big bill. My android allows me to turn the data off but still leave my phone on. Maybe someone with an iPhone will chime in here and tell you how to turn the data off. (Oh, wait, I see Pam listed the steps)

 

Usually you will get a free text from the cell service the ship uses the first evening of the cruise saying what everything costs. It used to be VZY but that changed.

Edited May 2, 2014 by more cruises

[PescadoAmarillo]

You need to leave the phone on as usual in order to text between phones. That's the best way to send and receive texts. If you all have iPhones, you can text between phones for free as you'll connect via iMessage automatically. If your texts are blue, you're using iMessage. If they are green, you're sending/receiving texts.

I was under the impression that iMessage only worked over Wifi?

 

ETA - Actually, I just looked it up, and this is what it says on the AT&T website:

 

*Messages may be sent as SMS when iMessage is unavailable; carrier messaging fees apply

 

So, does that imply that MCP would be charging for iMessage texts? Because if not, and if I can iMessage for free using MCP, that is phenomenal new news.

 

I was able to iMessage for about 5 minutes after logging off of Wifi, while Wifi was still turned on, only if I had started a conversation while on paid Wifi, but it never lasted more than 5 minutes. I never tried to iMessage using MCP.

[atmx093]

iMessage needs either a data network (4G, 3G, etc.) or internet-enabled wifi in order to work.

 

If neither are available, it will send an SMS message through whatever cell carrier you can connect with.

[Mom33]

Yes. My kids, both teenagers, will be on the cruise with me. I don't want to be spending a lot of time trying to find my kids when they roam the ship with their new friends. Leaving messages on the cabin phone won't work unless you can retrieve the messages from other parts of the ship. Do they even have phones around the ship in public areas? But more important, I don't think my kids will want to use public phones in the middle of a scavenger hunt or a dodge ball competion. "Hey, everybody, we need to stop so I can find a phone to call the cabin." NOT. Leaving written messages in our cabin won't work too well either because we have an aft cabin and walking back and forth in between activities takes too much time. So, texting seems to be the best way to communicate with them.

 

So I'm still confused about how to set my iPhone to send and receive texts only. How does the ship's cellular service work? Is that where the .50 per text comes from? Do the charges show up on your daily bill or on your AT&T bill? I have unlimited family texting currently on my AT&T iPhone service. Will that make a difference? Do I have to set up an additional plan with AT&T before I leave?

 

What are the steps that need to be taken from start of the cruise until the end of the cruise? Thank you.

 

The charges would show on your AT&T bill. If you turn off cellular roaming you won't be charged roaming bills.You should check with AT&T about your family plan. Also see what they say about using the ship cell service for texting. If their signal will carry the IM messaging, and your teens have iphones, there won't be any texting charge.

[remydiva]

What on earth did people do in the good old days before everyone was tied to their phone :eek:

 

It is a holiday so maybe a little more communication ( "meet us for lunch at 1200 in horizon" or " see you at dinner at 6") and less reliance on phones?

[cruiseryyc]

What on earth did people do in the good old days before everyone was tied to their phone :eek:

 

It is a holiday so maybe a little more communication ( "meet us for lunch at 1200 in horizon" or " see you at dinner at 6") and less reliance on phones?

 

Like, Like, Like, Like!!!!!

 

No flaming from me, agree 100%.

[mrsromy]

Walkie talkies no longer work?

 

That's one of the only things I liked about Disney...the Wave phones...they were an amazing addition and I hope that other lines follow suit.

[Dodger Blue]

If you are using I messaging (IPhone texting to another IPhone) it is using wifi service. On our last cruise we discovered that if you started a dialog (you had to be connected to the Internet on board to do this) and then logged off, you could continue that conversation without using any of your Internet minutes. Now this could have simply been a fluke in their system but it worked. You couldn't start a new message or receive a text from another person using an I Phone unless you logged back on to the Internet first. You really need to put your phone in Airplane mode (turning off your cellular service) while on board or you will be charged significant roaming charges whether you are on a call or not.

[Colo Cruiser]

Yes. My kids, both teenagers, will be on the cruise with me. I don't want to be spending a lot of time trying to find my kids when they roam the ship with their new friends. Leaving messages on the cabin phone won't work unless you can retrieve the messages from other parts of the ship. Do they even have phones around the ship in public areas? But more important, I don't think my kids will want to use public phones in the middle of a scavenger hunt or a dodge ball competion. "Hey, everybody, we need to stop so I can find a phone to call the cabin." NOT. Leaving written messages in our cabin won't work too well either because we have an aft cabin and walking back and forth in between activities takes too much time. So, texting seems to be the best way to communicate with them.

 

So I'm still confused about how to set my iPhone to send and receive texts only. How does the ship's cellular service work? Is that where the .50 per text comes from? Do the charges show up on your daily bill or on your AT&T bill? I have unlimited family texting currently on my AT&T iPhone service. Will that make a difference? Do I have to set up an additional plan with AT&T before I leave?

 

What are the steps that need to be taken from start of the cruise until the end of the cruise? Thank you.

 

You won't need to I message so you won't need wifi, what I always do is turn off cell data so that I won't be charged any data fees. My I phone 4s still can make and recieve calls and text. There is nothing else you need to do. Just make sure everyones phone has the cell data turned off,

go to settings/cellular/turn off cell data, simple.

 

Do not use airplane mode or you won't be able to do anything.

 

There are no charges if you don't answer your phone or make calls. The only charge you will have are the text charges.

There are no roaming charges unless you use the phone to make/recieve calls.

Text charges will be on your AT&T bill.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Colo Cruiser

[sassyredhat]

If you are using I messaging (IPhone texting to another IPhone) it is using wifi service. On our last cruise we discovered that if you started a dialog (you had to be connected to the Internet on board to do this) and then logged off, you could continue that conversation without using any of your Internet minutes. Now this could have simply been a fluke in their system but it worked. You couldn't start a new message or receive a text from another person using an I Phone unless you logged back on to the Internet first. You really need to put your phone in Airplane mode (turning off your cellular service) while on board or you will be charged significant roaming charges whether you are on a call or not.

 

This happened to me on our Alaska cruise.. True, I did send a couple of pix, but my bill was over $200.00.

 

Pat

[4cats4me]

You need to leave the phone on as usual in order to text between phones. That's the best way to send and receive texts. If you all have iPhones, you can text between phones for free as you'll connect via iMessage automatically. If your texts are blue, you're using iMessage. If they are green, you're sending/receiving texts.

 

Turn off all automatic updates and notifications. For instance, make sure your email is not automatically checking for new mail. Go to Settings > Cellular and turn off Data Roaming.

 

I just learned something new today, thanks to your post, Pam, about free text messages if it's blue vs green, and lo and behold, I checked my phone, and never have noticed he blue green thing before today ! No wonder I haven't been exceeding my monthly allotment, since most of my friends have iPhones :)

[PescadoAmarillo]

I just learned something new today, thanks to your post, Pam, about free text messages if it's blue vs green, and lo and behold, I checked my phone, and never have noticed he blue green thing before today ! No wonder I haven't been exceeding my monthly allotment, since most of my friends have iPhones :)

It's the best thing EVER in texting. I don't subscribe to any texting plan; all my friends have iPhones. A friend taught me this last fall...green means STOP, blue means GO.

[Linda the Book Lover]

You need to leave the phone on as usual in order to text between phones. That's the best way to send and receive texts. If you all have iPhones, you can text between phones for free as you'll connect via iMessage automatically. If your texts are blue, you're using iMessage. If they are green, you're sending/receiving texts.

 

Turn off all automatic updates and notifications. For instance, make sure your email is not automatically checking for new mail. Go to Settings > Cellular and turn off Data Roaming.

 

Thanks Pam!

[Host Jazzbeau]

What on earth did people do in the good old days before everyone was tied to their phone :eek:

 

It is a holiday so maybe a little more communication ( "meet us for lunch at 1200 in horizon" or " see you at dinner at 6") and less reliance on phones?

 

I lost my daughter in Yankee stadium back in that day, and would have given anything if she had had a cell phone (as I did).

 

PS - I did finally find her, but not before a LOT of agida.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Host Jazzbeau

[Iamcruzin]

If you are using I messaging (IPhone texting to another IPhone) it is using wifi service. On our last cruise we discovered that if you started a dialog (you had to be connected to the Internet on board to do this) and then logged off, you could continue that conversation without using any of your Internet minutes. Now this could have simply been a fluke in their system but it worked. You couldn't start a new message or receive a text from another person using an I Phone unless you logged back on to the Internet first. You really need to put your phone in Airplane mode (turning off your cellular service) while on board or you will be charged significant roaming charges whether you are on a call or not.

I experienced something like this on Celebrity last year. Our iPhones were in airplane mode with WiFi on and I was able to text anyone with an iPhone. I was communicating with my kids who were home and my SIL in Florida. We went with another couple one of them had an iPhone and the other had a Android phone. Only the one with the iPhone was able to receive and reply to our text message. We never signed onto the ships WiFi so I am puzzled how this happened. The only thing I can think of is that we connected to an unlocked source.

[pcl2001]

You need to leave the phone on as usual in order to text between phones. That's the best way to send and receive texts. If you all have iPhones, you can text between phones for free as you'll connect via iMessage automatically. If your texts are blue, you're using iMessage. If they are green, you're sending/receiving texts.

 

This isn't entirely accurate when at sea. While iMessage doesn't technically cost anything, it does use data, and data is not cheap using the ship's cell network (MCP). According to AT&T (http://www.wireless.att.com/travelguide/coverage/coverage_details.jsp?CIDL=1633&MNC=CING), data is $0.195/kb which will come to around $20/MB (for comparison on land $20 will get you 300 MB! :eek:) In order to use iMessage, you'll need to leave data roaming on, which means any applications running in the background will consume data, which could lead to some very high charges. So while the per message cost may be cheaper using iMessage, the data use from other apps will be unpredictable and possibly exorbitant, therefore I would disable cellular data and just use normal texting/SMS. Per AT&T, it's $.50 per message to send. There's no charge listed to receive. MMS messages are $1.30 to send. Apple uses MMS to send group messages so if you send a message to 2 or more people, you'll be charged $1.30 and not $.50. Voice calls are $2.50/min, and keep in mind that even if you don't answer your phone, if it's routed to voicemail you'll be charged double - for the incoming call and then the outgoing call where it's forwarded to voicemail in the US, so I would let everyone know not to call you while you're gone and if you do get any calls, answer them and quickly (<1min) let them know you're roaming and will contact them later.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited May 3, 2014 by pcl2001
spelling