Iconcierge

[mitsugirly]

I believe drydock is May 2016 for the Dawn :(

 

 

Well can't they just "flip a switch" or something and make it happen? :p

[mking8288]

Flipping the switch is the easy part, once they upgrade their server & hardware that feed into those miles & miles of cat5 or cat6 cables that bring the signal to the wireless routers (already in GEM's staterooms in 2012) for overlapping coverage using the channels.

 

Breakaway's wireless setup was good & we will get a chance to put it to work again in 10 days, using Cisco ... business grade. ;)

 

send from my Google Nexus 5/7 via Tapatalk

[linwood77]

Is this wifi that we have to use the app on the one we have to buy packages of? My roll call group told me wifi is NOT free, so I'm confused?

 

I have an 11 year old with a phone, windows, so I would like to be able to communicate with her on ship when she is in splash academy and such, but I do not want to buy a $100 internet package/minutes and $7.95 per phone to do so.

What I have concluded by reading this and other threads about wifi and the internet is that many people seem to think they are one and the same! They are not! Wifi is the wireless connection between your device and the ships router. The ships router is whats connected to the internet via a satellite connection. The app uses the ships "intranet" not the "internet" for providing information on dinning, entertainment, bars, etc. for free. The $7.95 upgrade per device lets you talk and text with other app users on the ship in addition to the free stuff. It does not use the ships cellular equipment which is usually $2.49 per minute and 50 cents per text on most carriers. If you want to connect to the internet for email and the web, then you will need to buy an internet package.

 

One other thing, the instructions tell you to put the phone in airplane mode to avoid cellular charges, but they don't mention you have to turn the wifi back on! Airplane mode turns off all radios on the device including wifi.

[Ohio_Bob]

Not until after the delayed drydock visit later this year - I think November. (NCL's iConcierge page claims that it's already available on Gem but that is false information based on original drydock schedule.)

Too bad. I really like the idea of the app and we are sailing on Gem in September.

Edited March 12, 2015 by Ohio_Bob

[Tarheel_Cruiser]

What I have concluded by reading this and other threads about wifi and the internet is that many people seem to think they are one and the same! They are not! Wifi is the wireless connection between your device and the ships router. The ships router is whats connected to the internet via a satellite connection. The app uses the ships "intranet" not the "internet" for providing information on dinning, entertainment, bars, etc. for free. The $7.95 upgrade per device lets you talk and text with other app users on the ship in addition to the free stuff. It does not use the ships cellular equipment which is usually $2.49 per minute and 50 cents per text on most carriers. If you want to connect to the internet for email and the web, then you will need to buy an internet package.

 

One other thing, the instructions tell you to put the phone in airplane mode to avoid cellular charges, but they don't mention you have to turn the wifi back on! Airplane mode turns off all radios on the device including wifi.

 

Thanks Linwood!!! Good stuff! ... especially the 'airplane mode' info.

[KAOBHH92]

So are we - 9/5. I'm bummed; now I'll have to walk to the MDR to see the menus! LOL