Keeping in touch on Oasis

[2910car]

We are a family of 15 traveling on the Oasis in 7 cabins in July. What is the best way to find each other on the ship? I remember reading once about "Royal Connect" but that was a while ago. I also read somewhere that you can get an app for your phone to call each other on the ship without the outrageous charges. If anyone knows about this I would really appreciate any information. Thank you.

[jamesr3939]

Get the internet package and text. We did that two weeks ago and it worked great. I don't believe Royal Connect is available on Oasis.

[cb at sea]

Or...talk to each other! Make tentative plans, so everyone knows where everyone else is likely to be! It's not as hard as you think! You can leave messages on the cabin phones....and you'll meet for meals, and pre-planned things. It's all good!

[dee1321]

Just wondering as we will be cruising in about a month, do you leave phone in airplane mode to keep calls from home from coming through? If phone is in airplane mode can you still text each other ... Just not sure how all the technology works...

[2910car]

Get the internet package and text. We did that two weeks ago and it worked great. I don't believe Royal Connect is available on Oasis.

 

Can you explain this a little more. I guess each family (4) would have to get internet package. Then all texts would be included? This seems like a great idea provided the internet package is reasonable. Anyone know how much it costs?

[Clarea]

Can you explain this a little more. I guess each family (4) would have to get internet package. Then all texts would be included? This seems like a great idea provided the internet package is reasonable. Anyone know how much it costs?

Texts over WiFi would work as long as all participants are using the same WiFi texting app, such as iMessage. The current package price for unlimited internet on two simultaneous devices is $140 per cruise.

[Havingfun2010]

Just wondering as we will be cruising in about a month, do you leave phone in airplane mode to keep calls from home from coming through? If phone is in airplane mode can you still text each other ... Just not sure how all the technology works...

 

texting is the same as calling. Airplane mode stops both.

 

WiFi can be purchased on the ship for all devices being used. At 15 people, that would be a hefty price. You can "text" over the internet (which is wifi) by using texting apps. This is not REAL TEXTING. It is the same as if you are going from iPhone to iPhone. In that case it is called iMessage, and it does not use the cell tower. You can also use apps for making phone calls. Again, this is not a REAL PHONE CALL. It is an internet call. Same as if you have internet service at home, and you use a DSL phone over internet. Skype is another example of internet calling.

 

Honestly, the best think is to put up an erase board on your door, and leave messages, and/or schedules.

[MommaNeedsACruise]

Can I ask how you will be dinning with such a large group? I will be cruising on the Oasis in Aprit 2016 with a group of 14. We have all MTD. I just hope we can be seated together at the same time without a long wait. We booked through at TA if that makes a difference. Please consider doing a review when returning. I can’t find a lot dealing with large parties.

[2910car]

Can I ask how you will be dinning with such a large group? I will be cruising on the Oasis in Aprit 2016 with a group of 14. We have all MTD. I just hope we can be seated together at the same time without a long wait. We booked through at TA if that makes a difference. Please consider doing a review when returning. I can’t find a lot dealing with large parties.

 

We are a family of 2 grandparents, 6 adults (3 children and their spouses) and their and 6 grandchildren. We have done 2 cruises together and we do early dining - one table for the 8 adults and a table next to us for the 6 grandchildren. Works great as the adults can talk with each other and enjoy their dinner and wine and the kids enjoy having a table to themselves. We are right next to each other so no worries.

[drmomto3kids]

We just got off Oasis 3/28. We had three families...13 people total. We didn't want to be connected to internet as usual or pay $10/day per device. We used walkie talkies part of the time but so did others and that was annoying because inevitably someone else would also be on the same channel and you'd hear their messages too (and of course they'd hear yours.) We also had magnetic dry erase boards on our stateroom doors and our staterooms were all relatively close. We used those much more and it couldn't have been cheaper. ($1 each at the Dollar Store.) If there were any changes in plans we could find out there. We'd just write down where we were or even a schedule of where we planned to be when we left our rooms and others could join us if they wanted. Of course we'd talk at dinner each night about what we were going to do that night or plans for next day too.

It was kind of nice to not be so connected all the time.

[garycarla]

texting is not a good solution.

 

Texting via the internet ONLY works when connected. Each device not only has to have a plan, but they have to be connected at the time they want to send or receive a text.

 

Texting via your cell carrier is possible, but could get expensive. $.50 one way, and free the other. That would add up. Also, to text via your carrier, you will still get phone calls.

 

And, whatever you do, NEVER, EVER, EVER give a phone with texting turned on to a teenager, or even a young adult. They can do hundreds of texts in the time it takes for you to cancel your credit card.