Texting on Independence of the Seas

[georgiacruiser34]

We are sailing on the spring break IOTS cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale in April with my husband, and three kids 15, 13, and 11. I am curious is there any way that we can text to keep up with the kiddos during the day? Are there any apps that we can buy ahead of time? Thanks in advance!

[cb at sea]

I can't help with the texting...we turn our phones off.....

It's really not hard to keep up with each other. Kids MUST come to us to tell us their plans...so we tell them where we'll be...and we know what they're doing....and if they want to do something different, they must find us, and tell us. Physical confirmation is much better than a text...you don't know where they are or what they're doing via text!

[funfamilyfun]

We texted all of the time. It was less expensive than the other options. Check with your provider, but I believe it was 50 cents to send and 5 cents to receive.

[LisaAtlCruiser]

If you buy the internet package and use WhatsApp - you should be able to text each other.

[rudeney]

In addition to WhatsApp, iMessage on Apple phones works over WiFi, as does Verizon's Message+ app. We were able to text between phones while on board and text friends at home using these apps and our wifi package.

[Clarea]

If you buy the internet package and use WhatsApp - you should be able to text each other.

This will work. However, to cover 5 devices, the OP will have to buy two 2-device packages at $30 per day and one 1-device package at $20 per day. Total cost for a 7-day cruise: $560. Might be less expensive to go the $0.50 per text way.

[markeb]

This really needs a FAQ or sticky as it's one of the most confusing topics on Cruise Critic.

 

So, yes, generally speaking, you can text. Depending on your carrier, with no special plan, it will probably be $0.50 per text to send, and $0.05 to receive. I am not aware of any carriers that will let you ONLY text, so you'll also have the ability to make and receive voice calls, at up to $2.50/minute, and the first minute will likely count whether you answer or not; this is somewhat carrier specific, so check your carrier. If the kids are texting fiends, and given the ages they probably are, they WILL text their friends at home, and you will rack up a bill.

 

You can use an internet texting app; this is what iMessage is on the iPhone. These use data. Data is really expensive and really unreliable (in my experience, YMMV) on RCI. Data roaming also allows them to text photos to their friends back home, again with a significant data charge. You can also use iMessage or whatsapp, etc., on the ship's WiFi, but as was pointed out, that's outrageous for multiple devices continuously connected.

 

So, yes, it can be done. There is a cost. That cost is not insignificant to many cruisers...

[georgiacruiser34]

Thank you everyone for the responses and tips! I think we are going to skip the internet package and opt for a wifi free trip. Should be a nice change for us. I'm glad to hear that we will be able to text on the ship should the need arise. 50 cents a text isn't too bad for the occasional where are you text. We just need to really make sure they aren't texting there friends at home, because that could end up being super expensive$$$$ It sounds like the ship isn't too big and that we should be able to keep in touch pretty easily with post its and check ins throughout the day. We've never cruised before so it is hard to imagine how large or small the ship is or how we can keep track of everyone. Thanks for the help!

[reallyitsmema]

Thank you everyone for the responses and tips! I think we are going to skip the internet package and opt for a wifi free trip. Should be a nice change for us. I'm glad to hear that we will be able to text on the ship should the need arise. 50 cents a text isn't too bad for the occasional where are you text. We just need to really make sure they aren't texting there friends at home, because that could end up being super expensive$$$$ It sounds like the ship isn't too big and that we should be able to keep in touch pretty easily with post its and check ins throughout the day. We've never cruised before so it is hard to imagine how large or small the ship is or how we can keep track of everyone. Thanks for the help!

 

You have to make sure their friends at home aren't texting them also because you will be charged for all those texts that come in if you allow them to have their phones on. Though they are only 5 cents to receive, if they text like my son did at that age (multiplied by 3 for your family) that could add up too.

 

Make sure that data roaming is off on all their phones if they have smart phones. We have data roaming off as a default setting on our iPhones but it is worth looking at before you go. Even with data roaming off, they will be able to text from an iPhone. The phone will start sending sms texts which use no data. On an iPhone, you can tell this is happening by the color of the text bubble, sms text bubbles are green instead of blue, plus it will say text messaging instead of imessaging.

[njkruzer]

My dh and I use good quality walkie talkies to communicate. Bought them several years ago and they work fine, assuming we remember to turn them on and take them with us when we leave the cabin.

[CaribLola]

so with the internet package you had access all day? and was it good for whats app? and what about emails?

[Clarea]

so with the internet package you had access all day? and was it good for whats app? and what about emails?

The internet is available 24 hours and will work for email too.

Edited December 21, 2015 by clarea

[sashasmommy1]

Related question --

My mother will be watching our toddler while we are on our cruise and I want her to be able to get a hold of us if she has any questions or concerns. If we get on-board and find out that for some reason, texting isn't working for us, can we add the wifi plan after the cruise starts?

[blackshirt]

Related question --

My mother will be watching our toddler while we are on our cruise and I want her to be able to get a hold of us if she has any questions or concerns. If we get on-board and find out that for some reason, texting isn't working for us, can we add the wifi plan after the cruise starts?

Yes, you can sign up for Internet access at any time during the cruise.

[leight]

I have a 15yr old daughter going with us in March so I took this very seriously... She averages 8k texts a month( do teens actually TALK anymore?

 

Our cell provider is Verizon. They have an international option that works for cruises. $40 a phone per month (prorated by time used so for a week cruise $10 per phone) Unlimited incoming texts, 125 outgoing texts daily and a small amount of minutes and data daily. There is a larger plan for $80 and a pay per text plan. I plan to activate the plan the day before and put us all into no data mode so we don't incur overages. I have also told my teen it is only 50 texts a day so she doesn't go over! For our family of four, this seems the most practical, considering how all options seem subject to limitations of the reception of the phones or Wilkie talkie or how slow data works.

[reallyitsmema]

I have a 15yr old daughter going with us in March so I took this very seriously... She averages 8k texts a month( do teens actually TALK anymore?

 

Our cell provider is Verizon. They have an international option that works for cruises. $40 a phone per month (prorated by time used so for a week cruise $10 per phone) Unlimited incoming texts, 125 outgoing texts daily and a small amount of minutes and data daily. There is a larger plan for $80 and a pay per text plan. I plan to activate the plan the day before and put us all into no data mode so we don't incur overages. I have also told my teen it is only 50 texts a day so she doesn't go over! For our family of four, this seems the most practical, considering how all options seem subject to limitations of the reception of the phones or Wilkie talkie or how slow data works.

 

You have to do what works best for your family, but when our son was a teen, we felt the most practical option was to turn off his phone for the cruise and lock it in the safe. With all the activities to do on the ship, his phone would have just gotten in his way. He couldn't just put it down when he went swimming or played basketball because it would have gotten stolen. He didn't seem to miss it at all because he was too busy. He had it for traveling to the ship and traveling home and that worked fine.