New iphone and ships wifi

[RAC630]

This thread has been very helpful. Question; how about FaceTime? Does it work the same as wifi calling?

[setsail]

Yes, and the cost is very high. That's using the Cellular at Sea service through the ship and, depending on your carrier, can cost about $2.99 per minute for a call. WiFi calling just uses whatever data you have purchased on the ship so likely will cost much less. If you're using free WiFi in a port there's no cost (subject to some exceptions for international calling and other premium services as noted by PPs).

 

See #25 plus our calls off the ship are 1.79 pm , text .50 out/.05 in. Pretty cheap we think

[Clarea]

This thread has been very helpful. Question; how about FaceTime? Does it work the same as wifi calling?

We have been able to use Facetime on board the ships. Sometimes it freezes and disconnects if the internet quality is bad.

[reedl]

You don't need wifi to make calls unless you want to use the Internet or apps

 

That is true if you wish to use the ship's cellular tower to make phone calls. But you will be charged megabucks (at least $1 per minute with a plan and $2.50 without any plan).

 

What I am talking about is using WiFi calling which is allowed on the newer iPhones and Android Phones. It uses a WiFi connection to make phone calls over wifi data. Your phone is set to airplane mode which means the cellular radio is completely turned off.

[reedl]

Since I personally use the data for email, etc. the entire cruise, the WiFi calling is a nice bonus which allows me to make and receive calls for free using the data on the ship, or using my googleFi phone as an access point for my iPhone when we are in port.

 

Since the Fi Phone has roaming agreements and is always $10 a gig in every country, I can use it while in port for speedy internet access.

[setsail]

That is true if you wish to use the ship's cellular tower to make phone calls. But you will be charged megabucks (at least $1 per minute with a plan and $2.50 without any plan).

 

.

 

If it was mega bucks we would get a plan

 

# 25/27

[reallyitsmema]

See #25 plus our calls off the ship are 1.79 pm , text .50 out/.05 in. Pretty cheap we think

 

We also have always done pay as you go up until our last cruise. When doing pay as you go, we have never gone over $20 for the week. We did enjoy using a Travel Pass in Cozumel for $2 for the day, was nice to check up on email and make a few free calls.

 

On our last cruise, we bought Voom because we needed to be in touch with home. Was just over $45 for the 5 night cruise, so more than double what we usually spend. Not sure I would do it again. We were too connected. Think I prefer my iPhone taking most of the week off too, when possible.

[JohnBoy in NC]

So even land lines phones??

 

And what about incoming??

 

Yes on both. We had surf/stream package in Rhapsody and used wife's iPhone 6 a lot for wifi calling. No issues once we figured out how to call home. We kept trying to dial 00 1 to call home but on wifi calling we just needed to dial the number as usual (area code and number). Family called us as normal and we did face time.

 

Wifi connection was spotty in out room at times.

[waterbugohio]

Yes on both. We had surf/stream package in Rhapsody and used wife's iPhone 6 a lot for wifi calling. No issues once we figured out how to call home. We kept trying to dial 00 1 to call home but on wifi calling we just needed to dial the number as usual (area code and number). Family called us as normal and we did face time.

 

Wifi connection was spotty in out room at times.

 

Thanks. So you are saying 1-area code??

Or not even the 1?

[Clarea]

Thanks. So you are saying 1-area code??

Or not even the 1?

Either worked for us.

[Biker19]

Thanks. So you are saying 1-area code??

Or not even the 1?

 

Try it at home now - it should be the same on the ship.

[reedl]

We also have always done pay as you go up until our last cruise. When doing pay as you go, we have never gone over $20 for the week. We did enjoy using a Travel Pass in Cozumel for $2 for the day, was nice to check up on email and make a few free calls.

With AT&T if you do not have a special plan, a phone call is $2.50 per minute. That adds up quickly.

On our last cruise, we bought Voom because we needed to be in touch with home. Was just over $45 for the 5 night cruise, so more than double what we usually spend. Not sure I would do it again. We were too connected. Think I prefer my iPhone taking most of the week off too, when possible.

 

I am a computer nerd, and work in the field of software engineering. This what I do for a living, so it is what I am used to doing. Being disconnected from the internet is difficult for me. I am not a social media user at all, but instead an information consumer. To me reading the news is much better than watching it on TV for example.

[reedl]

Thanks. So you are saying 1-area code??

Or not even the 1?

 

You dial the phone the same exact way would dial if you were home. The phone makes an IP connection to the cellular provider and identifies itself as your phone. So you can make phone calls just like you are making them over a cellular connection. Since the data on the ship is unlimited, you can make as many calls/email/text messages as you want.

[Cigar King]

I plan to test this on my next cruise. (end of this month) I don't see how a cellular provider could know you were on a cruise ship. Last time I checked, the IP address shows Florida as the location. In addition, you could always tunnel a VPN connection, and that would show the location of where the tunnel is not where you are.

 

Bottom line is I am going to give this a whirl in both Europe and on board and I expect there will be no additional charges. I'll let you know if I am wrong. ;-)

Edited October 14, 2016 by Cigar King

[Biker19]

I don't see how a cellular provider could know you were on a cruise ship.

 

That's the whole point - they don't care where you are as long as you have a data connection.

[lovesthebeach2]

So are you saying you would do the set up at home before leaving on trip and then just switch to airplane mode and then turn on WIFI when you are on the ship?

 

We have the IPhone 6S+ and have the wifi calling set up on our phones and keep it that way because we don't have great service in our home, so we use wifi calling most of the time. We never turn it off.

 

We used the wifi calling and Facetime on our last cruise in Europe. We had the surf + stream pkg but our friends had only the surf pkg and they were also able to FaceTime.

[RadioRob]

I used wifi calling in May on Allure without issue. Wifi speeds were great and was able to not only access the internet but also send/receive calls. I was in the middle of the ocean somewhere between Nassau and St Maartin when I received a phone call from a co-worker who did not realize I was out on vacation. At the end of the call, I asked how the quality was and if he realized I was literally in the middle of nowhere.

 

Regarding international rates... only applies if you're DIALING international numbers. Receiving calls and placing calls to normal US numbers are subject to your normal plan.

 

This means:

 

a) If you're in a foreign port, even when using wifi calling if you dial a number at that port, it's subject to international rate (even if you can see the destination from your room).

b) If you're sitting at that same foreign port and call your neighbor back home in the states, it's still a normal call.

 

But wifi calling is awesome and cannot recommend it enough!