Anthem Texts from Home?

[reallyitsmema]

Nope, but that does not mean it has not happened. I know the firewalls allow free access to RC websites, and I could see a temporary firewall misconfig allowing access to other sites.

 

It doesn't make sense that it would happen on only one phone out of 4 for the week though. Why would one phone not be prompted to log onto wifi but the other 3 didn't?

[Biker19]

It doesn't make sense that it would happen on only one phone out of 4 for the week though. Why would one phone not be prompted to log onto wifi but the other 3 didn't?

The other 3 phones had VOOM logins.

[reallyitsmema]

The other 3 phones had VOOM logins.

 

Right, one used a single login and the other two shared. Not sure of your point? I share a login with my DH, between four devices. When I try to open Cruise Critic, for example, I am prompted to login to Voom. The PP said his wife had "full internet" and didn't need to log into voom.

[Clarea]

It doesn't make sense that it would happen on only one phone out of 4 for the week though. Why would one phone not be prompted to log onto wifi but the other 3 didn't?

I agree that it does not make sense, but I also don't know the details of the mechanism that the system uses to determine if you are already logged in. Sometimes I'd turn off my phone for several hours (more than 4) and then turn it on and I was not prompted for access code but still had internet access. Sometimes the phone was off for 30 minutes and I was prompted for the access code. Cookies I assume, but not sure.

[Biker19]

The PP said his wife had "full internet" and didn't need to log into voom.

When/if that poster comes back, they'll probably clarify to say that what they meant was that she was able to get texts without logging into VOOM and that's what they considered "full internet".

[Onetime2time]

How does one "log onto wifi" without a code? Do you mean she connected to the ships wifi? Anyone can connect to the ships wifi and use the Royal IQ app. There are also some ports open that allow you to do more than they say you have access to, but that does not give you full access to the internet. Was she in airplane mode or was she actually using cellular data the whole time? You mentioned AT&T and Verizon in your prior post. Verizon no longer supports cellular data on cruise ships, but AT&T still does.

 

YIKES!!! Sorry my terminology wasant perfectly in line with your terminology when i said "log on" and "connect" but i think you get my drift now. My wife had FULL ACCESS (facebook, websites, everything) to the entire internet just by "connecting" to the wifi. She does have an older iphone. My wife and i have Metro PCS and that did not recognize "cellular at sea" My oldest daughter has verizon and she was connected to "cellular at sea" however im not sure that she used it because she had internet the whole time, my father who was also on the ship has at&t and he also had "cellular at sea" which he did use a few times. My wife had no cell service, except for Puerto Rico. It was a fluke, a fluke that gave her full access to the web, however only Imessages came through and no phone calls. Im not arguing or gloating, i am merely expressing how it worked for my wife. I thought it was worth sharing.

[Biker19]

It was a fluke, a fluke that gave her full access to the web, however only Imessages came through and no phone calls.

Like I said.......

[reallyitsmema]

YIKES!!! Sorry my terminology wasant perfectly in line with your terminology when i said "log on" and "connect" but i think you get my drift now. My wife had FULL ACCESS (facebook, websites, everything) to the entire internet just by "connecting" to the wifi. She does have an older iphone. My wife and i have Metro PCS and that did not recognize "cellular at sea" My oldest daughter has verizon and she was connected to "cellular at sea" however im not sure that she used it because she had internet the whole time, my father who was also on the ship has at&t and he also had "cellular at sea" which he did use a few times. My wife had no cell service, except for Puerto Rico. It was a fluke, a fluke that gave her full access to the web, however only Imessages came through and no phone calls. Im not arguing or gloating, i am merely expressing how it worked for my wife. I thought it was worth sharing.

 

It isn't my terminology, on Anthem you can use the Royal IQ app by being connected to Royal-wifi, you do not need to buy Voom. There have been reports that people have been able to access Aol and imessage without purchasing Voom, but never the "full internet". Just trying to understand what actually happened as there are many people who ask questions about Voom and the Royal IQ app.

 

It also makes no sense that it was one phone and not all, which is why I asked you if she was in airplane mode or not, since she could have been using cellular data and you could be in for a huge bill.

[Onetime2time]

Like I said.......

 

well she doesnt have wifi calling so that is all she would get with no cell service and full wifi.

[Onetime2time]

It isn't my terminology, on Anthem you can use the Royal IQ app by being connected to Royal-wifi, you do not need to buy Voom. There have been reports that people have been able to access Aol and imessage without purchasing Voom, but never the "full internet". Just trying to understand what actually happened as there are many people who ask questions about Voom and the Royal IQ app.

 

It also makes no sense that it was one phone and not all, which is why I asked you if she was in airplane mode or not, since she could have been using cellular data and you could be in for a huge bill.

 

We have Metro PCS, there is never added on charges,we pay same amount every month for about 5 years, $100.00 exactly for 4 lines every month. There is no roaming charges, etc. Im sure she didnt turn on airplane mode as she had no idea what that is. when she said she had full internet after day 3 i said let me see your phone. I opened up safari and surfed the web, at first i thought it was pages in her cache so i went on a couple sites she would never go on and it was working. There was no cell service in the middle of the atlantic and it clearly said at the top of the phone "no service" but the internet was working.

 

Trying to understand it is not in my field of expertise and like i said i just wanted to share my story. I wish we all could have been as lucky as her for those 10 days but my phone and neither one of my kids newer iphones were that lucky. Like i said it was a fluke. Could have been a mac address range that was allowed that coincided with wifi devices on the ship, who knows. I wasant complaining, just sharing. Im regretting even mentioning it, feel like ive gotten the 3rd degree here.

 

Ohh and to be clear my kids Iphones all we able to get Imessages once "connected" to wifi even if they were not "logged into" vroom. They have Iphone 7's.

[Btank]

Friendly reminder: if you're using an iPhone and want to force messages to SMS/MMS (aka "good ol' text messages") instead of iMessage, you can disable iMessage temporarily by going to Settings --> Messages. Just don't forget to turn it back on when you get home! :-)

 

[Biker19]

Im regretting even mentioning it, feel like ive gotten the 3rd degree here.

You have to understand that there are many on here that have done a lot of cruising, know about VOOM and its limitations and question something that they have never seen. Many times after a full explanation of an issue, it turns out that the original post was incomplete or even wrong. Thanks for sharing.

[Rolady68]

I don't know if this is answered or not yet I had the room internet on anthem of the Seas and I kept my phone on airplane mode and I was able to get text messages and I was able to talk on the phone through the messenger on Facebook and I had no extra charges at all I was also able to Skype with no charge either

 

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[Merion_Mom]

I don't know if this is answered or not yet I had the room internet on anthem of the Seas and I kept my phone on airplane mode and I was able to get text messages and I was able to talk on the phone through the messenger on Facebook and I had no extra charges at all I was also able to Skype with no charge either

 

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A lot of people are confused, thinking that "internet" and "Voom" are two different things.

 

 

They are not.

 

VOOM is just the cute little name that Royal Caribbean gives to its internet access.

 

Royal IQ, the app, works on the ship's INTRANET, not the internet.

 

If you, Rolady, paid for internet access, a.k.a., VOOM, you would have and apparently did have, full access to the internet.

[WestfieldTraveler]

I was in in another country on business and recently tested out wifi calling. On my work Iphone 7 using AT&T I was able to go into airplane mode with wifi calling turned on and make calls - I had also tested that at home. However, on my personal Samsung Edge 7 using Verizon, apparently after a recent android update (what I saw posted), you can't make wifi calls unless you have no cell service, or are roaming AND have it set to "prefer" wifi calling when roaming - that is, if you are also connected to Wifi.

 

So the problem is with Verizon on android, if you have spotty wifi service, unless you are careful you may make or receive a roaming call (and on the cruise ship this will be expensive!) when you think you are on wifi. You may get a pop-up or text letting you know this when you first turn your phone on, but per-call I'm not sure. You phone probably has different icons to show what type of call you are on - I've attached two screenshots of them, one showing the wifi connection, the other showing the roaming carrier (meteor) to give an idea of what to look for. So just be sure if you want "wifi" calling you don't take or complete the call unless the wifi icon shows up.

[Clarea]

... However, on my personal Samsung Edge 7 using Verizon, apparently after a recent android update (what I saw posted), you can't make wifi calls unless you have no cell service, ... .

Would this not be the case if the phone is in Airplane Mode with WiFi turned back on?

[Biker19]

So the problem is with Verizon on android, if you have spotty wifi service, unless you are careful you may make or receive a roaming call (and on the cruise ship this will be expensive!) when you think you are on wifi.

If you never take the phone out of Airplane mode, this is not an issue.

[Peggy13]

If we buy the Voom while on the Anthem (for one device) - do we also have to set up something from our provider AT&T for a message/calling package too? For instance, if my husband and I want to text each other on the ship or if we need to text anyone back home? Will we have to buy the Voom for each of our devices? AT&T says we get free incoming texts, but cost to text out.

[Clarea]

If we buy the Voom while on the Anthem (for one device) - do we also have to set up something from our provider AT&T for a message/calling package too? For instance, if my husband and I want to text each other on the ship or if we need to text anyone back home? Will we have to buy the Voom for each of our devices? AT&T says we get free incoming texts, but cost to text out.

You can text one of two ways:

 

Don't buy VOOM and use AT&T Cellular at Sea. AT&T charges: $0.50 per text sent, free to receive texts, voice calls are $2.49 per minute and data is very expensive, so I would plan on no data this way. No charges from the ship.

 

 

Buy VOOM for the number of devices you want online at the same time. If you have WiFi calling enabled on your phones, the phones will be fully functional (voice, text, data) with no charges from AT&T. If you can't enable WIFi calling, then you will have to use an internet messaging app, like iMessage or WhatsApp to text.

[reallyitsmema]

You can text one of two ways:

 

Don't buy VOOM and use AT&T Cellular at Sea. AT&T charges: $0.50 per text sent, free to receive texts, voice calls are $2.49 per minute and data is very expensive, so I would plan on no data this way. No charges from the ship.

 

 

Buy VOOM for the number of devices you want online at the same time. If you have WiFi calling enabled on your phones, the phones will be fully functional (voice, text, data) with no charges from AT&T. If you can't enable WIFi calling, then you will have to use an internet messaging app, like iMessage or WhatsApp to text.

 

Or buy Voom for one device and buy the texting function for the Royal IQ app to communicate on the ship. Can use Voom to communicate with home.

[Clarea]

Or buy Voom for one device and buy the texting function for the Royal IQ app to communicate on the ship. Can use Voom to communicate with home.

That would work too. I just find that if the explanation gets too complicated, people turn off.

[Peggy13]

Or buy Voom for one device and buy the texting function for the Royal IQ app to communicate on the ship. Can use Voom to communicate with home.

 

 

 

Think I got it. Thanks

 

 

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[Peggy13]

Or buy Voom for one device and buy the texting function for the Royal IQ app to communicate on the ship. Can use Voom to communicate with home.

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Peggy13]

You can text one of two ways:

 

 

 

Don't buy VOOM and use AT&T Cellular at Sea. AT&T charges: $0.50 per text sent, free to receive texts, voice calls are $2.49 per minute and data is very expensive, so I would plan on no data this way. No charges from the ship.

 

 

 

 

 

Buy VOOM for the number of devices you want online at the same time. If you have WiFi calling enabled on your phones, the phones will be fully functional (voice, text, data) with no charges from AT&T. If you can't enable WIFi calling, then you will have to use an internet messaging app, like iMessage or WhatsApp to text.

 

 

 

Thanks

 

 

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[reallyitsmema]

That would work too. I just find that if the explanation gets too complicated, people turn off.

 

Very true, but staying with just cruise line provided options and not buying a cruise ship plan from AT&T just seems easier to me.