Texting on ship

[dyin2cruz]

Hi everyone! I have heard that there is a new package for your phone where you can text your friends on the ship for like $5. There are 24 of us so this would be awesome. Does it work with airplane mode? How do you make sure you don't get roaming charges also?

[Organized Chaos]

It sounds like you're hearing about the Carnival Hub app for smartphones. The app itself is free to download and free to use most of its features. Like the Fun Times, deck plans, eating venues & MDR menus, daily weather reports, etc. You do not need to purchase one of the on board wifi plans to use the Hub app. You can download it anytime before your cruise, but until you get on board, the only thing it does is count down to your sail date. Once you get on board, you'll be able to connect it to the ship's wifi and use the features.

 

In addition to the free features, it also has a chat feature. For $5 per device (that covers the entire cruise) you can activate the Hub app's chat feature that will allow you to message another passenger or a group of passengers. Experiences have varied widely depending on the ship. Many have said it worked very well for them, while others said it didn't work so great.

[Domino D]

You do it through the Carnival Hub App. Yes it works in Airplane mode, so you can keep the phone from accessing mobile roaming. Once on board, you open the App and click on the button that says "I'm on board" or something like that. You are then connected over their wifi. We did it and had no problems. You have to reconnect each time you get back on board in port.

 

You can read more about it here.

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1152/~/carnivals-wi-fi-service-and-hub-app

 

Is the Carnival HUB app free?

The App is free to download and use on board. For a small additional fee ($5 USD for the voyage) the HUB App offers chat.

[dyin2cruz]

thank you:D

[Brad1972]

The social media internet plan Is also $5 a day or if you prepurchase it before you board its $4 a day I believe? But with social media plan you can Facebook message anyone in your friends group whether their on the ship, back home or else where. Send pictures too. Voice calling but sound is delayed by a couple seconds and quality kinda sucks sometimes.

[LambKnuckles]

When I first saw this thread, I thought you were asking ways to text folks at home, while you're aboard. I was going to suggest the What'sApp app for that. If you get the basic social package on board -- What'sApp works, and you can text folks at home.

[LADYBROOKS]

Thanks for sharing this, I will need this in December:D.

[gritsnc]

Why not just pay $5 per day for the social media plan and just use Facebook Messenger to "text" each other? You get more for your money with that plan vs the Hub App.

[Domino D]

Why not just pay $5 per day for the social media plan and just use Facebook Messenger to "text" each other? You get more for your money with that plan vs the Hub App.

 

Hub app is $5 per device for the entire cruise. So for us, it is $5 vs $35 and just not worth the extra $30. I admit, I don't use facebook though.

[kathleen21]

Hub app is $5 per device for the entire cruise. So for us, it is $5 vs $35 and just not worth the extra $30. I admit, I don't use facebook though.

 

I also liked that the Hub app works only in airplane mode, so the fear of accidental roaming charges wasn't there. On the Fascination in May we didn't experience having to manually reconnect when getting back on board. It did it as soon as we went into airplane mode.

[Organized Chaos]

Why not just pay $5 per day for the social media plan and just use Facebook Messenger to "text" each other? You get more for your money with that plan vs the Hub App.

Depends on how you look at it. The Hub app includes the Fun Times, to include a reminder feature to alert you of activities you'd like to attend. Searchable deck plans. S&S account access. Food & beverage venues. Dining menus. Itinerary details. Daily weather reports. The ability to search for family & friends on board. And more on certain ships. All of that for free. Plus the $5 chat feature. That's a heck of a good deal to me.

[Domino D]

I also liked that the Hub app works only in airplane mode, so the fear of accidental roaming charges wasn't there. On the Fascination in May we didn't experience having to manually reconnect when getting back on board. It did it as soon as we went into airplane mode.

 

Oh you and your fancy connects by itself phone. It is probably operator error on my part. While overseas onetime, I had a similar self inflicted crisis turning my roaming and roaming warning on and off over and over again.

[Organized Chaos]

Oh you and your fancy connects by itself phone. It is probably operator error on my part. While overseas onetime, I had a similar self inflicted crisis turning my roaming and roaming warning on and off over and over again.

iPhones remember a wifi connection and automatically reconnect to them when they're in range. I remember you saying you have a Samsung in another thread. Androids should do the same. I don't have a whole lot of experience with them, but the ones I've messed around with or worked on for family members, they remember wifi connections too.

[coevan]

the Hub App is awesome, with or without the chat feature. I hate carrying around the Fun Times.

[Domino D]

iPhones remember a wifi connection and automatically reconnect to them when they're in range. I remember you saying you have a Samsung in another thread. Androids should do the same. I don't have a whole lot of experience with them, but the ones I've messed around with or worked on for family members, they remember wifi connections too.

 

Yep, now I have to Google it, because I'm sure you're right. I know one of the guy who works for me said that his wifi turns on automatically when he is at home. Like I said OE.

[Domino D]

the Hub App is awesome, with or without the chat feature. I hate carrying around the Fun Times.

 

Yes sir. How long before they make it an option to even leave it on your bed every night? I really wouldn't miss the printed one. I know others will, so it would have to be an option.

[Organized Chaos]

the Hub App is awesome, with or without the chat feature. I hate carrying around the Fun Times.

 

Yes sir. How long before they make it an option to even leave it on your bed every night? I really wouldn't miss the printed one. I know others will, so it would have to be an option.

I've seen a few people mention that the Hub app version of the Fun Times didn't include everything that was on the paper version. Have you had a similar experience?

 

We're looking forward to getting to use it for the first time. It wasn't available at the time aboard the Conquest last summer.

[Domino D]

I've seen a few people mention that the Hub app version of the Fun Times didn't include everything that was on the paper version. Have you had a similar experience?

 

We're looking forward to getting to use it for the first time. It wasn't available at the time aboard the Conquest last summer.

 

No, I don't remember it being that way. Although you know how the fun times is, lots of stuff. I suppose it could have been missing things I don't pay attention to.

[gritsnc]

Hub app is $5 per device for the entire cruise. So for us, it is $5 vs $35 and just not worth the extra $30. I admit, I don't use facebook though.

I'm sorry, I misread the price. I didn't realize it was $5 for the entire cruise.

[maryred]

I've seen a few people mention that the Hub app version of the Fun Times didn't include everything that was on the paper version. Have you had a similar experience?

 

We're looking forward to getting to use it for the first time. It wasn't available at the time aboard the Conquest last summer.

Advantage HUB app you have the entire cruise worth of the FunTimes starting on day one.

Disadvantage HUB app it is only the basic listing of activities for the cruise. Things like the port agents info is not included, since it would disappear as soon as you step off the ship. Certain notices and last minute changes to the activities are not always updated on the HUB app, like our last Journeys cruise we missed port last minute due to local flooding and the revised FunTimes never made it to the app. Because of the missed port there were other trickle down changes the following days, most notably the comedy shows that confused those that only relied on the app. (No port no new comedians nor our fly in specialty acts.)

 

Sent from my STV100-2 using Forums mobile app

[ddlb]

Hub app is $5 per device for the entire cruise. So for us, it is $5 vs $35 and just not worth the extra $30. I admit, I don't use facebook though.

For people who don't use Facebook you can still download and use the Facebook messenger app - I just learned this myself. Great when you just have wifi - but of course people you message to also have to have it whether they have Facebook or not.

[Bimmie Girl]

Why not just pay $5 per day for the social media plan and just use Facebook Messenger to "text" each other? You get more for your money with that plan vs the Hub App.

 

I totally agree with this. We get it every time we sail with Carnival, so we can communicate with others on the ship, but nice to post things to FB also. Wish other cruise lines (under Carnival) offered it!

[dmdiver]

I've seen a few people mention that the Hub app version of the Fun Times didn't include everything that was on the paper version. Have you had a similar experience?

 

We're looking forward to getting to use it for the first time. It wasn't available at the time aboard the Conquest last summer.

 

Yes, we missed our meet n greet because it supposedly was seen in the paper version, but never showed in the hub app. I looked for it every day on the hub app, not knowing that everything wasn't listed in there. I like to use the hub app for the fun times because the font is larger on my phone than that piece of paper.

[Organized Chaos]

I've seen a few people mention that the Hub app version of the Fun Times didn't include everything that was on the paper version. Have you had a similar experience?

 

We're looking forward to getting to use it for the first time. It wasn't available at the time aboard the Conquest last summer.

 

Yes, we missed our meet n greet because it supposedly was seen in the paper version, but never showed in the hub app. I looked for it every day on the hub app, not knowing that everything wasn't listed in there. I like to use the hub app for the fun times because the font is larger on my phone than that piece of paper.

This is good to know. A bit disappointing, but still good for people to know so they don't run into a problem like dmdiver experienced and miss something they wanted to attend.

 

Advantage HUB app you have the entire cruise worth of the FunTimes starting on day one.

Disadvantage HUB app it is only the basic listing of activities for the cruise. Things like the port agents info is not included, since it would disappear as soon as you step off the ship. Certain notices and last minute changes to the activities are not always updated on the HUB app, like our last Journeys cruise we missed port last minute due to local flooding and the revised FunTimes never made it to the app. Because of the missed port there were other trickle down changes the following days, most notably the comedy shows that confused those that only relied on the app. (No port no new comedians nor our fly in specialty acts.)

 

Sent from my STV100-2 using Forums mobile app

This makes sense, I suppose. They probably don't want to put someone who's familiar with app development on every ship who can make the changes. Or maybe they feel it's a waste of someone's time to update the app FunTimes while underway. Dining menus were just added to the app in the most recent update. I'm guessing they'd suffer the same fate (the app wouldn't match) if any changes were made the day of the meal.

 

I don't think I'd mind the lack of changes to the app's FunTimes, but it'd be nice if the app version had everything that was on the paper version to begin with.

[Organized Chaos]

For people who don't use Facebook you can still download and use the Facebook messenger app - I just learned this myself. Great when you just have wifi - but of course people you message to also have to have it whether they have Facebook or not.

This is interesting. I would have never thought that Zuckerberg would allow anyone to use the messenger app without a fb account. Any reason to get someone to create an account. Just to test it out, I just installed it and instead of logging into a fb account, it'll let you use the app using your phone number. I didn't go any further because I don't want the app.

 

I did learn not long ago that you do not have to be fb friends with a person in order to communicate with them through fb messenger. It will let you add someone as a messenger contact without friending them.