Free iMessaging stopped on Breakaway

[Bob7]

Here's an update to the earlier threads about being able to send iMessages for free from ship to shore on Apple devices, just got off the Breakaway, tried the method, it didn't work, asked the internet manager about it, and he smiled and said NCL found a way to kill it off :(

-Bob

[GrootmoederkKr]

No!

[krolyat]

I am actually surprised it worked for as long as it did.

[mking8288]

Thanks, OP, for the alert & update. Some of us knew that it was just a matter of time for I.T. to program the codes to block it. SMS via (paid/free) WiFi & carrier-based TXT or SMS messaging "should" continue to work ... at relatively inexpensive rates, depending upon one's carrier-specific plan & add-on options, etc. off the ship in foreign ports & on the ship, if one has the "proper" package. No more blanket free rides via iOS messaging, nothing to be surprised about & glad that some of us managed to kept it an open secret for as long as it lasted. Oh well :rolleyes:

 

As for NCL's promised fleetwide upgrade this summer after the pilot testing on 3 of its ship, what has happened to the better & improved paid inTERnet ... apparently, still hit-n-miss. And, a missed revenue opportunity for the shareholders with the given bandwidth limitations.

[sergeant655]

I am on the sun. I appears that they have BLOCKED most apps from working even when you pay. Safari and Facebook messenger work fineThe following I have noticed no longer works

 

Twitter

Shazam

Music app

 

Some Canadian websites and all video have also been blocked. These apps work when I go ashore. Oddly enough cruse critic is the best working site I can get onboard

[Loonbeam]

Not surprised that streaming apps are blocked (especially Shazam which is a bandwith killer due to poor compression protocols. Twitter I am surprised about.

[Disney323]

Our concierge told us it stopped about a month ago and she didn't know why. She said she hopes it will be back.

[Loonbeam]

It was stopped because iMessage was still using bandwith (if nominal) without being paid for. Every message has to go up and back to the servers. Eventually I think there will be a basic social media type package that will include it.

[uneamie]

What happened to the supposedly new FB access paying a small fee instead of buying a lot of Wifi minutes? That was supposed to be on the Breakaway this year?

[Cruising...our happy place]

Sorry to hear it. It just worked on the Dawn... the vast majority of the time.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[caribbeanboy]

Can you still pay $35 for the week for the social package (especially Whatsapp)

[uneamie]

Can you still pay $35 for the week for the social package (especially Whatsapp)

That's what I was wondering about. That's all I really need to communicate to my son back home. Good to know.

[Loonbeam]

I don't think that was rolled out fleetwide yet. It was supposed to come with the enhanced internet, such as it is.

Can you still pay $35 for the week for the social package (especially Whatsapp)

[princess_mom]

Here's an update to the earlier threads about being able to send iMessages for free from ship to shore on Apple devices, just got off the Breakaway, tried the method, it didn't work, asked the internet manager about it, and he smiled and said NCL found a way to kill it off :(

-Bob

Are iMessages also blocked between passengers onboard? Was hoping to use this to communicate with my teens next month...

Thanks!

[Loonbeam]

If blocked on board they will not work. All messages go through apple servers, not phone to phone.

 

Are iMessages also blocked between passengers onboard? Was hoping to use this to communicate with my teens next month...

Thanks!

[mking8288]

If their I.T. blocked 5223 tcp ports, along with 443, etc. behind the pay-wall, it doesn't matter that onboard or ship-to/from shore messaging. If they get their own iConcierge App fixed, then more users could find it a reasonable option.

 

Our carrier's SMS or texting charges are very cheap & reasonable ... just need to make sure yours worked onboard & not blocked, and what the rates are ... one of our backup T-Mo's line charges shown below.

 

on AT&T 4G, T-Mo/Project Fi or WiFi via Blu R1HD w Tapatalk, VPN secured.

[uneamie]

So what would be the point purchasing IMessage if you can't text on board to other passengers?

[mking8288]

So what would be the point purchasing IMessage if you can't text on board to other passengers?

To text other pax on the same ship, you need to use their official App, iConcierge (for both iOS & Androids),

 

iMessage functions are unique & specific to Apple's iOS devices (iPhones & iPads) - integrated and not "purchased" as add-on services on a cruise ship - on land, it used either cellular and/or WiFi data to send SMS/MMS (where as plain messaging are text/SMS only and without MMS ... over a different pathway, in simple terms) https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207006

 

iMessages had been a known & not blocked loopholes until now, so it's safe to assume NCL's IT figured out a different way of handling their iConcierge App's texting & calling features without leaving those udp and/or tcp ports behind the firewalled routers/servers open for basic connectivity ... thus, they locked it down & hardened the backdoor/loopholes.

 

That's an end to getting free messaging - unless one opted to use the iConcierge App and/or standard text messaging/SMS via the carrier's plan (without data or MMS being send/received)

 

On a related note, Google/Android's Hangouts & texting involved a different set of udp/tcp ports - but, I don't believed that those were ever available or "exploited" unless one is on a "paid" WiFi plan on the ship.

 

As for the availability of the newest 3-tiered social media plan on the Breakaway, I will find out and explore what's new in about 2 week while at sea ... haven't seen any recent reports about it up till now, nor on the Gem. Scheduled to tender for GSC and a day at Nassau (again, yeah :rolleyes:) ... we will use our HSPA+ cellular plan roaming on "BTC" - a partner of our Google's Project Fi abroad, cheap data @ $10 per GB (that's 1,000 MB)