VOOM Surf vs VOOM Surf + Stream ?

[karen_g]

The main reason I will need Internet on my Harmony cruise is that I will need to make phone calls (my phone has WiFi calling) back home every day. Will the "Surf" option serve this purpose or will I need the "Surf + Stream" to have good phone call quality?

[Biker19]

Surf is good enough. BTW, if you have an iPhone and can live with just texts, that will work free without any package. Some have reported Google Hangouts also working on Android devices without a VOOM package.

[Clarea]

The main reason I will need Internet on my Harmony cruise is that I will need to make phone calls (my phone has WiFi calling) back home every day. Will the "Surf" option serve this purpose or will I need the "Surf + Stream" to have good phone call quality?

If you are on a ship with the old geosync service, be prepared for bad quality and dropped calls.

 

I was on Jewel last year, with Stream, and there were times when I could hear the other party and they kept telling me they only heard static. Might take several calls.

[karen_g]

If you are on a ship with the old geosync service, be prepared for bad quality and dropped calls.

 

 

 

I was on Jewel last year, with Stream, and there were times when I could hear the other party and they kept telling me they only heard static. Might take several calls.

 

 

 

Hi Bob. I’ll be on the Harmony so I

would think that they have the “latest and greatest “. I hope.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Clarea]

Hi Bob. I’ll be on the Harmony so I

would think that they have the “latest and greatest “. I hope.

Yes, you should have better internet performance on Harmony.

[karen_g]

Surf is good enough. BTW, if you have an iPhone and can live with just texts, that will work free without any package. Some have reported Google Hangouts also working on Android devices without a VOOM package.

 

 

 

Hi Biker. Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, I will need to make actual phone calls. But the others in my party will just need text.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Pipo]

Does Freedom have the new O3B network?

I'm aware Voom surf doesn't allow live streaming, but is it enough to upload short video clips to Instagram, or should I upgrade to Surf + Stream?

[Clarea]

Does Freedom have the new O3B network?

I'm aware Voom surf doesn't allow live streaming, but is it enough to upload short video clips to Instagram, or should I upgrade to Surf + Stream?

Yes, Freedom has O3b.

[Biker19]

I'm aware Voom surf doesn't allow live streaming, but is it enough to upload short video clips to Instagram, or should I upgrade to Surf + Stream?

 

 

You can live stream anything you have access to. Surf is sometimes enough for viewing low res YouTube.

[mom2tcdx2]

This may be an odd question, but do you know if just the basic without stream would allow some of the games you might play through Facebook? I got the basic only in that I figured I would just use for emails, maybe checking banking, uploading photos to Facebook, etc and just potentially allow my daughter to still reach us.

[Clarea]

This may be an odd question, but do you know if just the basic without stream would allow some of the games you might play through Facebook? I got the basic only in that I figured I would just use for emails, maybe checking banking, uploading photos to Facebook, etc and just potentially allow my daughter to still reach us.

The biggest problem you will have with games is high latency. That would not be any better with Stream.

[parsec0298]

Sorry to dig up a post from the grave, but I’m trying to decide which VOOM package to get that will work with WiFi calling.  Not planning to do much calling while onboard, but it would be nice to know that we can be reached in an emergency.  For example, if our dog sitter needs to get ahold of us for whatever reason.  I know it would be possible to get a message to us via Royal Caribbean, but it would be faster if we could be contacted directly.

[blackshirt]

20 minutes ago, parsec0298 said:

Sorry to dig up a post from the grave, but I’m trying to decide which VOOM package to get that will work with WiFi calling.  Not planning to do much calling while onboard, but it would be nice to know that we can be reached in an emergency.  For example, if our dog sitter needs to get ahold of us for whatever reason.  I know it would be possible to get a message to us via Royal Caribbean, but it would be faster if we could be contacted directly.

As noted, WiFi calling will work with either VOOM package. If all you are worried about is being reachable in an emergency, the ship’s cellular service is an alternative. Depending on your carrier, incoming texts will either be free or very inexpensive.

[Biker19]

4 hours ago, parsec0298 said:

  Not planning to do much calling while onboard, but it would be nice to know that we can be reached in an emergency. 

For rare usage, you might consider skipping the package altogether and just pay for texts. As noted above, it could be free or just a few cents. 

[frank808]

29 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

For rare usage, you might consider skipping the package altogether and just pay for texts. As noted above, it could be free or just a few cents. 

I believe it was 50 cents to send and 5 cents to receive.  

[Clarea]

15 hours ago, parsec0298 said:

Sorry to dig up a post from the grave, but I’m trying to decide which VOOM package to get that will work with WiFi calling.  Not planning to do much calling while onboard, but it would be nice to know that we can be reached in an emergency.  For example, if our dog sitter needs to get ahold of us for whatever reason.  I know it would be possible to get a message to us via Royal Caribbean, but it would be faster if we could be contacted directly.

 

We use AT&T WiFi calling on the ship all the time, with Surf & Stream.  While texting does work most of the time, there are some texts I don't get until I'm back on cellular, have no idea why.  I suggest using both email and texting for important messages.

[PashaPoo]

The wife and I will be on Vision this Jan 12th and was thinking of getting the "Surf and Stream" to be able to take on a movie if need be. Does anyone know if Vision has 03B or the older system?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'

[Biker19]

Vision doesn’t have O3B. 

[twangster]

3 hours ago, PashaPoo said:

The wife and I will be on Vision this Jan 12th and was thinking of getting the "Surf and Stream" to be able to take on a movie if need be. Does anyone know if Vision has 03B or the older system?

 

 

I'm on Vision the cruise before you with the same itinerary.   I'm not expecting a great Voom experience.  With a day in Miami and Key West I already know I'll be switching to cellular those days.  Having said that you may be able to stream on select apps but if you are used to O3b Voom it will not be like that and quite a different experience.  

 

I'm on Serenade as I write this coming off Symphony last week.  The difference between O3b on Symphony and geo-sync Voom  on Serenade was immediately noticeable.  Vision will be similar to Serenade.  With my expectations lowered I'll survive it.     

[PashaPoo]

Thanks for info, Biker 19. I suspected so.

 

And twangster, I definitely will lower my expectations if I decide to go with a Voom package.  Probably be just as easy for streaming to bring a few DVDs and our laptop for the few times we will want to kick back in the cabin and watch a movie.  Especially since our streaming is Amazon Prime and not Netflix. We are planning to get off the ship in both Miami and Key West, so we too will use cellular those days.  We have cruised on the behemoths and wanted to try a 2,200 passenger this time and expected to not have the bells and whistles of the 5,000 giants.  We started cruising in a 2,000 ship in 2001 and enjoyed it very much.  Hope you enjoy the Vision (canoe compared to the Symphony!).  

[LoriGayle12]

@Biker19, I'm going on Symphony of the Seas for my next cruise and saw your comment about iPhones and text messages. If I understand correctly, without either Surf or Stream, from my iPhone, I can send texts to other iPhone users on the mainland? If I want to use Facebook or email, I would need Surf or Stream, right? Anyone else is welcomed to reply as well! Any related comments appreciated. It's sad that I have to check in on my roommate and make sure he's not wrecking havoc or causing drama.

[Clarea]

4 minutes ago, LoriGayle12 said:

@Biker19, I'm going on Symphony of the Seas for my next cruise and saw your comment about iPhones and text messages. If I understand correctly, without either Surf or Stream, from my iPhone, I can send texts to other iPhone users on the mainland? If I want to use Facebook or email, I would need Surf or Stream, right? Anyone else is welcomed to reply as well! Any related comments appreciated. It's sad that I have to check in on my roommate and make sure he's not wrecking havoc or causing drama.

 

The iMessage firewall hole is something that was reported from ships that originally used the Royal IQ app. These were Quantum class ships and Harmony.  I don't recall reports of free iMessage functionality from Symphony.

[Biker19]

4 minutes ago, LoriGayle12 said:

If I understand correctly, without either Surf or Stream, from my iPhone, I can send texts to other iPhone users on the mainland?

No, that only worked on ships which used the Royal IQ app, which Symphony never had. The internet opening in the ship IT system which allows for the texts to get through may still work on some of those ships (Q class before Spectrum and Harmony).

[LoriGayle12]

Ah, thanks! So if I want/need to be able to at least text a few people during my cruise, do I just need Surf? What if I want to get on Facebook? Is Surf ONLY beneficial if I want to watch Netflix or similar? I just want to be in contact with my roommate and a few other people to check in on things.

[Clarea]

1 minute ago, LoriGayle12 said:

Ah, thanks! So if I want/need to be able to at least text a few people during my cruise, do I just need Surf? What if I want to get on Facebook? Is Surf ONLY beneficial if I want to watch Netflix or similar? I just want to be in contact with my roommate and a few other people to check in on things.

 

If you want to watch videos, better to get Stream, otherwise Surf should be fine.