Texting - Please help

[dthogue]

I will be on the Enchantment in October for 4 nights. I want to be able to receive/send texts while onboard. We have Apple phones on AT&T. Do I need to purchase the VOOM package? What settings do I need to change on my phone to do this.

 

Sorry I searched, but everything I read just confused me.

 

Thanks,

[Grand PooBah]

You just need the Voom surf package, 9.99 a day, and turn wi-fi on in your phone, connect to their network. Thats all there is to it. Texts are just as fast as on land. Amazing.

[Clarea]

Also, it's a good idea to put the phone in Airplane mode, and then turn on WiFi, to minimize the chance of cell carrier charges.

[Dina7]

I thought some other posters here said if you have an IPhone, you don't need to buy Voom in order to text?

[reallyitsmema]

I thought some other posters here said if you have an IPhone, you don't need to buy Voom in order to text?

 

Sounds like you are talking about the hole in the firewall that allows you to text for free on ships that use the Royal IQ app.

 

Enchantment uses the Royal App which does not have a text feature or the firewall hole.

[Dina7]

Sounds like you are talking about the hole in the firewall that allows you to text for free on ships that use the Royal IQ app.

 

Enchantment uses the Royal App which does not have a text feature or the firewall hole.

 

Yes, that was it. Forgot it only works on ships that have Royal IQ app.

[Biker19]

What settings do I need to change on my phone to do this.

 

,

 

 

Ensure you enable WiFi calling while at home and try it there before you get on the ship.

[blackshirt]

Voom won’t allow you to send SMS/MMS messages unless you have WiFi calling. Without WiFi calling, you can only iMessage over WiFi. You do not need voom to send or receive regular texts and you don’t need an ATT cruise package. You just connect to the ship’s cellular system, Cellular at Sea. With ATT and no cruise package, received texts are free, sent texts are $0.50, picture messages are $1.30. If you do use Cellular at Sea, make sure you have data roaming off.

[dthogue]

This why I am confused, different people say different things. No idea what WiFi calling. Do I need WiFi calling if I have the voom package?

 

 

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[dthogue]

Voom won’t allow you to send SMS/MMS messages unless you have WiFi calling. Without WiFi calling, you can only iMessage over WiFi. You do not need voom to send or receive regular texts and you don’t need an ATT cruise package. You just connect to the ship’s cellular system, Cellular at Sea. With ATT and no cruise package, received texts are free, sent texts are $0.50, picture messages are $1.30. If you do use Cellular at Sea, make sure you have data roaming off.

 

Do I still turn airplane mode on?

[steveru621]

This why I am confused, different people say different things. No idea what WiFi calling. Do I need WiFi calling if I have the voom package?

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

This is where I recommend people learn how to navigate GOOGLE. Not trying to be rude, but it is particularly satisfying finding answers to your questions.

 

Type in What is WiFi calling?

[reallyitsmema]

This why I am confused, different people say different things. No idea what WiFi calling. Do I need WiFi calling if I have the voom package?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Wifi calling allows you to make phone calls over wifi, so if you are buying voom, you will have the ability to make phone calls home over wifi, instead of paying the high cellular charges you would incur if you make a call using cellular. You put your phone into airplane mode, connect to royal-wifi and use login.com to connect to Voom. If you have enabled wifi calling at home, you can then make a call over wifi.

[dthogue]

This is where I recommend people learn how to navigate GOOGLE. Not trying to be rude, but it is particularly satisfying finding answers to your questions.

 

 

 

Type in What is WiFi calling?

 

 

 

Well that was rude! Thanks anyway for your help!

 

 

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[dthogue]

Wifi calling allows you to make phone calls over wifi, so if you are buying voom, you will have the ability to make phone calls home over wifi, instead of paying the high cellular charges you would incur if you make a call using cellular. You put your phone into airplane mode, connect to royal-wifi and use login.com to connect to Voom. If you have enabled wifi calling at home, you can then make a call over wifi.

 

 

 

Thank you, very helpful!

 

 

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[steveru621]

Well that was rude! Thanks anyway for your help!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Truly sorry you took it that way.

 

GOOGLE is not 100% reliable, but getting answers on Cruise Critic is not always reliable either.

 

Anyway, enjoy your cruise.

[blackshirt]

Do I still turn airplane mode on?

Not if you want to use Cellular at Sea. Airplane mode turns all radios on your phone off. You can then individually turn WiFi or Bluetooth on but the only way to turn cellular on is airplane mode off. Again, if you do use cellular, make sure data roaming is off. Cellular data charges can get very high very fast but I’ve never gotten a data charge with data roaming off.

[AlanF65]

Truly sorry you took it that way.

 

GOOGLE is not 100% reliable, but getting answers on Cruise Critic is not always reliable either.

 

Anyway, enjoy your cruise.

 

your search is too broad with too many unrelated answers.

 

 

somewhat reliable article here on CC that is not cruise line specific "

 

What to Expect on a Cruise: Using a Cell Phone"

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1752

 

also this

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=45

 

then scroll to RC.

 

 

 

there is this from RC

https://www.******************.com/boards/index.php?/topic/1704-wifi-calling-with-iphone/

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

Done it several times with IPhone and ATT. We just buy the ships WiFi (actually free since we were in suites). Contrary to popular belief just putting the phone in airplane mode might not avoid those pesky roaming charges. Make sure to go into settings and disable all those settings for data roaming, etc. Then specifically turn on WiFi calling if you want to voice call anybody or get voice calls. Warning, we found missed calls won't show up nor will voicemails on the home screen icons. They have never shown up until we get back to US, reboot, and turn everything back on. You can call into voicemail and they will be there.

 

Connected to ships wifi I have texted, voice called, surfed internet, FaceTime, Emailed, and uploaded photos/videos (slow). If you want to text photos or videos don't send more than one at a time, otherwise it will lock up and take forever.

 

We have also bought the ATT international plan for the month and been able to do everything off the ship also.

[blackshirt]

Contrary to popular belief just putting the phone in airplane mode might not avoid those pesky roaming charges.

I respectfully disagree. It is not possible to get roaming charges in airplane mode because it is not possible to roam. Airplane mode turns off your cellular radios.

[uksimonusa]

AT&T does have wifi calling, go to settings and turn on wifi calling, do this at home, not on the ship, once this is turned on, it may take a minute or so the first time, put the phone into airplane mode and then turn on wifi. Try and make a call, if the call is successful, you are all set. When you get on the ship, put the phone into airplane mode, and turn on wifi, login to the voom wifi service and your phone will make and receive calls and texts just as if you were home in the US.

[jfaw]

Do I still turn airplane mode on?

 

 

 

Yes, buy the wifi package from RC, they give you the code when you check in, enter it as soon as you get on the ship.

 

Turn on wifi calling in settings:

Settings - Cellular - WiFi Calling (toggle the button to where it is green)

 

Once the ship is pushing away from the port, turn on airplane mode so you ensure that you don't use your Cellular data. Then you should be good to go!

 

 

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[crystalspin]

Tagging on this thread -- does Royal have free stuff on their wifi (i.e. no Voom purchase)? Just back from a HAL cruise and they now have Navigator that let's you look up the night's menu, the day's activities, and other stuff. You can even message other passengers, but there is no audible PING so the other person must remember to check.

 

ETA: It was surprisingly useful, although I was the only one in my group of nine to download it, so never did use the messenger.

[Clarea]

Tagging on this thread -- does Royal have free stuff on their wifi (i.e. no Voom purchase)? Just back from a HAL cruise and they now have Navigator that let's you look up the night's menu, the day's activities, and other stuff. You can even message other passengers, but there is no audible PING so the other person must remember to check.

 

ETA: It was surprisingly useful, although I was the only one in my group of nine to download it, so never did use the messenger.

There is the Royal Caribbean International App, but this is only on a handful of ships at this point.. No texting capability yet.

 

Four other ships have a different app (Royal IQ) that includes texting for $8 per cruise.

[Biker19]

Tagging on this thread -- does Royal have free stuff on their wifi (i.e. no Voom purchase)?

Yes, but it depends on the ship. Some use the older Royal IQ app, some the newer RCI app and some have neither. On all ships you can reach RCCL related web sites.

[Biker19]

Turn on wifi calling in settings:

Settings - Cellular - WiFi Calling (toggle the button to where it is green)

It's a bit more complicated than that for the initial set up and it must be done while still connected to land based cell network.