Phone plan required with Viking WiFi?

[Vineyard View]

I am having a brain warp. If I leave my phone in airplane mode on the ship, do I need a phone plan with ATT as well?  I will use WiFi in port locations that offer. Caribbean is the itinerary and know USVI and PR are no problem but it is the others and ship time. Thank you. 

 

[ropomo]

You should not need any phone plan to access the internet via a browser.  Just put in airplane mode and turn wifi back on.  If you want to send text or call via wifi, you will need a phone plan that supports wifi text/calling.  Used wifi text with limited success on Homelands cruise.  Could text my wife locally, but not successful back to states.  Same with wifi calling.

Edited October 5, 2019 by ropomo

[Squawkman]

2 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

I am having a brain warp. If I leave my phone in airplane mode on the ship, do I need a phone plan with ATT as well?  I will use WiFi in port locations that offer. Caribbean is the itinerary and know USVI and PR are no problem but it is the others and ship time. Thank you. 

 

You need to make sure your phone is set for ATT WiFi calling. Usually in port and sometimes on the sea, the ship WiFi will give you the same access to voice and text as your US plan. When on excursions, I was usually able to find free WiFi . I always kept my phone in airplane mode with WiFi activated. I also enabled my phone to use ATTs International Day Pass should WiFi not be available when I needed it - but never had to use it. I’ve used WiFi calling in Canada and several European countries.

[Vineyard View]

That is how I remembered it but didn’t want any shocking bills!  Thank you very much. 

When in Europe or other international continents I initiate the plan through ATT,  but with this trip, being the Caribbean, I am not as concerned with doing that. I appreciate your response. 

[Squawkman]

Another useful feature of ATT wifi calling is at locations in the USA with weak or no cell service. I have a friend whose summer home has wifi but "no service" for calls or text. He uses wifi calling regularly for everything when living there.

[Vineyard View]

Just to clarify. If I want to text or email from the ship I need an international phone plan?  I thought in travels before that as long as I was on airplane mode it was no additional charge? 

 

[aungrl]

When connected to the ship’s wifi, you can email without having or triggering your international phone plan.  I’ve also always been able to send and receive texts via iMessage to anyone with an iPhone or iPad without any problem via ship’s wifi.  

 

Where ship’s wifi has broken down in terms of usefulness for tests is if trying to communicate with a NON-apple product, e.g., someone with an Android phone.  In that case, the iMessage feature (which is what lets you text via wifi, rather than via your cellular phone service), doesn’t work.  

 

But as long as you’re emailing and texting to another iPhone, you can do it via the wifi system.

[Squawkman]

I can only speak for an iPhone model 6 or later and ATT cell service. You can keep the iPhone in airplane mode. If you see the words “AT&T Wi-Fi” in the upper left hand corner of the screen, you can call or text anybody for free. First, you must be sure your iPhone is set up. Go to Settings, then Cellular, then Wi-Fi Calling. Make sure it’s turned on.

[-Lew-]

1 hour ago, Squawkman said:

If you see the words “AT&T Wi-Fi” in the upper left hand corner of the screen, you can call or text anybody for free.

 

You can call anywhere while on Wi-Fi, but it's not free to all numbers.  See below from the AT&T website...

 

Wi-Fi Calling is billed based on the number you call no matter whether you’re using Wi-Fi® at home or while traveling abroad.

 

• Calls to U.S. numbers can be made at no additional charge.
• Calls to international numbers are billed at your international long distance rates. If you’re traveling abroad, this includes calls to the country you’re in.

Edited October 6, 2019 by -Lew-

[Squawkman]

17 minutes ago, -Lew- said:

 

You can call anywhere while on Wi-Fi, but it's not free to all numbers.  See below from the AT&T website...

 

Wi-Fi Calling is billed based on the number you call no matter whether you’re using Wi-Fi® at home or while traveling abroad.

 

• Calls to U.S. numbers can be made at no additional charge.
• Calls to international numbers are billed at your international long distance rates. If you’re traveling abroad, this includes calls to the country you’re in.

Lew is correct - I failed to mention domestic USA texts and calls based on your ATT phone plan are free; international calls are based on your ATT international plan.

[Vineyard View]

Okay. Thanks that is what I did last time and had no issues - I don’t remember having trouble with reaching Daughters Samsung with texting. 

I have iPhone 7s. 

Really appreciate your assist. 

[garycarla]

The answers are a bit right and wrong.

 

Are you planning to use phone for JUST internet, or are you asking about making phone calls via wifi, or calls via the ships towers?

[Vineyard View]

I ended up signing up for ATT plan that charges you $10/day only if you use it. The rest of the time I used Viking WiFi and stayed on airplane mode.