Does Verizon charge extra when using Best. Sale. Ever. promo?

[Linsifer]

We always turn our phones to Airplane mode on cruises and have never used the ships WiFi.  We just booked a cruise to Alaska with the Best. Sale. Ever.  That includes free unlimited WiFi.  How does that work with Verizon?  Will they charge us extra while using WiFi on the ship?  What about texting—iMessages and SMS?  Facebook and Google?   I realize we can’t make phone calls.  I just don’t want any surprises on our Verizon bill.  Thanks so much for anything you can tell me. 

Edited December 19, 2019 by Linsifer

[LGD]

6 minutes ago, Linsifer said:

We always turn our phones to Airplane mode on cruises and have never used the ships WiFi.  We just booked a cruise to Alaska with the Best. Sale. Ever.  That includes free unlimited WiFi.  How does that work with Verizon?  Will they charge us extra while using WiFi on the ship?  What about texting—iMessages and SMS?  Facebook and Google?   I realize we can’t make phone calls.  I just don’t want any surprises on our Verizon bill.  Thanks so much for anything you can tell me. 

No surprises my Verizon bill.  I kept it on airplane mode and used the ship's wifi.  I used FB messenger for video calls home since I use an Android phone.  

[Linsifer]

Oh, okay.  So we can use it on Airplane mode then.  Good.  We have iPhones so I imagine we can use iMessages and FB Messenger free of charge.  Thank you!

[gottagocit]

Just keep airplane mode off with WiFi turned on while onboard. 
Verizon also offers free WiFi calling as I understand it but I’d verify that before trying it just to be safe. 

[skynight]

Verizon has really nothing to do with connection to the internet. While at sea just keep your device in airplane mode with wi-fi turned on. While in port in Alaska and maybe Canada, depends on your plan, you can turn airplane mode off and use data and cell service just as you would at home. 

[lstone19]

As Skynight said, Verizon (or any cell carrier) is not involved when your phone is in airplane mode but with Wi-Fi turned on (meaning you're not on the cellular network and doing everything via Wi-Fi). Assuming you're also logged into the ship's Internet service (which is what Princess means when they say Wi-Fi even though the terms are not synonymous), you can do everything you normally do that involves phone data. Your phone is directly on the Internet so your data traffic does not go through your cellular carrier. But by default, you can not do anything that involves the voice side of cellular service which is voice calls and SMS (regular text messages). You can do iMessages as they use the data side.

 

However, if you have Wi-Fi Calling turned on and properly set up, then you should also be able to do voice calls and SMS. From what I can tell (I have no experience with Verizon), Verizon treats Wi-Fi calls as if you're in the U.S. so the same charges as if you're using your phone on the Verizon network in the U.S. If you have unlimited voice calls in the U.S. to/from U.S. numbers, you'll have that using Wi-Fi Calling as well.

[2theship]

I had unlimited WiFi with my iPhone 8 on the Emerald Princess transatlantic November 4 to 18. I set the phone on airplane mode and turned WiFi calling on. I used the phone for texting, FaceTime, and regular phone calls to the United States and had no additional charges from Verizon. I just double-checked my bill to be sure.

Edited December 19, 2019 by 2theship

[pms4104]

1 hour ago, gottagocit said:

Just keep airplane mode off with WiFi turned on while onboard. 
Verizon also offers free WiFi calling as I understand it but I’d verify that before trying it just to be safe. 

Airplane mode off?  Are you sure?

[lstone19]

1 minute ago, pms4104 said:

Airplane mode off?  Are you sure?

 

He means keep airplane mode on (cellular radio off).

 

The terms get confusing because turning airplane mode ON turns the radios in your phone OFF. And then you are told to turn other functions, like Wi-Fi ON to re-enable what turning airplane mode ON turned OFF.

[gottagocit]

2 hours ago, gottagocit said:

Just keep airplane mode off with WiFi turned on while onboard. 
Verizon also offers free WiFi calling as I understand it but I’d verify that before trying it just to be safe. 

OH NO!!

I’m so sorry for the confusion. Meant to say keep airplane mode “ON” to keep cell calling off and then turn “ON” WiFi access. 
Thanks to those pointing out my mistake. Didn’t mean to confuse anyone. 

I should also include WiFi calling is not unique to Verizon but some carriers charge to use it and I understand they do not. And yes while at sea you can make a call using your cell phone provider over WiFi and not using cellular service and it may be free depending on your provider and assuming you have a onboard ships WiFi package that provides internet access. 
 

Chris

Edited December 19, 2019 by gottagocit

[franktown]

There are no cell phone towers in the middle of the ocean so you cannot connect directly with Verizon.   If you leave airplane mode off you will connect to Cellular at sea (I think thats what it is called) and you could get a very huge bill from verizon.  You need need to turn on airplane mode than enable wifi calling and connect to the ships internet.  Everything than will e routed thru the ships wifi.  When you are in port you should talk to Verizon.  The have all kinds of different international plans.

[jondfk]

Indeed, Verizon have all sorts of international plans.  I like the ones with a flat daily fee that you pay ONLY when you actually use the phone.  Some of their plans include pricing for Cellular at Sea though it's still prohibitively expensive.  Best option is to turn airplane mode on (effectively cellular radio off) and then use the ships wifi to make any necessary calls via FaceTime.  

 

Better still, enjoy the cruise and leave the phone in the safe in the room!  Remember, if folks back home get the idea you're reachable you may not like the consequences.

[gbickle]

10 hours ago, franktown said:

There are no cell phone towers in the middle of the ocean so you cannot connect directly with Verizon.   If you leave airplane mode off you will connect to Cellular at sea (I think thats what it is called) and you could get a very huge bill from verizon.  You need need to turn on airplane mode than enable wifi calling and connect to the ships internet.  Everything than will e routed thru the ships wifi.  When you are in port you should talk to Verizon.  The have all kinds of different international plans.

I am confused here.  Are you saying that you are able to make voice calls from your cell phone while in airplane mode?  Would this work as well for incoming calls?  The reason I am asking is I am semi-retired but still providing remote support for people.  Even on a 28 day Tahiti cruise I will still be on call.  I thought the only way I could make voice calls while out to sea was if you use Cellular at Sea.  Do you generate your calls the same way?

[crystalspin]

Hi GB.

Yes there is a way to make and receive calls while in Airplane mode/WiFi turned on. I think it's a form of VOIP (voice over internet protocol) but phones & cell ISP's call it simply "WiFi calling". 

 

What sort of phone do you have? With a Samsung follow this:

https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00077652/

 

to set up your ability to use WiFI calling -- do it at home, or at least before the cruise.

[lstone19]

19 minutes ago, gbickle said:

I am confused here.  Are you saying that you are able to make voice calls from your cell phone while in airplane mode?  Would this work as well for incoming calls?  The reason I am asking is I am semi-retired but still providing remote support for people.  Even on a 28 day Tahiti cruise I will still be on call.  I thought the only way I could make voice calls while out to sea was if you use Cellular at Sea.  Do you generate your calls the same way?

 

Yes, when Wi-Fi Calling is turned on, you can make and receive calls via Wi-Fi (your phone must be logged into the ship's Internet service, not just on the ship's Wi-Fi). As I see you're in the U.S. and as I said above, your calls will be treated as if you're in the U.S. so assuming you have unlimited domestic calling, there is no additional charge for calls to and from the U.S. Your cell carrier will see that the phone is on the Internet and route calls to the phone that way. Since they use the ship's satellite Internet service, there may be a slight satellite lag when conversing with the other party.

 

How to turn on Wi-Fi Calling is specific to both the type of phone you have and the carrier. For instance, on my iPhone, I go into Settings -> Cellular and then see Wi-Fi Calling under the carrier settings (in my case, T-Mobile). When Wi-Fi calling is working is see "T-Mobile Wi-Fi" on the status bar at the top.

 

On the ship, you still leave the phone in Airplane mode so that the cellular radio is off. If both Wi-Fi Calling and the cellular radio are on, the phone will choose which way to route calls based on which way is working best. So the cellular radio must be off to force Wi-Fi Calling and avoid cellular roaming charges.

[franktown]

24 minutes ago, gbickle said:

I am confused here.  Are you saying that you are able to make voice calls from your cell phone while in airplane mode?  Would this work as well for incoming calls?  The reason I am asking is I am semi-retired but still providing remote support for people.  Even on a 28 day Tahiti cruise I will still be on call.  I thought the only way I could make voice calls while out to sea was if you use Cellular at Sea.  Do you generate your calls the same way?

Yes.  I even make phone calls from my house on my iphone.  I have a room that I occasionally use as a office that for whatever reasons doesn't get a good signal from verizon so I use wifi calling.

crystalspin gave you a good answer.  You can also google wifi calling and the type of phone you have. You should set it up at home and then give someone a call.  

[jondfk]

With regard to WiFi calling I'll add to what's already been written that you should have fairly good reliability MAKING calls over the ships WiFi.  In my experience, receiving calls at sea is somewhat less reliable.  

 

Think about what has to go on behind the scenes to complete the connection.  

Somehow your home network has to realize you're not reachable over cellular.  

Then it has to seek you out, somewhere on the face of the earth, via WiFi.  

Then it has to ring your phone and wait for you to answer.  

All of this has to happen before the person calling you gives up and hangs up.  

Honestly, it's miracle that it ever works.  

 

My advice is, as said above, test it at home first.  And, expect to initiate most calls from your end.

 

Android advice was given earlier.  For an iPhone go to:  Settings / Phone / Turn on WiFi Calling.  This will enable the feature.  

By the way this option will only be available if your carrier supports it.  OP mentioned Verizon who definitely do support this feature (as do AT&T and Xfinity) I'm not sure whether all others do or do not.  Apple support makes a special point of saying carrier support is required which suggests to me that some carriers may not.

[tgwabd]

It costs $5.00 a day with Verizon's travel plan, you just use your plan when you are off the ship. just pay for one phone

[crystalspin]

41 minutes ago, jondfk said:

By the way this option will only be available if your carrier supports it.  OP mentioned Verizon who definitely do support this feature (as do AT&T and Xfinity) I'm not sure whether all others do or do not.  Apple support makes a special point of saying carrier support is required which suggests to me that some carriers may not.

T-Mobile is good for it. DH dialed in to a conference call from north of France. Have not rec'd calls but did not need to.

[lstone19]

4 hours ago, crystalspin said:

T-Mobile is good for it. DH dialed in to a conference call from north of France. Have not rec'd calls but did not need to.

 

I have T-Mobile as well and it worked great. And despite what was said a couple of posts above about receiving calls, I received several calls. In fact, after switching Internet to my computer (which logs the phone out of the ship's Internet as I had a one device plan), I still received a call. Once the phone registers itself via Wi-Fi and Internet with your cell carrier, it stayed registered and even though logged out, the Princess Internet service was "leaky" enough to let calls and notifications through (I experience the same on some airplanes where notifications and iMessages get through even though I haven't purchased Internet service and I only have the phone on the plane's Wi-Fi for the onboard entertainment).

 

Despite what was posted above, I don't believe it's a matter of the cell carrier having to try to find your phone once a call is placed to it. Rather, the phone is constantly letting the carrier know where it is and how to reach it. When a call comes for it, the cell carrier used that information to route the call.