Using cell phone to text or call fellow cruisers on board ship

[Smithster]

We will be aboard the Allure in October after over a year of being dry docked.  We are traveling with another couple and in past used a Walkie Talkie to keep track of everyone.  It was a pain the the %$#@.  but better than wandering the ship peeking in all the bars and shops.   I thought I heard through the grapevine you can use your cell phone on board the ship (or off for that matter) to locate your partner when your not together.  Via text or even call.  If anyone knows the answer to this question would love to hear from you.  Is there a charge and just how this works.  🤩

[jean87510]

15 minutes ago, Smithster said:

We will be aboard the Allure in October after over a year of being dry docked.  We are traveling with another couple and in past used a Walkie Talkie to keep track of everyone.  It was a pain the the %$#@.  but better than wandering the ship peeking in all the bars and shops.   I thought I heard through the grapevine you can use your cell phone on board the ship (or off for that matter) to locate your partner when your not together.  Via text or even call.  If anyone knows the answer to this question would love to hear from you.  Is there a charge and just how this works.  🤩

Put phone in airplane mode and turn wifi calling on.  You do need an internet package.  

Edited July 13, 2021 by jean87510

[Dett]

You need WiFi calling on your cell phone.  You have to have a phone and cellular service that allows it.  You need to set it before you get on the ship.  We have Verizon and it’s no extra cost.  You will need to have the ships WiFi.

[Oxo]

I believe I just read on an RCI BLOG that RCI has a new option to keep in contact with pothead on the ship. The cost is $1.99.

If interested, I will try to find the article. 

HAPPY CRUISING! KEEP IN TOUCH

[Ashland]

We may over do it but we all have AT&T and add their cruise package (before we sail) we also have the ships Voom Surf-n-Stream (it comes with our cabin category) and we have no problems communicating with each other.

[lovesthebeach2]

I think you can chat thru Royal app with their ship wifi for a daily fee, maybe 1.99 a day. The theee little dots in the right side of the page is what you use.

Edited July 13, 2021 by lovesthebeach2

[Oxo]

Just now, lovesthebeach2 said:

I think you can chat thru Royal app with their ship wifi for a daily fee, maybe 1.99 a day.

Thank you,  that is what I was talking about. 

[cruise1957]

There is no cost for that it's part of the ships intranet. it's on the RC App, ... top right hand side

[PTC DAWG]

Maybe they don't want to be found?  Most folks are in one of 2-3 places after a few days....

[smplybcause]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rccl.royalcaribbean&hl=en_US

 

If you scroll through the list of things that the app has it has Fee Applies next to the chat with friends and family on board. So not free anymore. As others have said I've seen on other sites it's $1.99/day. Which is a bit more money than other lines unless they've upped their price too. 

[DrProfessor]

We have just used the ship's WiFi with Whatsapp, which allows texting and calls with anyone else who has Whatsapp.

[not-enough-cruising]

37 minutes ago, Oxo said:

I believe I just read on an RCI BLOG that RCI has a new option to keep in contact with pothead on the ship. The cost is $1.99.

If interested, I will try to find the article. 

HAPPY CRUISING! KEEP IN TOUCH

I want to sail with your group!!!

[Biker19]

50 minutes ago, RCFirstTimer said:

We have just used the ship's WiFi with Whatsapp, which allows texting and calls with anyone else who has Whatsapp.

Pretty sure that won't work without a VOOM package.

[WxNerd]

3 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Pretty sure that won't work without a VOOM package.

It does work without the VOOM package. We did have the VOOM package last week but my husband was never able to use it on his phone and was able to use WhatApp, we also had a single device package for VOOM and we were all able to use WhatsApp when the other was logged into VOOM. 
 

Edited to add: we had our phones on airplane mode, and our iPads don’t have cell service at all but WhatsApp worked on them too. 

Edited July 13, 2021 by WxNerd

[Biker19]

7 minutes ago, WxNerd said:

It does work without the VOOM package. 

If that is the case, it would be very unusual as RCI had previously closed all other network traffic without a VOOM package other than its own web sites and recently the Bahamas health site, likely only true for Adventure. Also, if true, that may mean other traffic also is available without the package.

 

Biker, who would be interested to hear from others' experience with Whatsapp or any other app working without a VOOM package.

Edited July 13, 2021 by Biker19

[not-enough-cruising]

1 minute ago, Biker19 said:

If that is the case, it would be very unusual as RCI had previously closed all other network traffic without a VOOM package other than its own web sites and recently the Bahamas health site, likely only true for Adventure. Also, if true, that may mean other traffic also is available without the package.

 

Biker, who would be interested to hear from others' experience with Whatsapp or any other app working without a VOOM package.

Not in the last couple years for sure, as you mentioned there was once a "bug" in the system that allowed an open port when using the RC app, but that was closed long ago......at least I thought it was.

[YankeesFan4Life]

From what I heard, the texting will work at no charge if you have the VOOM.  My question is for anyone who had the VOOM, are you still able to use iMessage on board to each other and back to the States with ease??

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, YankeesFan4Life said:

My question is for anyone who had the VOOM, are you still able to use iMessage on board to each other and back to the States with ease??

With a VOOM package, it's like you are home connected to WiFi- anything that works there should work the same on the ship, just a lot slower. 

[dasi11]

I use Whatsapp and the wifi package.  I can call or text anyone in the world that also has whatsapp.  It works great!!!!

 

[Ashland]

delete

Edited July 14, 2021 by Ashland

[DrProfessor]

Yes, I was not meaning to say that we use Whatsapp without VOOM.  You have to have Internet access.  So we get the Internet package and then can call or text (as dasi11 mentioned) anyone else in the world (or on the ship) who is connected through Whatsapp.  Just be careful with Whatsapp, load just the base app and do not add anything to it (to avoid hacking).

[jean87510]

I have T mobile and thanks to folks on this board Ive been able to use my phone to text on a plane and in Mexico as long as I have wifi.  You really dont need whatsapp or fb or snapchat unless you already have them

 If everyone in your group of friends gets the wifi package, turn airplane mode on and wifi calling on then text away.

 

[Iamcruzin]

19 hours ago, WxNerd said:

It does work without the VOOM package. We did have the VOOM package last week but my husband was never able to use it on his phone and was able to use WhatApp, we also had a single device package for VOOM and we were all able to use WhatsApp when the other was logged into VOOM. 
 

Edited to add: we had our phones on airplane mode, and our iPads don’t have cell service at all but WhatsApp worked on them too. 

Celebrity and Royal seem to have some hole in the wifi that allows apple products to work without purchasing a package. I have experienced it on both lines. The reason I know it's apple products is because one member in our party had a Samsung and we couldn't communicate with them.  We were even able to text people at home who had an iPhone. We didn't try to call.

[poocher]

I’m glad I’m bringing my personal IT specialists with me AKA my brother and nephew.  Gonna hand them everybody’s phones & have them set it all up!  The 6 of us will have access to 4 Voom accounts.  3 have iPhones, 3 have android.  Way too much for me!

[later]

3 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

Celebrity and Royal seem to have some hole in the wifi that allows apple products to work without purchasing a package. I have experienced it on both lines. The reason I know it's apple products is because one member in our party had a Samsung and we couldn't communicate with them.  We were even able to text people at home who had an iPhone. We didn't try to call.

This varies by ship with most now closing the loophole so you can’t.