VOOM Questions

[rdtpm64]

Debating getting VOOM surf for 1 device, but I have a couple of questions.

 

1) I really only need to it check in for my flight the day before getting off the ship, although being able to get updates from home would be nice.  Can I buy it for 24 hrs only, or do I have to buy it for the extent of the cruise?

2)  If I buy it for 2 devices, can my friend in the cabin next door use her phone for the 2nd device, or does it have to be in the same cabin?

[Biker19]

19 minutes ago, rdtpm64 said:

Debating getting VOOM surf for 1 device, but I have a couple of questions.

 

1) I really only need to it check in for my flight the day before getting off the ship, although being able to get updates from home would be nice.  Can I buy it for 24 hrs only, or do I have to buy it for the extent of the cruise?

2)  If I buy it for 2 devices, can my friend in the cabin next door use her phone for the 2nd device?

Yes, 24 hr package is available 
 

Yes, you can even share a one device package with her. 
 

if you really only need it to check in for the flight, you can get about 15 minutes free by choosing the option to install/update the app. 

Edited January 28, 2022 by Biker19

[gatour]

9 minutes ago, rdtpm64 said:

Debating getting VOOM surf for 1 device, but I have a couple of questions.

 

1) I really only need to it check in for my flight the day before getting off the ship, although being able to get updates from home would be nice.  Can I buy it for 24 hrs only, or do I have to buy it for the extent of the cruise?

2)  If I buy it for 2 devices, can my friend in the cabin next door use her phone for the 2nd device, or does it have to be in the same cabin?

In answer to your second question.  You can buy a 2 device package.  They don't care it the two devices are being used by people booked in the same cabin.  For example, several years we went on cruise with in-laws.  One of the nieces need access to the internet for school work.  I told the parents I will purchase a three device package, splitting it three ways.  Cheaper for them.  They paid me back in wine on board ship.

 

Keep in mind that the packages are for concurrent active connections.

Outside of the above scenario.  I usually buy the two device package even though I bring along a laptop, tablet, cell phone and my wife brings along a her tablet and cellphone.  We just make sure that each of us has only one of our personal device attached at any one time.

[rdtpm64]

Thank you!

[LB_NJ]

If I get Surf and Stream on Anthem can I do calls over WiFi?  Is there enough bandwidth, do they block it?

[Merion_Mom]

53 minutes ago, LB_NJ said:

If I get Surf and Stream on Anthem can I do calls over WiFi?  Is there enough bandwidth, do they block it?

 

I have always been able to make and receive phone calls over wifi while on the Anthem.

[Ashland]

3 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

I have always been able to make and receive phone calls over wifi while on the Anthem.

Send/receive text messages as well.

[SRF]

You could even buy a one device package and still share it with the person next door.

 

Only one can be online at a time.  On some ships, the person connected, needs to log off for the other one to use it.  On other ships, if you log in, the other person gets kicked off.

[Charles4515]

15 hours ago, LB_NJ said:

If I get Surf and Stream on Anthem can I do calls over WiFi?  Is there enough bandwidth, do they block it?

 

You can make calls with Surf. You don't need stream for calls. Stream is what it sounds like. Netflix and HBO are streaming services. 

[Charles4515]

15 minutes ago, SRF said:

You could even buy a one device package and still share it with the person next door.

 

Only one can be online at a time.  On some ships, the person connected, needs to log off for the other one to use it.  On other ships, if you log in, the other person gets kicked off.

 

That is what we do, buy a one device package since we don't need both online at the same time. If the other person happens to be online they get kicked off when I log on but usually they only forgot to log off. Since we are usually together most of the cruise we know if the other is online. Also on a cruise there is so much to do that we are not online all that much. 

[Sunshine3601]

15 hours ago, LB_NJ said:

If I get Surf and Stream on Anthem can I do calls over WiFi?  Is there enough bandwidth, do they block it?

Surf is sufficient to do Wifi calls.    stream is only needed if you have to connect to a VPN for remote work or you want to stream videos and movies.     

[LB_NJ]

1 minute ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Surf is sufficient to do Wifi calls.    stream is only needed if you have to connect to a VPN for remote work or you want to stream videos and movies.     

Thank you for the info.

 

What about music?

[Sunshine3601]

14 hours ago, Ashland said:

Send/receive text messages as well.

depends if you have an Iphone or note. 

or you can use an app such as Ring Central where you can make wifi calls and send/receive texts that is what we have set up on our work laptop and it worked great when I was on Anthem.     

my only issue was accessing my work VPN and issues with firewalls.     

[Sunshine3601]

Just now, LB_NJ said:

Thank you for the info.

 

What about music?

Yes, my DH listened to music he had downloaded as well as his music on the sirius app.

[Ozark_Kid]

4 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

you can use an app such as Ring Central

Everyone in the family has iPhones except me. If I use this app on my Samsung, do they have to have the same app to send/receive text to me?

[LB_NJ]

8 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Yes, my DH listened to music he had downloaded as well as his music on the sirius app.

I have the sirius app also.

[choochella]

You don’t need to buy the wifi package just to use the app? ie, make show reservations etc?

[Biker19]

7 minutes ago, choochella said:

You don’t need to buy the wifi package just to use the app? ie, make show reservations etc?

Correct. 

[LB_NJ]

1 hour ago, choochella said:

You don’t need to buy the wifi package just to use the app? ie, make show reservations etc?

I buy the wifi on longer cruises to keep in touch with home (eg, phone calls, photos, wife addicted to facebook).  Buy one package and share with wife.

[Sunshine3601]

5 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

Everyone in the family has iPhones except me. If I use this app on my Samsung, do they have to have the same app to send/receive text to me?

No the person receiving or responding to your texts does not have this app.    We texted clients and my Brother while we were on our cruise and it worked great.    Works great for outgoing and incoming phone calls too.    

We even set up our office phone to forward phone calls and were able to retrieve them on the app too.   

[tj_shopper]

On 1/28/2022 at 5:38 PM, gatour said:

In answer to your second question.  You can buy a 2 device package.  They don't care it the two devices are being used by people booked in the same cabin.  For example, several years we went on cruise with in-laws.  One of the nieces need access to the internet for school work.  I told the parents I will purchase a three device package, splitting it three ways.  Cheaper for them.  They paid me back in wine on board ship.

 

Keep in mind that the packages are for concurrent active connections.

Outside of the above scenario.  I usually buy the two device package even though I bring along a laptop, tablet, cell phone and my wife brings along a her tablet and cellphone.  We just make sure that each of us has only one of our personal device attached at any one time.

Just so that I understand - my husband and I will be in one cabin; my two daughters will be in another cabin.  I just purchased the Voom and Surf for 4 devices.  That will work right?  I didn't need to purchase 4 individual Voom and Surf.  Thanks.

[Biker19]

Just now, tj_shopper said:

That will work right?  

Yes. Voom can be shared with anyone.

[tj_shopper]

13 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Yes. Voom can be shared with anyone.

Thanks so much!!!  Have a great day!

 

[berbician]

You can also use the app WhatsApp to text and communicate with each other if you have different phones.  Of course everyone will need to install on their phones .

 

This app is fantastic as you do receive messages quickly and sending pics is fast as well.      

[livingonthebeach]

4 minutes ago, berbician said:

You can also use the app WhatsApp to text and communicate with each other if you have different phones.  Of course everyone will need to install on their phones .

 

This app is fantastic as you do receive messages quickly and sending pics is fast as well.      

I second this.  WhatsApp has worked great for me in the past.  I will add that the regular WiFi (at least on Freedom a few months back) was as slow as molasses- better to get the WiFi plus stream if you want a faster connection.