Question Regarding Internet Package

[broadwaybaby123]

We just booked a cruise today for next October (2023) to the ABC Islands and purchased the Internet package. Does this mean texting will work via the app or is that a separate purchase?

 

This is the first time we've had an Internet package in 25 cruises.

[cruisestitch]

You can text on the app to other passengers but it’s kind of annoying because it doesn’t “ping” the recipient so if they don’t look at their app they don’t know that they have an incoming text.

[twincheryl]

The purchased internet works for normal text messaging as well…  assuming there is enough wifi signal wherever you are on the ship.  Some locations are better than others and you may lose connection. You get normal notifications however you have them set.

As stated above, the app has no notifications.

 

Do remember that internet can be a little sketchy sometimes and depends on wifi strength wherever you are on the ship.

[jelayne]

You do not need a internet package to use the app on the ship. The app works on the ships wi-fi even if you don’t have internet package.  The message feature  as @cruisestitchsays does sound a alert that a message has come in.

[CruisingWalter]

10 hours ago, broadwaybaby123 said:

We just booked a cruise today for next October (2023) to the ABC Islands and purchased the Internet package. Does this mean texting will work via the app or is that a separate purchase?

 

This is the first time we've had an Internet package in 25 cruises.

 

Regular texting off the ship (as in texting folks back home while you're onboard) may or may not work. When we sailed the Carnival Mardi Gras last month, we had the full, high speed internet, but for whatever reason, I could not text anyone. Email, internet even streaming worked fine but texting only worked when we were near shore and I could connect to the land based cellular services. 

 

But last November on the NCL Escape, not only did texting work, but I was able to place and receive phone calls via WiFi. I discovered that when the phone suddenly rang while we were sitting near the pool. I double checked that I was in Airplane Mode and I was. 

 

I guess it all depends on how the internet system is configured on the ship. 

[wrk2cruise]

As others have said there is a difference between the messaging integrated into the Celebrity APP which can be used even if you don't have an internet package as the APP uses the onboard wifi and doesn't require access to the internet.

 

Then theirs regular texting services like SMS, imessage and whatsapp.  SMS requires phone service so will typically only work if you have stream internet package and WiFi calling enabled on your phone (and you can also make voice calls over wifi).   imessage and whatsapp should work fine with surf internet package.

[LB_NJ]

With the basic internet package included with AI is there enough bandwidth for music?

[Moonarino]

10 hours ago, LB_NJ said:

With the basic internet package included with AI is there enough bandwidth for music?

Should be, at least when Internet isn't overcrowded. I wonder if you mean something like Spotify or Youtube, but I've streamed Youtube music videos with the basic package on several ships, and as long as it wasn't a peak/high-usage period I didn't have much problem.

[LB_NJ]

1 hour ago, Moonarino said:

Should be, at least when Internet isn't overcrowded. I wonder if you mean something like Spotify or Youtube, but I've streamed Youtube music videos with the basic package on several ships, and as long as it wasn't a peak/high-usage period I didn't have much problem.

Like siriusXm, just music.