WhatsApp

[weregoingcruising]

Can you use it onboard with surf Wi-Fi and is it easy to use? Does the other person your calling have to have the app on their phone? Is it safe to put on your phone?

[govanguy]

Yes, yes and yes.

[weregoingcruising]

Does the other person have to have the app for me to call them?

[weregoingcruising]

1 minute ago, weregoingcruising said:

Does the other person have to have the app for me to call them?

I found the answer . Thank You

[Jim_Iain]

1 minute ago, weregoingcruising said:

Does the other person have to have the app for me to call them?

Yes

[Arizona Wildcat]

If you want to just call - no video - Talkatone is an app that gives you a second phone number.  You can call anyone in the US using WIFI free.  The other person does not need to have Talkatone.   Thus you can call businesses etc.

Talkatone has been around for many years and has relatively cheap calls to other countries.  Rates on their website.

The only downside is you need to use it once every 30 days.  I simply call weather in my home town. 

[gerelmx]

You will need the Premium Package (stream), with the Basic Package (Surf) only text

[Bobbiegentry]

7 minutes ago, gerelmx said:

You will need the Premium Package (stream), with the Basic Package (Surf) only text

Is there really a difference? On some cruise lines the name of the plan is the only difference. 

[gerelmx]

My experience in past cruises is less Bandwidth, and restrictions. with the whats-app the basic package doesn't let you upload photos or videos, no WiFi calls, you can use only text messages

[dani negreanu]

25 minutes ago, Bobbiegentry said:

Is there really a difference? On some cruise lines the name of the plan is the only difference. 

 

Yes, there is, pls. see below....

 

8 minutes ago, gerelmx said:

My experience in past cruises is less Bandwidth, and restrictions. with the whats-app the basic package doesn't let you upload photos or videos, no WiFi calls, you can use only text messages

 

We boarded Beyond a month ago, and had the "free wi-fi" as part of the 3 perks.

 

Turned out that the "free wi-fi" is the basic one, which only allows you to text via Whatsapp (which is used almost exclusively in Israel), or check your emails. Should you want to talk, send pics/videos, you'll have to upgrade...

 

We were thoroughly disappointed in being somewhat misleaded on the term "free wi-fi", but, being Elite, we used our 90 minutes each to send pics/videos and to call home, beside using the real free wi-fi in ports.

 

[Jim_Iain]

4 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

If you want to just call - no video - Talkatone is an app that gives you a second phone number.  You can call anyone in the US using WIFI free.  The other person does not need to have Talkatone.   Thus you can call businesses etc.

Talkatone has been around for many years and has relatively cheap calls to other countries.  Rates on their website.

The only downside is you need to use it once every 30 days.  I simply call weather in my home town. 

Google Voice is another option.    I use mine mostly when i have to give a phone number out and don't want telemarketing calls, but used the app while on a ship to call my kids on their home numbers.

Edited July 17, 2022 by Jim_Iain

[Surfguyxxx]

11 hours ago, dani negreanu said:

We were thoroughly disappointed in being somewhat misleaded on the term "free wi-fi", but, being Elite, we used our 90 minutes each to send pics/videos and to call home, beside using the real free wi-fi in ports.

 

I'm assuming that the "90 minutes" is at one time; meaning not 5 minutes today and 10 minutes the next day etc.

[dani negreanu]

1 hour ago, Surfguyxxx said:

I'm assuming that the "90 minutes" is at one time; meaning not 5 minutes today and 10 minutes the next day etc.

 

In principle, that's what "they" (X) wanted me to do, but I said: "NO" !! Since you forced me to take the "Always included" ("free wi-fi", CBP and grats), and actually the "free wi-fi" is quite useless, I want the option to use the 90 mins Elite whenever I want, for how many mins I want, and not starting now "in one piece".

 

The Captain's Club concierge spoke to the Internet Lounge and arranged for me (and DH) to have the 2 options -- basic and Elite. I had to log in and out between the 2 options, but it worked great, for us.

 

[Surfguyxxx]

Interesting; Thanks Dani !

[blackshirt]

3 hours ago, Surfguyxxx said:

I'm assuming that the "90 minutes" is at one time; meaning not 5 minutes today and 10 minutes the next day etc.

The Elite 90 minutes is not all at one time. When you log out, the clock stops counting until you log back in. You can spread that 90 minutes over as many days as you want.

[Jim_Iain]

5 hours ago, Surfguyxxx said:

I'm assuming that the "90 minutes" is at one time; meaning not 5 minutes today and 10 minutes the next day etc.

The minutes are connection time.   You can log on and off multiple times throughout the cruise but if you accidentally forget to LOGOFF all your minutes will be burnt of when you come back.

 

Prior to packages I use to do this and made sure I had book marked the LogOff Screen.

 

Also remember that you both get the 90 minutes so can create a second account when you burn off the first ones limit.

Edited July 17, 2022 by Jim_Iain

[Surfguyxxx]

2 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

The minutes are connection time.   You can log on and off multiple times throughout the cruise but if you accidentally forget to LOGOFF all your minutes will be burnt of when you come back.

 

Prior to packages I use to do this and made sure I had book marked the LogOff Screen.

 

Also remember that you both get the 90 minutes so can create a second account when you burn off the first ones limit.

Thank you.  I very much appreciate your assessment.  

[Surfguyxxx]

2 hours ago, blackshirt said:

The Elite 90 minutes is not all at one time. When you log out, the clock stops counting until you log back in. You can spread that 90 minutes over as many days as you want.

I like that; unlike with RC, it's a 24 hour period you can use your minutes 😏.  

[emmas gran]

Do Elite+ still get the 240 minutes? I am assuming we do .

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, emmas gran said:

Do Elite+ still get the 240 minutes? I am assuming we do .

Per most recent CC program updates and changes  https://www.celebritycruises.com/captains-club/program-changes

 

Elite and Elite Plus members enjoy 90 and 240 complimentary stream minutes, while Zenith members enjoy complimentary premium Wi-Fi.