Carnival WiFi Questions

[SweetCinNY]

We're booked on Venezia this summer; I'm going with 2 teenagers.

 

IF I DON'T pay for a Wi-Fi plan what are we able to access on our phones? (Nothing, messages, ?)

 

If I do pay for a WIFI plan, I realize it's for 1 device at a time (or you'd have to book for each person). For the lowest plan would I be able to send text messages? 

 

My kids will want Snap for sure. I will probably want to upload pics, have access to facebook or messenger on FB or texts. 

 

 

[mz-s]

Without buying an internet plan, you can use the Hub app and access carnival.com and a few other sites like cdc.gov.

 

You can't send text messages with any plan. Text messages go over the cellular network. You will be billed by your cell carrier for every text message you send. If you want to use social media apps, look at the social plan.

 

You can easily upgrade plans at any time if the plan you buy doesn't give you what you want.

[EngIceDave]

Stability and strength varies from ship to ship

[SweetCinNY]

It kills me to spend $450 for a 9 day cruise for 3 people (lowest plan)

[mz-s]

yeah Carnival's wifi really isn't worth it to me at its current price. Back when the social plan was $5/day it was much easier to justify. Nowadays there is nothing on the internet I need that bad, personally. I can usually find a spot with free wifi in port, or my cell carrier offers roaming overseas so I use that...etc.

[nwcruiselover]

If texting is important to you,  you can use WhatsApp onboard with the social plan.  Regular texts, as mentioned above, are charged by your cellular plan.

[VIFP1987]

If you have iPhones, you can send texts (iMessages) to anyone that also has an iPhone. You will need an internet connection to do so. It will work with all Carnival Wi-Fi plans. I’m not sure if the same can be done with Android’s. 

[SweetCinNY]

20 minutes ago, VIFP1987 said:

If you have iPhones, you can send texts (iMessages) to anyone that also has an iPhone. You will need an internet connection to do so. It will work with all Carnival Wi-Fi plans. I’m not sure if the same can be done with Android’s. 

This is good to know; do you mean anyone on the ship or anyone in general?

[VIFP1987]

1 minute ago, SweetCinNY said:

This is good to know; do you mean anyone on the ship or anyone in general?

Both. 

[mz-s]

in case it is not obvious, if you want to iMessage people on the ship they'll need an internet plan as well..

 

Carnival also offers a "Chat" function in the HUB app which sometimes doesn't really work that well, but it's $5 for the duration of the cruise. You don't have to buy internet to use it. Just pay $5 and you can chat with anyone else who paid the $5. Each individual you want to Chat with on HUB app will have to pay their own $5 to do it.

[kelkel2]

Honestly, with 2 teenagers who will want access to the social media apps, I’d for sure do a social plan for both of them. Otherwise they’ll have to share and log in and out each time which isn’t necessarily ideal but can be done. 
Not sure what ship you’re going to be on, but just recently on the MG and I had the premium, it was absolutely worth it. FaceTime worked no issues, as well as iMessage and messenger. But, I bought the premium before prices went up so I’m aware that it’s way more costly now. But the speed was fantastic and I hardly noticed a difference between home and the ship. 

[CRG7]

Texts will depend on your phone. My husband and I have Galaxy Notes (he has a 9 and I have a 20 ultra) and can send and receive texts and calls through wifi. Just make sure you are always in airplane mode, then enable wifi. 

 

If you're like my family and use Facebook messenger for group chatting, that will also work for wifi messaging. 

[audcc77]

On a cruise on MG a few months ago, I had “value” and my friend had “social” internet packages.  
 

After we both bought the $5 chat, we realized texting on our iPhones was more reliable than the ship’s chat feature.  
No extra charges.  
 

Texting with my friends and family at home worked well too as long as they had an iPhone.  
 

I’m starting to just buy minimal internet access and then upgrade after boarding if needed.  

[SweetCinNY]

Thank you for your insight everyone! 

 

I just think it's ridiculous to pay $500 for phone service, but guess I have no choice. 

[pe4all]

Depending on your cell phone carrier and itinerary,  carriers such as ATT have a day pass plan when you are in ports for $10 day, with a second line for $5 - this is for a 24 hour period.  If your kids can survive without social media while at sea this might be good.  Years ago we used to lock our kid's cell phones (and ours also) in the safe when we got on a cruise.   They suffered the first few hours, then were happy to be able to "disconnect" when they got over the withdrawal.   The last few years we just use the day pass plan when on shore, and the chat feature on the ship.   Every island we have gone to has had no problem connecting with our cells.  They just download and update all their stuff (instagram, Facebook, etc.) when on an island.  Much cheaper than buying a plan on board.  Again, it depends on your cell carrier and what they offer.

[ngrund]

5 hours ago, SweetCinNY said:

It kills me to spend $450 for a 9 day cruise for 3 people (lowest plan)

you can all use one plan-you just can be online at the same time.

 

one logs in, does want they want, logs out for next user

[audcc77]

2 hours ago, ngrund said:

one logs in, does want they want, logs out for next user

Or ….  One person (me) can buy the internet, since DH says “I don’t need THAT …”
 

Then one’s spouse STEALS it while she’s napping, making her think the internet isn’t working when she awakens.  🤷‍♀️

 

[mz-s]

7 minutes ago, audcc77 said:

Or ….  One person (me) can buy the internet, since DH says “I don’t need THAT …”
 

Then one’s spouse STEALS it while she’s napping, making her think the internet isn’t working when she awakens.  🤷‍♀️

 

 

Just go to connect.com and log in, it will boot anybody else off who is using it at that time.

[ngrund]

8 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

Just go to connect.com and log in, it will boot anybody else off who is using it at that time.

 

17 minutes ago, audcc77 said:

Or ….  One person (me) can buy the internet, since DH says “I don’t need THAT …”
 

Then one’s spouse STEALS it while she’s napping, making her think the internet isn’t working when she awakens.  🤷‍♀️

 

 

8 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

Just go to connect.com and log in, it will boot anybody else off who is using it at that time.

Yep, wife would log in o my account at night, not log off like I told her to when done and in the morning I had to kick her off-

 

It really is easy-when you go to login you'll get a message that account is already in use, just click "log off other user" and your good to go

 

I really just wanted her to log off just cause there was no reason to be connected if she wasn't doing anything (security thoughts)-with Carnival being unlimited it doesn't matter-she has to do better on our NCL cruise when we have limited minutes

 

 

[mz-s]

2 minutes ago, ngrund said:

 

 

Yep, wife would log in o my account at night, not log off like I told her to when done and in the morning I had to kick her off-

 

It really is easy-when you go to login you'll get a message that account is already in use, just click "log off other user" and your good to go

 

I really just wanted her to log off just cause there was no reason to be connected if she wasn't doing anything (security thoughts)-with Carnival being unlimited it doesn't matter-she has to do better on our NCL cruise when we have limited minutes

 

Wow I didn't know there were still cruise lines limiting internet by the minute.

[EngIceDave]

If we are talking about teens, then we're likely talking instagram and tiktok, both of which chew bandwidth....especially TikTok, you'll need the higher grade packages for those.

 

Just FYI

[ngrund]

27 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

Wow I didn't know there were still cruise lines limiting internet by the minute.

Yes, the included "free at sea" wifi is 250 minutes or 1,000 MB, for an additional $85 for the week we can upgrade to unlimited-it will be enough as long as we remember to logout

[SweetCinNY]

Would the social plan include Snapchat? 

[hapster85]

On 2/10/2023 at 10:24 AM, mz-s said:

Without buying an internet plan, you can use the Hub app and access carnival.com and a few other sites like cdc.gov.

 

You can't send text messages with any plan. Text messages go over the cellular network. You will be billed by your cell carrier for every text message you send. If you want to use social media apps, look at the social plan.

 

You can easily upgrade plans at any time if the plan you buy doesn't give you what you want.

 

You can send texts and make calls over wi-fi with wi-fi calling enabled.

 

On 2/10/2023 at 12:12 PM, CRG7 said:

Texts will depend on your phone. My husband and I have Galaxy Notes (he has a 9 and I have a 20 ultra) and can send and receive texts and calls through wifi. Just make sure you are always in airplane mode, then enable wifi. 

 

If you're like my family and use Facebook messenger for group chatting, that will also work for wifi messaging. 

 

You are correct, but as mentioned above, wi-fi calling must be enabled. If you've been using it, you obviously already have it enabled. You've obviously already done so, but others may not have.

 

Anyway, anyone who has never used wi-fi calling before will need to enable it for the first time while connected to a landside cellular tower. HTH

[mz-s]

25 minutes ago, hapster85 said:

 

You can send texts and make calls over wi-fi with wi-fi calling enabled.

 

 

You are correct, but as mentioned above, wi-fi calling must be enabled. If you've been using it, you obviously already have it enabled. You've obviously already done so, but others may not have.

 

Anyway, anyone who has never used wi-fi calling before will need to enable it for the first time while connected to a landside cellular tower. HTH

 

Carnival blocks Wifi calling. If you are able to use it on Carnival's wifi plans, good for you and enjoy it while it lasts. But that is not most people's experience. I have never been able to get it to work and I have had several carriers over the years while I've cruised on Carnival. What carrier do you use with wifi calling on Carnival?