Using the medallion without WiFi

[Steelers36]

That is what I would like to see an answer confirmation for. 

 

I just turned off Wifi and Mobile Data and tried to send a WhatsApp msg to my wife's phone.  It didn't go through until I turned mobile data back on.  We are both at home.

Edited May 21, 2023 by Steelers36

[t&atravel]

2 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

That is what I would like to see an answer confirmation for. 

 

I just turned off Wifi and Mobile Data and tried to send a WhatsApp msg to my wife's phone.  It didn't go through until I turned mobile data back on.  We are both at home.

I believe what people are saying is that WhatsApp works with the ships inTRanet which is WIFI just usually a restricted form of access.  You can’t use it with no wifi connection at all! 

[Steelers36]

18 hours ago, t&atravel said:

I believe what people are saying is that WhatsApp works with the ships inTRanet which is WIFI just usually a restricted form of access.  You can’t use it with no wifi connection at all! 

Yes.

[Bgwest]

On 5/19/2023 at 12:26 PM, cr8tiv1 said:

INTRAnet:  Ship's internal network

INTERnet:  WiFi for purchase/Medallion Net

 

INTRAnet:  Is used to run the Medallion Class app. You can see what is going on while on the ship. 

You can use it to contact Crew Chat. 

You can use it to locate fellow passengers...if you exchange information. 

You can use it to order drinks and food.  

You can use it to see your onboard account.

You can use it to set up reservations for Dine My Way

You can use it to see the Patter.

You can use it to gamble on your device.

 

**** You can use it to send iMessages from iPhone to iPhone.

+

+

 

INTERnet:  You will have to purchase Medallion Net/WiFi to get email, search the web, or do any other things you would normally do with an Internet connection.

Nice summary!!

[Roberto256]

On 5/20/2023 at 11:56 AM, cr8tiv1 said:

I was told by a crew member that the WhatsApp is their lifeline to others on board and family/friends far away.  It is the one app that is "approved" by Princess so "escapes" any blocking by the INTRAnet. 

Princess doesn't have to block the app to prevent blocking crew from using it.

They simply remove the crew SSID from the WiFi access points in passenger spaces.

 

My personal experience has been: far more crew use viber.

 

[Jersey42]

On 5/19/2023 at 6:55 AM, Jersey42 said:

Princess also allows access to a few web sites such as princess.com and a few news sources for free.

 

On 5/19/2023 at 7:03 AM, MissP22 said:

Now that I did now know. If so, which ones?

I "misremembered".  I no longer see and free news source websites in the internet cafe or on the MedallionClass app.  I was probably thinking of a different cruise line, or perhaps it existed before the Medallion rollout???

[Jersey42]

I'm on the Caribbean Princess now and I attempted to test some of the things people mentioned that you might be able to do without purchasing an internet package.

 

WhatsApp

• Messages did not work to/from users on the ship or off of the ship when only connected to the INTRAnet.  They worked fine when connected to the INTERnet.  I was able to compose a message when I was not connected to the INTERnet and actually hit the send button.  They were not actually sent until I connected to the INTERnet.
• There was one weird exception.  I was able to receive a message from someone off the ship shortly after I disconnected from the INTERnet (perhaps 30 seconds).  I tried again a few minutes later and it did not work.  Perhaps a timing issue?
• I did not try voice calls, but I expect the same results.

 

iMessage

• One of us has an iPhone and the other an Android, so I was only able to test messaging with someone off the ship.
• Same results as with WhatsApp.  Works fine when connected to the INTERnet and does not work when connected to the INTRAnet.  You can still compose the message, but it does not get sent until you are connected to the INTERnet.
• I may be able to find someone on the ship to test with later in the cruise.  I'm the Android user, but based on everything I have read about iMessage, I can't understand how it would work between people on the ship without an INTERnet connection (either paid or because of a "hole" in the ship's firewall).
• If anyone who has iMessage work between users on the ship without having a paid internet connection and knows HOW it works, please enlighten me.

 

For testing purposes I was always in Airplane mode to insure I was not connected to the ship's cell service for data or SMS. I was always connected to the ships INTRAnet. I connected and disconnected from the paid INTERnet by visiting "login.com" in my web browser.

 

[theloo]

Thank you for testing and reporting @Jersey42

[MissP22]

3 hours ago, Jersey42 said:

 

I "misremembered".  I no longer see and free news source websites in the internet cafe or on the MedallionClass app.  I was probably thinking of a different cruise line, or perhaps it existed before the Medallion rollout???

You had my hopes up. 🤒

 

 

2 hours ago, Jersey42 said:

I'm on the Caribbean Princess now and I attempted to test some of the things people mentioned that you might be able to do without purchasing an internet package.

 

WhatsApp

• Messages did not work to/from users on the ship or off of the ship when only connected to the INTRAnet.  They worked fine when connected to the INTERnet.  I was able to compose a message when I was not connected to the INTERnet and actually hit the send button.  They were not actually sent until I connected to the INTERnet.
• There was one weird exception.  I was able to receive a message from someone off the ship shortly after I disconnected from the INTERnet (perhaps 30 seconds).  I tried again a few minutes later and it did not work.  Perhaps a timing issue?
• I did not try voice calls, but I expect the same results.

 

That's pretty much as I suspected. They're not going to give anything for free. 😄

At least it works between people on the ship using the INTRAnet.