Ship-to shore communication while at sea. (Iphone, texting, calling etc)

[insidecabin]

On 7/11/2023 at 3:13 PM, mbrown572097 said:

Hey guys, 

It's been a few years since I have cruised, and I will need to be able to communicate with family (back home) while sailing.  We will have the limited internet package so I assume that I will be able to email or text while connected.  Do you all have any other suggestions or tips that I can try?

 

1 hour ago, omahabob said:

Better read the OP again. The discussion is how to communicate with family using unlimited internet.

Try reading it again

[omahabob]

There is no "limited" internet package, so I viewed that as a simple typo. The discussion about iPhone to iPhone was only on the ship, not back home as the OP requested. What I said about texting would apply no matter what internet plan they have. It would just use minutes/data, like anything else. But texting would use less of either one, as opposed to voice. Assuming they haven't expended their data allotment, it won't cost them anything.

[insidecabin]

2 minutes ago, omahabob said:

There is no "limited" internet package, so I viewed that as a simple typo. The discussion about iPhone to iPhone was only on the ship, not back home as the OP requested. What I said about texting would apply no matter what internet plan they have. It would just use minutes/data, like anything else. But texting would use less of either one, as opposed to voice. Assuming they haven't expended their data allotment, it won't cost them anything.

The limited internet is the one you get with FAS limited to  xxx mins.

 

Many mobile networks don't provide free roaming data(or calls/egular SMS) over ship based cell/mobile networks.

 

 

[omahabob]

8 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

The limited internet is the one you get with FAS limited to  xxx mins.

 

 

It's not called "limited".

 

9 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

Many mobile networks don't provide free roaming data(or calls/egular SMS) over ship based cell/mobile networks.

 

 

Who?

 

Data is data. If you can roam the internet, you can use data. Calls are a different story. An at sea cell provider is also another story. As I've already shown through personal experience, you can text on an NCL ship with a wifi plan. Do you have an experience to contradict that? I'm not saying it's not possible that you do. I'm saying it worked for me and should work for others.

 

Did somebody pee in your corn flakes this morning?

[omahabob]

Even if, for some reason, someone can't get text functions to work, they can send a text message using an email message to an SMS gateway. Most major cell providers have email to SMS gateways.

[mbrown572097]

Hey guys, OP here.  I'm really a novice with the ship communications stuff.  I'll take any information that I can get on the subject of ship to shore communications.  Wi-Fi, no Wi-Fi.  In the end, I need to communicate with family back home and want to know how best to accomplish.  I do have limited minutes of Wi-Fi as part of my cruise purchase.  I think it is 150 min or so.  Everyone that I will need to communicate with will have an IPhone.  It sounds like Imessage may leak through and may not.  It also sounds like sms will probably go through when Wi-Fi connected.   I need to make sure that I don't connect to a cell tower or cruise cell service by turning on Airplane mode. (Kinda getting a mixed reaction to airplane mode).  Thanks to all who have replied.

[phoenix1181]

I'm sure the OP appreciates all the technical information received but it would be nice if people just answered the question.  How it works and what it uses, or doesn't, really doesn't help anyone who doesn't understand the ins & outs cell phones.

 

As I stated previously...  I was able to communicate iPhone to iPhone via messages while onboard, in airplane mode, without using any of my FAS minutes.  I could not send photos and could not contact an Android user.

[MechE31]

As an FYI, we just got off the breakaway and RCS messaging on Android works without using internet minutes as well. We were able to send texts and pictures. 

 

I was also able to use Google voice to send texts to anyone. 

[mking8288]

 

OP, please see below - NCL's published official guide to their upgraded WiFi packages as it clearly describe what works and what not, the premium is mainly aimed to not exclude streaming, not a guarantee that live video streaming will work 98% of the time, as it is not guaranteed to be (same like the home Fios and/or cable broadband access, satellite at sea are more challenging ...) 

 

Premium upgrade isn't necessary for your intended purposes, and the unlimited WiFi package will suffice - the difference with your included 150 minutes under the Free At Sea promotion is that, yours is "limited" and metered for up to 150 minutes of usage.  There is an established procedure on how to log in and log out properly to avoid running the minutes "meter" as 2.5 hour or 150 minutes will be gone quickly.  If you follow the steps and do it, there is no "absolute" reasons to pay anything extra or upgrade, unless you wanted to and need to.  The steps are shown below, NCL added a "QR" code this year to help simplify matters for the less tech-inclined users. 

 

There is a "NCL" app on iOS and Android, free to download, install and use onboard, access your onboard account and deck plans, read the digital Freestyle Daily and (usually) Specialty Dining menus, etc. - that connects to the ship's WiFi inTRAnet only and does not use or need airtime inTERnet minutes ... that's one of the loophole or "backdoor", in a simplified way, to explain why & how SMS & text message (headers only) but not MMS, will and do get thru - and, this is mostly successful inbound messaging - but, not across different platforms (iOS to Android or vice versa).  Outbound messaging (iOS devices are reported to be able to do this "all the time") sometimes are delayed but on a "test" basis, been able to that using Android smartphone (13.0 stock) too, without connecting to the inTERnet, in Airplane Mode. 

 

  Of course, once you are "live" using inTERnet minutes, both SMS and MMS will work - onboard the ships to/from other "connected" users, in addition to those in the "outside" world.  NCL's IT are well aware of it and this can be shut down or blocked in the future without notice or warning, once they figure other things out - thus, YMMV.  

 

  The end "users" hardware, that is, what I am using and you are using, i.e. iPhone SE 2022 (mine) and Google Pixel 7 Pro or DW's Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus - can and do often make a difference as the newer "gadgets" more broadly support newer WiFi 5 and 6/+ dual and tri-band protocols.  My Androids runs a VPN at all times, but has to disable or turn it off on the ship.  Onboard NCL's ships, WiFi 5 and higher devices should suffice - WiFi hotspots strategically placed all over the ship plus the (Cisco/Lenovo) servers could use additional upgrade, especially if Starlink does roll out in 2024 as stated. 

 

  As a suggestion, if other parties are on iOS, consider using Facetime and/or platforms like WhatsApp to reach out & get in touch, it is going to be more reliable & consistent - that, does require using your "limited" FAS 150 WiFi minutes onboard at sea.  Cabin-to-Cabin, leave each other voicemail messages on the ship, that's free, of course. 

[sharonann24]

My head always spins about this issue.  We both have iPhones as do our adult children.  We also have AT&T, so I make sure that we activate the International Day Pass in port (10.00) and I have also added their at sea package.  I am terrified of getting a whopping bill when we return.  Cruise package was $50 per phone.  I need to double check for our trip next week on the Prima to Iceland.  We also have the wireless plan that came with our trip package--not the unlimited however.

[mking8288]

24 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

oops ... Attachments - below - NCL's published official guide to their upgraded WiFi packages.  The steps to login and logout - NCL added a "QR" code ...  This one refer to the "Epic" - substitute your ship's name 

 

Edited July 15, 2023 by mking8288

[insidecabin]

20 hours ago, omahabob said:

 

It's not called "limited".

 

 

Who?

 

Data is data. If you can roam the internet, you can use data. Calls are a different story. An at sea cell provider is also another story. As I've already shown through personal experience, you can text on an NCL ship with a wifi plan. Do you have an experience to contradict that? I'm not saying it's not possible that you do. I'm saying it worked for me and should work for others.

 

Did somebody pee in your corn flakes this morning?

Does it matter what it's called?

 

FAS internet is limited mins most people would understand that.

 

Unlimited is different and what you clarified you had.

 

Roaming is often limited or a  chargable extra on many networks in the rest of the world.

 

Data roaming including maritime networks is not that common.

Many are EU only, some include more of the world(still not maritime)

 

But then data, calls and text are cheap.

12GB $2.50 unlimited mins and text full EU roaming.

[cmph]

2 hours ago, sharonann24 said:

My head always spins about this issue.  We both have iPhones as do our adult children.  We also have AT&T, so I make sure that we activate the International Day Pass in port (10.00) and I have also added their at sea package.  I am terrified of getting a whopping bill when we return.  Cruise package was $50 per phone.  I need to double check for our trip next week on the Prima to Iceland.  We also have the wireless plan that came with our trip package--not the unlimited however.

In case it helps you, I'm happy to share my experience. We (husband, me, and our two teens) were just on a Dawn 10nt Baltic, port-intensive (no sea days). We also have AT&T, all 4 of us on the same plan, which has unlimited data, etc. I made sure that International Day Pass was activated for all our devices before we left. It only triggers when it actually connects to a foreign tower, after you turn off airplane mode. So you do not need to worry about it charging you when you aren't using it. Also, it's only $10/day for the first person on the plan, and then $5pp for the rest of the people on your plan using it that day. On 8 of the days that it activated, it sent me the same message: 

 

"Hi, it's AT&T. Great news! You have our best international package, International Day Pass, on this line. This means you can use your phone like you do at home with unlimited talk/text and the data included in your AT&T plan for just $10/day. Pay only for the days used abroad with a max of 10 daily fees per line per bill. Additional lines used the same day are only $5/day. Go to att.com/IDPTravelTips for details. Enjoy your trip and safe travels!" 

 

All said and done, it was not terribly costly. I was paranoid it wouldn't work as described, but that was unjustified. We had a pre-stay in Stockholm for a couple days, so for 4 of us triggering day pass for 13 days, it was only ~$225 extra on our last bill. I expected a full $250 - $25/day times 10, so maybe one last day will show up on the next billing cycle. To me, this was a much better deal than ship WiFi. I thought about adding the at-sea package, but we decided that we didn't need it since we'd be in port everyday.

 

My daughter and I have iphones but my husband and son have androids. She and I had no problem using imessage with each other onboard while in airplane mode. I also used imessage to communicate with a few family members back in the US while in airplane mode onboard. We all attempted to use Telegram and Whatsapp onboard in airplane mode, but neither worked.

[insidecabin]

37 minutes ago, cmph said:

In case it helps you, I'm happy to share my experience. We (husband, me, and our two teens) were just on a Dawn 10nt Baltic, port-intensive (no sea days). We also have AT&T, all 4 of us on the same plan, which has unlimited data, etc. I made sure that International Day Pass was activated for all our devices before we left. It only triggers when it actually connects to a foreign tower, after you turn off airplane mode. So you do not need to worry about it charging you when you aren't using it. Also, it's only $10/day for the first person on the plan, and then $5pp for the rest of the people on your plan using it that day. On 8 of the days that it activated, it sent me the same message: 

 

"Hi, it's AT&T. Great news! You have our best international package, International Day Pass, on this line. This means you can use your phone like you do at home with unlimited talk/text and the data included in your AT&T plan for just $10/day. Pay only for the days used abroad with a max of 10 daily fees per line per bill. Additional lines used the same day are only $5/day. Go to att.com/IDPTravelTips for details. Enjoy your trip and safe travels!" 

 

All said and done, it was not terribly costly. I was paranoid it wouldn't work as described, but that was unjustified. We had a pre-stay in Stockholm for a couple days, so for 4 of us triggering day pass for 13 days, it was only ~$225 extra on our last bill. I expected a full $250 - $25/day times 10, so maybe one last day will show up on the next billing cycle. To me, this was a much better deal than ship WiFi. I thought about adding the at-sea package, but we decided that we didn't need it since we'd be in port everyday.

 

My daughter and I have iphones but my husband and son have androids. She and I had no problem using imessage with each other onboard while in airplane mode. I also used imessage to communicate with a few family members back in the US while in airplane mode onboard. We all attempted to use Telegram and Whatsapp onboard in airplane mode, but neither worked.

Wow that's expensive.

 

Diess the AT&T international work on maritime networks?

[insidecabin]

Don't forget you don't just get to use the app without internet connection.

 

NCL websites are available

cruisecritic is available

Google searches worked for me last week.

 

 

[cmph]

46 minutes ago, insidecabin said:

Wow that's expensive.

 

Diess the AT&T international work on maritime networks?

They have an "at-sea" plan, but the international day pass works on land only, using local towers. 

 

I guess cost is all relative, but for 4 people to have daily cellular service in foreign countries for 2 weeks, $250 seems a lot more reasonable to me than the cost of NCL's unlimited WiFI times 4. And honestly, it was better than NCL WiFi, b/c it actually let you stream videos, etc.

 

(YMMV based on itinerary of course.)

[Maleficent's Dad]

5 hours ago, insidecabin said:

Don't forget you don't just get to use the app without internet connection.

 

NCL websites are available

cruisecritic is available

Google searches worked for me last week.

 

 

I’ve read this time and again, but last week on the Joy, I could not get CC to work on the free Wi-Fi. I guess I should’ve asked my more tech savvy kids to help, but alas, it was good to be disconnected for a while!

 

[mking8288]

The Norwegian App (by design) does NOT need a WiFi connections for most (if not all) of the functions to work, like accessing onboard account to review charges on a daily basis.  It only needs an inTRAnet connection to the ship's (internal) WiFi network.  To access email, browse popular websites like IG or FB, etc. - an inTERnet connection is required, whether it's using the "limited" FAS minutes or being on the unlimited basic or (optionally, the so called "streaming" premium plan)  

 

For the duration of our cruise, I can choose to stay connected to the ship's inTRAnet (internal to ship's server systems) continuously and NOT worry about using any inTERnet minutes on the same SSiD, as long as I'm signed into the NCL App - but, not additionally logged in, to agree to use & access the inTERnet (and, begin using airtime minutes). 

 

Yes, confusing & complicated for the average user to appreciate and understood.    

 

 

[insidecabin]

6 hours ago, cmph said:

They have an "at-sea" plan, but the international day pass works on land only, using local towers. 

 

I guess cost is all relative, but for 4 people to have daily cellular service in foreign countries for 2 weeks, $250 seems a lot more reasonable to me than the cost of NCL's unlimited WiFI times 4. And honestly, it was better than NCL WiFi, b/c it actually let you stream videos, etc.

 

(YMMV based on itinerary of course.)

 

Agree compared to ship internet.

 

Just seems very expensive compared to UK options to roam in Europe which includes much of the Baltic's.

 

If not needing unlimited to do things like streaming movies can get a 20gb for £2 valid 30 days no contract.

 

A quick look unlimited is available at £25 30days($32) no contract.

 

Handy if you have dual SIM phone follow the deal for the data and have a regular number.

 

These are not add on costs 

 

Extended international does cost more.

Our cost for upto 30day  visits to US  have been around £10 for 12GB.

[insidecabin]

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

The Norwegian App (by design) does NOT need a WiFi connections for most (if not all) of the functions to work, like accessing onboard account to review charges on a daily basis.  It only needs an inTRAnet connection to the ship's (internal) WiFi network.  To access email, browse popular websites like IG or FB, etc. - an inTERnet connection is required, whether it's using the "limited" FAS minutes or being on the unlimited basic or (optionally, the so called "streaming" premium plan)  

 

For the duration of our cruise, I can choose to stay connected to the ship's inTRAnet (internal to ship's server systems) continuously and NOT worry about using any inTERnet minutes on the same SSiD, as long as I'm signed into the NCL App - but, not additionally logged in, to agree to use & access the inTERnet (and, begin using airtime minutes). 

 

Yes, confusing & complicated for the average user to appreciate and understood.    

 

 

The app won't work unless connected to the ships WiFi.

 

I don't know of any ship that charges to connect to the WiFi.

 

You won't even be able to activate any internet package without a WiFi connection

 

Charges are to connect to the internet.

 

Note NCL allows NCL sites and cruisecritic access you are not limited to the app.

 

Google also works.

 

The confusion starts because everyone(including cruise lines) call it a WiFi package.

 

 

 

 

[cmph]

2 hours ago, insidecabin said:

 

Agree compared to ship internet.

 

Just seems very expensive compared to UK options to roam in Europe which includes much of the Baltic's.

 

If not needing unlimited to do things like streaming movies can get a 20gb for £2 valid 30 days no contract.

 

A quick look unlimited is available at £25 30days($32) no contract.

 

Handy if you have dual SIM phone follow the deal for the data and have a regular number.

 

These are not add on costs 

 

Extended international does cost more.

Our cost for upto 30day  visits to US  have been around £10 for 12GB.

I'm not surprised UK residents would have better and cheaper options for Europe. 

 

Some Americans do swap out sim cards to keep costs down. We weren't interested in fussing with that, especially multiplied by 4 people. My husband and I needed to stay connected to home for a variety of reasons (extended family check-ins, pet, repairs happening in our home while we were away, etc.). It would have been enormous pain to have anything other than our usual cell number. AT&T just charges a flat fee for us to use our phones exactly the same way we would in the US.  

[omahabob]

On 7/15/2023 at 12:23 PM, insidecabin said:

Does it matter what it's called?....

 

When people keep nitpicking it to death, yes, very much so.

[jlowe420]

On the NCL Prima, with the unlimited internet package.   Someone set my home alarm off and my phone rang on the ship when the alarm company called me.  I think it was wifi calling - I was pretty impressed.