Change in AT&T International Day Pass

[Squawkman]

We are currently on the Star. I have been using AT&T WiFi calling as I always do on Viking cruises. Yesterday, we crossed into the US at Eastport, and continued through the night to Portland where we are now docked. After about 4 hours of sailing towards Portland, I turned off Airplane Mode, and went to sleep. I did not try to make any calls. In the middle of the night, I received this text from AT&T:
 

Hi, it's AT&T.  Welcome aboard! Please note this ship is not covered by your International Day Pass. Your international rates on this ship are: talk $3.00/min, text $0.50/msg sent. Cellular data service and photo/video msgs are not available. This ship is not covered by any AT&T international packages. Questions? Call +1.214.547.2300 (free call).

 

Evidently, things have changed. Last year, we received this text while on the Sea. Please note both messages were sent under the same sender ID:

AT&T Free Msg: Remember, you have AT&T International Day Pass on this line. Enjoy the plan you use at home while traveling abroad. In each 24-hour period you use data, talk, or send a text in any of the 210+ included countries, you'll be charged $10 ($5 for additional lines charged on the same day). Pay no more than 10 daily fees per line per bill. Go to www.att.com/IDPTravelTips for details.

 

We’re docked in Portland now, but I won’t try getting regular AT&T cell service until we go on our excursion.

 

[rmalbers]

Do you an iphone and the imessage app for texts?

[Squawkman]

6 minutes ago, rmalbers said:

Do you an iphone and the imessage app for texts?

Yes. WhatsApp also works. 

[rmalbers]

37 minutes ago, Squawkman said:

Yes. WhatsApp also works. 

Ok, that explains what you saw with your 'texting',  imessage is not just  'regular' SMS text.

Edited October 20, 2023 by rmalbers

[Squawkman]

43 minutes ago, rmalbers said:

Ok, that explains what you saw with your 'texting',  imessage is not just  'regular' SMS text.

But iMessage reverts to SMS when texting with android users 

[rmalbers]

4 hours ago, Squawkman said:

But iMessage reverts to SMS when texting with android users 

Yes, it does. 

[gma1]

We also are on Viking Polaris now. We received the same message & called AT&T. We were told by that agent to put our phone on airplane mode & the ship WIFI. All texts & calls would then would be free. We have done so, however we are not using it...but are receiving text & calls & ignoring them.! Before leaving home we were told by another agent that we needed the international plan for free calls & text on the ship. Who do you believe!!!!

[LindaS272]

25 minutes ago, gma1 said:

We also are on Viking Polaris now. We received the same message & called AT&T. We were told by that agent to put our phone on airplane mode & the ship WIFI. All texts & calls would then would be free. We have done so, however we are not using it...but are receiving text & calls & ignoring them.! Before leaving home we were told by another agent that we needed the international plan for free calls & text on the ship. Who do you believe!!!!

Get T-Mobile instead—you won’t have all these international calling problems.

[Squawkman]

22 minutes ago, gma1 said:

We also are on Viking Polaris now. We received the same message & called AT&T. We were told by that agent to put our phone on airplane mode & the ship WIFI. All texts & calls would then would be free. We have done so, however we are not using it...but are receiving text & calls & ignoring them.! Before leaving home we were told by another agent that we needed the international plan for free calls & text on the ship. Who do you believe!!!!

No reason to be afraid of billing if airplane mode is on - so you can answer those texts and calls. The AT&T message I pasted in #1 above from last year was actually sent in error. But the day pass is a good option for those who want cell service while on land. Now you have to remember to return to airplane mode when you’re on or near the ship.

[1985rz1]

3 hours ago, gma1 said:

We also are on Viking Polaris now. We received the same message & called AT&T. We were told by that agent to put our phone on airplane mode & the ship WIFI. All texts & calls would then would be free. We have done so, however we are not using it...but are receiving text & calls & ignoring them.! Before leaving home we were told by another agent that we needed the international plan for free calls & text on the ship. Who do you believe!!!!

If you use WiFi calling when airplane mode is on and WiFi is on, the incoming and outgoing calls are treated as if you are calling from home and your home call, text and data plan applies.  You don't need an international plan to use WiFi calling.  You need it only if you are calling from shore using your cell phone for calling, texting and data.  Most international plans do not cover cell calls, texting, or data using cellular at sea.

[1985rz1]

3 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

Get T-Mobile instead—you won’t have all these international calling problems.

As long as you use WiFi calling on the ship while sailing or are too far from land for a land cell connection.  T-Mobile's plans do not include the cellular at sea service of the ships, so you need to turn on airplane mode and WiFi to avoid charges on ships, unless you are docked and have a land cell connection.

[Squawkman]

7 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

Most international plans do not cover cell calls, texting, or data using cellular at sea.

AT&T used to - that was my reason for starting this thread.

[LindaS272]

9 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:

As long as you use WiFi calling on the ship while sailing or are too far from land for a land cell connection.  T-Mobile's plans do not include the cellular at sea service of the ships, so you need to turn on airplane mode and WiFi to avoid charges on ships, unless you are docked and have a land cell connection.

Not our experience with T-Mobile in most regions of the world.

[rmalbers]

Wow, this thread is full of, let's just say, 'interesting' information so really be careful with what you read here.  As far as the tmobile info here, it varies depending on the plan you have so the info here may or may not apply.  As far as 'text' messaging goes when using apple imessage, do a search on it if you want a detailed explanation on how it differs from SMS texting. 

[wolfie11]

The first text message

On 10/20/2023 at 10:49 AM, Squawkman said:

Hi, it's AT&T.  Welcome aboard! Please note this ship is not covered by your International Day Pass. Your international rates on this ship are: talk $3.00/min, text $0.50/msg sent. Cellular data service and photo/video msgs are not available. This ship is not covered by any AT&T international packages. Questions? Call +1.214.547.2300 (free call).

AT&T Free Msg: Remember, you have AT&T International Day Pass on this line. Enjoy the plan you use at home while traveling abroad. In each 24-hour period you use data, talk, or send a text in any of the 210+ included countries, you'll be charged $10 ($5 for additional lines charged on the same day). Pay no more than 10 daily fees per line per bill. Go to www.att.com/IDPTravelTips for details.

You get the first message when the bridge pushes the button to turn on Cellular at Sea and you don’t have airplane mode on.  Any use of the cellphone after that and you get charged at exorbitant cruise rates.  I had problems in Alaska this summer because they would turn on the ship’s cellular while I was still getting a signal from ATT.  I think the phone automatically latched on to the strongest signal.

 

The second message is supposed to be sent when you get a cell signal in a country that is not US, Canada, or Mexico.  I got it this summer when I was in Victoria or Vancouver and was charged the $10 in Canada several times.  ATT took it off my bill and said they didn’t know why I was getting charged as Canada is free with my plan.

 

 

[TayanaLorna]

6 hours ago, wolfie11 said:

The first text message

You get the first message when the bridge pushes the button to turn on Cellular at Sea and you don’t have airplane mode on.  Any use of the cellphone after that and you get charged at exorbitant cruise rates.  I had problems in Alaska this summer because they would turn on the ship’s cellular while I was still getting a signal from ATT.  I think the phone automatically latched on to the strongest signal.

 

The second message is supposed to be sent when you get a cell signal in a country that is not US, Canada, or Mexico.  I got it this summer when I was in Victoria or Vancouver and was charged the $10 in Canada several times.  ATT took it off my bill and said they didn’t know why I was getting charged as Canada is free with my plan.

 

 

Thank you.  This description of what happens is very helpful.  We usually put our phone on airplane mode for our entire travels on board and have no need to talk to anyone.  But our next holiday is a combo of land travel on both ends of the cruise and will most likely use the $10 day plan at times.

[longterm]

On 10/20/2023 at 10:16 PM, 1985rz1 said:

As long as you use WiFi calling on the ship while sailing or are too far from land for a land cell connection.  T-Mobile's plans do not include the cellular at sea service of the ships, so you need to turn on airplane mode and WiFi to avoid charges on ships, unless you are docked and have a land cell connection.

We switched from AT&T to T-Mobile and are really glad we did. On our last 2 overseas trips in May and just last week, I was able to use my phone for a hotspot whenever I needed to (on the river cruise last week, it was necessary several times because ship wi-fi was painfully slow); I also made calls back to the US for just 25 cents per minute.

 

When on the ocean, I switch off cellular roaming and try to use wi-fi calling when it works... if not, I just wait until we hit a port.

[1985rz1]

19 minutes ago, longterm said:

We switched ...  to T-Mobile and are really glad we did.

Us, too, but from Verizon. 

[-Lew-]

I've forgotten to turn on Airplane Mode a couple of times in the past.  I recently wrote the following Shortcut on my iPhone to automatically set Airplane Mode to ON at a predetermined time:

 

1. Open the Shortcuts app on your iPhone.

2. Tap the + icon in the top-right corner of the screen to create a new shortcut.

3. Tap Add Action and search for Set Airplane Mode.

4. Tap Set Airplane Mode and toggle the switch to On.

5. Tap Next, then set the time you want the shortcut to run by tapping Time of Day*and selecting your desired time.

6. Tap Next, then tap Done.

 

     *NOTE: Time of day can easily be adjusted for an early or late sailaway.