Wi-Fi

[esper10]

Hi all, I plan to buy a Wi-Fi next time I cruise. I would like to know how can I make a phone call to  another cell phone? Do I need to use what’s up app? I know of people who were on the ship and when they called it came up as regular call. Also will I be able to receive a call? If they place a regular cell phone to cell phone call? One more thing please. If I take off the airplane mode just long enough just to see who called will it be expensive? I have Verizon for my cell phone.

thank you

[SCX22]

All you have to do is turn on your Wi-Fi calling on your phone.  When you are at sea with no cell signal, connect to MedallionNet and turn off airplane mode.  Go to your phone settings to verify that your phone is connected to the Verizon WiFi Celluar Network, and it's just like you are on land at home.  The plan you have at home is what will be followed.  You can call any US number, landline or cell.   You can't make calls to Europe, for example, without incurring the long distance charges because as I stated before, it's your US plan that will be followed.  Texts will also go through.  To emphasize, make sure that the Cellular on your phone is connected to Verizon WiFi.  If not, you will incur roaming charges which are sky high while on a cruise ship.

[esper10]

10 hours ago, SCX22 said:

All you have to do is turn on your Wi-Fi calling on your phone.  When you are at sea with no cell signal, connect to MedallionNet and turn off airplane mode.  Go to your phone settings to verify that your phone is connected to the Verizon WiFi Celluar Network, and it's just like you are on land at home.  The plan you have at home is what will be followed.  You can call any US number, landline or cell.   You can't make calls to Europe, for example, without incurring the long distance charges because as I stated before, it's your US plan that will be followed.  Texts will also go through.  To emphasize, make sure that the Cellular on your phone is connected to Verizon WiFi.  If not, you will incur roaming charges which are sky high while on a cruise ship.

 

[Rick&Jeannie]

DON'T go off of airplane mode!  There should be no reason to do so.  If you receive a call it *should* show on your screen...as long as that number is in your contacts.

 

WhatsApp is certainly an option...but @SCX22 is correct in suggesting the use of WiFi calling.  Just make sure that you have it set up and tested *before* you leave home.  Turn on wifi calling, turn on airplane mode then check to make sure airplane mode did not turn off wifi.  (It sometimes does...just turn wifi back on if so.)  Then make a phone call while at home.  It should go right through.

 

I have used WhatsApp many times when trying to communicate with my so (who has iPhone.)  I have an Android.  It's the only way that we've figured out to do a video call between phone platforms similar to FaceTime.  Works great.  It even allows you to text BUT...the other person has to have WhatsApp as well.  That's not always a sure thing, so you might ask those who you are most likely to want to call (or whatever) to install WhatsApp on *their* phone.  That's kind of a big ask, though.  Both my son and I are pretty tech savvy, so it's no big deal to us.

[Rick&Jeannie]

Clarification about the above.  When I say "Don't go off of airplane mode"...I mean on the ship.  If you have some type of international day plan (for cruises outside the US) sure...go ahead and switch back to the local land-based system. (I do this all the time...I have the AT&T International Day Pass.)  Or, for any domestic cruises it is of course safe to go off airplane mode.  You just don't want to do so while on board.  You *could* be faced with a hefty charge when you get your next phone bill.

[Potstech]

Also check but most phone planes are good in St Thomas and Puerto Rico.

[SCX22]

43 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

DON'T go off of airplane mode!  There should be no reason to do so.  If you receive a call it *should* show on your screen...as long as that number is in your contacts.

 

iPhone you have to go off of airplane mode or you get an error message prompting you to activate cellular network.  Samsung, you can keep airplane mode on.  Not sure about other device brands.

[RocknRoll22]

11 hours ago, SCX22 said:

All you have to do is turn on your Wi-Fi calling on your phone.

OK, but what can you do if your phone is not able to use WiFi calling. I'm on Verizon and have a unlocked phone, and Verizon tried to turn on WiFi calling, but it didn't work. They claim some unlocked phones (I have a Motorola) won't be able to do WiFi calling, even on their network.

 

So, what would my other options be to be able to call home while onboard?

[Rick&Jeannie]

15 minutes ago, RocknRoll22 said:

OK, but what can you do if your phone is not able to use WiFi calling. I'm on Verizon and have a unlocked phone, and Verizon tried to turn on WiFi calling, but it didn't work. They claim some unlocked phones (I have a Motorola) won't be able to do WiFi calling, even on their network.

 

So, what would my other options be to be able to call home while onboard?

Sounds like WhatsApp may be your best bet. Your call recipient(s) must also have WhatsApp (free). You'll have to have an internet plan to use it.

[RocknRoll22]

1 minute ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Sounds like WhatsApp may be your best bet. Your call recipient(s) must also have WhatsApp (free). You'll have to have an internet plan to use it.

Thanks. I've seen What's App mentioned, but the issue I might have is receiving incoming calls from my security monitoring company or incoming calls from the dog sitter. I'm not sure I can force them to use that App. I will have the Internet plan while on board. I'm assuming my only option is Cellular at Sea.

[Rick&Jeannie]

1 minute ago, RocknRoll22 said:

Thanks. I've seen What's App mentioned, but the issue I might have is receiving incoming calls from my security monitoring company or incoming calls from the dog sitter. I'm not sure I can force them to use that App. I will have the Internet plan while on board. I'm assuming my only option is Cellular at Sea.

Well...how about simple email?

[PapaGoose]

1 minute ago, RocknRoll22 said:

Thanks. I've seen What's App mentioned, but the issue I might have is receiving incoming calls from my security monitoring company or incoming calls from the dog sitter. I'm not sure I can force them to use that App. I will have the Internet plan while on board. I'm assuming my only option is Cellular at Sea.

Instead of thinking of it as “forcing them” why don’t you just ask if they are open to using WhatsApp? We, here in North America, seem to fight using something that most of the rest of the planet embraces. 
 

Last year we went on a Panama Canal cruise and I asked some friends and family to access WhatsApp so we could keep in touch. Everyone agreed with the exception of my 81 year old father in law. I am sold with the ease we had when communicating with everyone! Using wifi to contact them was much more cost effective than paying for cell service.
 

The FIL still won’t bite on it though. They are the only people calling our landline at home. Apparently they think we will pick up that phone on the kitchen counter quicker than the cell phone in my pocket… maybe we should just get rid of the landline!

 

I have found that all of the excursions we have booked for our upcoming South American cruise have been through email or WhatsApp with most of the tour providers asking us to communicate through WhatsApp once we set sail. Easy peasy 

[PacnGoNow]

2 minutes ago, PapaGoose said:

Instead of thinking of it as “forcing them” why don’t you just ask if they are open to using WhatsApp? We, here in North America, seem to fight using something that most of the rest of the planet embraces. 
 

Last year we went on a Panama Canal cruise and I asked some friends and family to access WhatsApp so we could keep in touch. Everyone agreed with the exception of my 81 year old father in law. I am sold with the ease we had when communicating with everyone! Using wifi to contact them was much more cost effective than paying for cell service.
 

The FIL still won’t bite on it though. They are the only people calling our landline at home. Apparently they think we will pick up that phone on the kitchen counter quicker than the cell phone in my pocket… maybe we should just get rid of the landline!

 

I have found that all of the excursions we have booked for our upcoming South American cruise have been through email or WhatsApp with most of the tour providers asking us to communicate through WhatsApp once we set sail. Easy peasy 

So true!  All of our South American tour operators prefer WhatsApp.  Easy to communicate, especially once you’ve arrived in their country. 
 

You can always just delete it once you get home, if you no longer want it.

[RocknRoll22]

1 hour ago, PapaGoose said:

Instead of thinking of it as “forcing them” why don’t you just ask if they are open to using WhatsApp? We, here in North America, seem to fight using something that most of the rest of the planet embraces.

So, you think a national security monitoring company will change their procedures, and use What's Ap to contact me in an emergency? That would be nice.

Edited January 29 by RocknRoll22

[PapaGoose]

Funny how it escalated from “my security monitoring company” to “a national security monitoring company” in a hot flash…. I apologize if I hit a nerve!

 

You could always ask them nicely. That’s what we do up here in the land of Mounties , hockey and beavers. 

[RocknRoll22]

Most people in the US know the security monitoring companies are "national". Maybe the ones in Canada are a guy working out of his closet. I'm sure the multi-million dollar monitoring companies in the US will just change up all their software and procedures, if I just asked "nicely".

[AlpacaBag]

Are you able to setup a google voice number on your phone? Google voice is free to use, for the most part. There are charges if you call international numbers on it, but US calling is free.

 

If so, you set the calls on your cell to forward to your google voice number, which can make/receive calls on WiFi (VoIP calling, basically) and you will be able to receive those (hopefully non-emergency) calls. As far as SMS forwarding, there are ways to do that - I think you can use something like Pulse SMS for example.

 

It sucks that the US carriers are so restrictive about using unlocked devices on their network, especially when they offer the exact same device through them directly and could just flash that firmware to the unlocked device during activation, and then customers wouldn't have these made up "wifi calling issues". Alas, let me get off that soap box.

 

Concerning WhatsApp, there's one very big reason not to use it - and that's their parent company - Meta.

 

Signal is many, many times better.

Edited January 29 by AlpacaBag

[esper10]

11 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

DON'T go off of airplane mode!  There should be no reason to do so.  If you receive a call it *should* show on your screen...as long as that number is in your contacts.

 

WhatsApp is certainly an option...but @SCX22 is correct in suggesting the use of WiFi calling.  Just make sure that you have it set up and tested *before* you leave home.  Turn on wifi calling, turn on airplane mode then check to make sure airplane mode did not turn off wifi.  (It sometimes does...just turn wifi back on if so.)  Then make a phone call while at home.  It should go right through.

 

I have used WhatsApp many times when trying to communicate with my so (who has iPhone.)  I have an Android.  It's the only way that we've figured out to do a video call between phone platforms similar to FaceTime.  Works great.  It even allows you to text BUT...the other person has to have WhatsApp as well.  That's not always a sure thing, so you might ask those who you are most likely to want to call (or whatever) to install WhatsApp on *their* phone.  That's kind of a big ask, though.  Both my son and I are pretty tech savvy, so it's no big deal to us.

I just tried it and it worked. Didn’t even know I have Wi-Fi calling and what the reason of it. Can I also receive a call same way ? Do I 

 

11 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

DON'T go off of airplane mode!  There should be no reason to do so.  If you receive a call it *should* show on your screen...as long as that number is in your contacts.

 

WhatsApp is certainly an option...but @SCX22 is correct in suggesting the use of WiFi calling.  Just make sure that you have it set up and tested *before* you leave home.  Turn on wifi calling, turn on airplane mode then check to make sure airplane mode did not turn off wifi.  (It sometimes does...just turn wifi back on if so.)  Then make a phone call while at home.  It should go right through.

 

I have used WhatsApp many times when trying to communicate with my so (who has iPhone.)  I have an Android.  It's the only way that we've figured out to do a video call between phone platforms similar to FaceTime.  Works great.  It even allows you to text BUT...the other person has to have WhatsApp as well.  That's not always a sure thing, so you might ask those who you are most likely to want to call (or whatever) to install WhatsApp on *their* phone.  That's kind of a big ask, though.  Both my son and I are pretty tech savvy, so it's no big deal to us.

 

11 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

DON'T go off of airplane mode!  There should be no reason to do so.  If you receive a call it *should* show on your screen...as long as that number is in your contacts.

 

WhatsApp is certainly an option...but @SCX22 is correct in suggesting the use of WiFi calling.  Just make sure that you have it set up and tested *before* you leave home.  Turn on wifi calling, turn on airplane mode then check to make sure airplane mode did not turn off wifi.  (It sometimes does...just turn wifi back on if so.)  Then make a phone call while at home.  It should go right through.

 

I have used WhatsApp many times when trying to communicate with my so (who has iPhone.)  I have an Android.  It's the only way that we've figured out to do a video call between phone platforms similar to FaceTime.  Works great.  It even allows you to text BUT...the other person has to have WhatsApp as well.  That's not always a sure thing, so you might ask those who you are most likely to want to call (or whatever) to install WhatsApp on *their* phone.  That's kind of a big ask, though.  Both my son and I are pretty tech savvy, so it's no big deal to us.

Wow, I tried it and it worked. Thank you, you all always help so much. So I can make calls and receive calls as if I’m at home. What about charges any??? 
 

[SFSailaway]

My husband and I both have iPhones. On our last cruise in September, we were able to use wifi calling to make and receive calls while still in airplane mode.  A crew member in the Internet cafe set it up for us and it worked great. Was able to call the pet sitter at home as well as other family members traveling with us onboard the ship. 

[Rick&Jeannie]

9 hours ago, esper10 said:

I just tried it and it worked. Didn’t even know I have Wi-Fi calling and what the reason of it. Can I also receive a call same way ? Do I 

 

 

Wow, I tried it and it worked. Thank you, you all always help so much. So I can make calls and receive calls as if I’m at home. What about charges any??? 
 

Definitely can make calls...I am not certain about receiving calls. (I've never received a call myself. ) Perhaps someone else has a definitive answer.  No charges at all (besides the cost of the internet plan on board) because that is how your call is being routed.

[SCX22]

You certainly can receive incoming phone calls.  If you are on a single device plan, and have to switch between devices, your cell phone has to be the one connected to MedallionNet to receive the call.  If you receive a call and are not connected to MedallionNet, the incoming call will sometimes not register to your missed call log.

[Rick&Jeannie]

1 hour ago, SCX22 said:

You certainly can receive incoming phone calls.  If you are on a single device plan, and have to switch between devices, your cell phone has to be the one connected to MedallionNet to receive the call.  If you receive a call and are not connected to MedallionNet, the incoming call will sometimes not register to your missed call log.

Thanks for jumping in there! I was fairly certain that it worked both ways but I did not have any first-hand experience with it and didn't want to give bad info. 

[smwg]

21 hours ago, RocknRoll22 said:

So, you think a national security monitoring company will change their procedures, and use What's Ap to contact me in an emergency? That would be nice.

We have home security as well.  I would like to recommend that you add a family member or trusted friend for them to call in case of an emergency.  There's nothing you can do for the emergency if you are out on the sea.  Your friend or family member can take care of the situation and also call you to keep you in the loop.  just a suggestion.  😉

[RocknRoll22]

40 minutes ago, smwg said:

I would like to recommend that you add a family member or trusted friend for them to call in case of an emergency.  There's nothing you can do for the emergency if you are out on the sea.

 

I'm definitely doing that with a family member, but I still want notification, so I can look in with my camera system to see if it's a false alarm or what's going on. And, if need be, I can communicate directly with them on the situation. Waiting until we get to the next island to use the cell network isn't an option.

[esper10]

4 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Thanks for jumping in there! I was fairly certain that it worked both ways but I did not have any first-hand experience with it and didn't want to give bad info. 

 

4 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Thanks for jumping in there! I was fairly certain that it worked both ways but I did not have any first-hand experience with it and didn't want to give bad info. 

So if I’m on a single phone I can receive a call thru wi-if calling. I will not be changing from phone to phone. So please confirm for me as I’m old and don’t know much about these things. I will turn my phone to wi-if calling when I’m home and this will allow me to call out and receive a call the regular way without any charges. Also will have the phone on an airplane mode connected to the ship internet. I appreciate it so much