Whats App without shipboard WIFI Package

[jimlouisesophie]

Can I turn Airplane Mode on while aboard the ship, then turn on wifi and will I be able to use Whats App with no additional cost?

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

Not unless you have an internet package or one of the Plus or Premier packages. To use Whatsapp you will need access to the internet.

[memoak]

8 minutes ago, jimlouisesophie said:

Can I turn Airplane Mode on while aboard the ship, then turn on wifi and will I be able to use Whats App with no additional cost?

You would need to have access to working WiFi. Princess WiFi is the only the only WiFi available on ship and you need to pay for it

[DHP1]

@Snaxmuppet and @memoak are correct.  However, if your looking for free Wi-Fi off the ship and at each Port, just ask a crew member as they know all the free WIFI locations at each Port. 

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, DHP1 said:

@Snaxmuppet and @memoak are correct.  However, if your looking for free Wi-Fi off the ship and at each Port, just ask a crew member as they know all the free WIFI locations at each Port. 

Technically @Snaxmuppet is correct in indicating that internet access is required for WhatsApp usage.  Wifi alone is insufficient. 

 

Also, if one has lots of cash to burn, there is another way to get internet access on the ship.  Leave cell active instead of airplane mode.

[startedwithamouse]

We've found WhatsApp works on an airplane just by connecting to the planes Intranet without having to purchase WiFi.

 

Interested to see if WhatsApp works just using the ship's Intranet, as many crew members use this app to keep in touch with family and friends. 

[memoak]

22 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

Technically @Snaxmuppet is correct in indicating that internet access is required for WhatsApp usage.  Wifi alone is insufficient. 

 

Also, if one has lots of cash to burn, there is another way to get internet access on the ship.  Leave cell active instead of airplane mode.

That would be an awfully lot of cash to burn I might have to declare bankruptcy if I did that

[beg3yrs]

13 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

We've found WhatsApp works on an airplane just by connecting to the planes Intranet without having to purchase WiFi.

 

Interested to see if WhatsApp works just using the ship's Intranet, as many crew members use this app to keep in touch with family and friends. 

In the past WhatsApp has been known to work without the ship's Internet being enabled. Just the local WiFi was enough. The iPhone iMessage facility would work as well. Something about a "port" or similar being open to these apps. Can't say that it works today though.

Edited March 9 by beg3yrs

[memoak]

16 hours ago, beg3yrs said:

In the past WhatsApp has been known to work without the ship's Internet being enabled. Just the local WiFi was enough. The iPhone iMessage facility would work as well. Something about a "port" or similar being open to these apps. Can't say that it works today though.

When you are in the middle of the ocean there is no local WiFi 

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

17 hours ago, startedwithamouse said:

We've found WhatsApp works on an airplane just by connecting to the planes Intranet without having to purchase WiFi.

 

Interested to see if WhatsApp works just using the ship's Intranet, as many crew members use this app to keep in touch with family and friends. 

Ah... I see what you mean now... I thought you wanted to message people off the ship. Sorry. I have no idea if it works just for communication between people on the ship with just the intranet wifi (which is free to everyone BTW).

[beg3yrs]

16 hours ago, beg3yrs said:

In the past WhatsApp has been known to work without the ship's Internet being enabled. Just the local WiFi was enough. The iPhone iMessage facility would work as well. Something about a "port" or similar being open to these apps. Can't say that it works today though.

 

17 minutes ago, memoak said:

When you are in the middle of the ocean there is no local WiFi 

Sorry, I meant to and say should have said "ship's WiFi" instead of "local WiFi".

[startedwithamouse]

2 hours ago, Snaxmuppet said:

Ah... I see what you mean now... I thought you wanted to message people off the ship. Sorry. I have no idea if it works just for communication between people on the ship with just the intranet wifi (which is free to everyone BTW).

Whatsapp can message people anywhere. Not for the ship.

[memoak]

2 hours ago, beg3yrs said:

 

Sorry, I meant to and say should have said "ship's WiFi" instead of "local WiFi".

And you must pay for the ships WiFi 

[beg3yrs]

20 minutes ago, memoak said:

And you must pay for the ships WiFi 

That is an incomplete statement and requires more detail to be accurate.

 

You can use the ship's WiFi Intranet for all sorts of free local access on the ship. The Medallion App for instance uses the free WiFi to order room service, order a drink, see the daily schedule, locate companions, use Crew Chat and so on.

 

To access the Internet via the ship's WiFi, you must pay. What I was originally saying is that there have been instances of WhatsApp and iPhone iMessages working when only connected to the ship's free Intranet as there has been a "port" or "portal" in the Intranet allowing these messages onto the Internet. This has been true in the past and may still work now but haven't tested it lately.

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

32 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Whatsapp can message people anywhere. Not for the ship.

Not without either paying for ship wifi or leaving cell data on if you are in range of a land cell tower (expensive!).

[antsp]

The crew use WhatsApp to communicate, you don't need a package to use WhatsApp 

[Steelers36]

37 minutes ago, antsp said:

The crew use WhatsApp to communicate, you don't need a package to use WhatsApp 

Are you sure the crew are not also connected to internet?  Why wouldn't they be?

[DHP1]

Using WhatsApp requires an internet connection through either a mobile data network or Wi-Fi.

 

About WhatsApp charges | WhatsApp Help Center

Edited March 9 by DHP1

[memoak]

2 hours ago, antsp said:

The crew use WhatsApp to communicate, you don't need a package to use WhatsApp 

 Few are not passengers different rules apply   They can buy drinks in the crew bar for a whole lot less than you pay 

[antsp]

20 minutes ago, memoak said:

 Few are not passengers different rules apply   They can buy drinks in the crew bar for a whole lot less than you pay 

Our daughter is staff member onboard, she has basic WhatsApp for free without even logging in, maybe varys from different ships

[memoak]

50 minutes ago, memoak said:

 Few are not passengers different rules apply   They can buy drinks in the crew bar for a whole lot less than you pay 

That should be crew not few. Need to look at what my phone does to my words

[jean-lynd]

You can send messages to others on the ship using the Princess app and you don't need to pay for WIFI. The only down side is they won't get a notification that they have a message so they will have to check their phone to see it. I hope this helps!