WhatsApp on HAL Surf package?

[POA1]

We're going to be traveling with some friends and we have device diversity, with various flavors of Android and iOS among us. I know that Navigator has messaging, but I'm looking for something a little more robust that will work for everyone.

 

We don't need video calling, just basic messaging with half decent notification capabilities.

 

Thanks for your suggestions.

[cabinluvn]

You should be able to use your messenger app that is on your phone and text anyone you want

[lynn2002]

Can we facetime on the surf package?

[The4OfUs]

On the Eurodam in Sept we used WhatsApp to share things with our family in Holland. We did upgrade the internet package part way through the cruise, and I don't remember which one we used for that though. 😐 

[StLouisCruisers]

10 minutes ago, lynn2002 said:

Can we facetime on the surf package?

No. You can on the Premium package though. We’re using WhatsApp to text since you can get instant notification. We don’t check the Navigator app often enough for messaging on the ship. 

[VMax1700]

@POA1 Brian, June 2022 from Oosterdam and Surf package worked for both WhatsApp messages and WhatsApp calls.  It did not work for WiFi Calling.  I will check my notes from later cruises and let you know.  

I think WhatsApp will be ok for you all.  Set up a 'group chat'.  We use it within the family using a mixture of Android and Ios.

[rollnoles2]

1 minute ago, VMax1700 said:

@POA1 Brian, June 2022 from Oosterdam and Surf package worked for both WhatsApp messages and WhatsApp calls.  It did not work for WiFi Calling.  I will check my notes from later cruises and let you know.  

I think WhatsApp will be ok for you all.  Set up a 'group chat'.  We use it within the family using a mixture of Android and Ios.

Same here.

[VMax1700]

@POA1 Brian, June 2022 from Oosterdam and Surf package worked for both WhatsApp messages and WhatsApp calls.  It did not work for WiFi Calling.  I will check my notes from later cruises and let you know.  

I think WhatsApp will be ok for you all.  Set up a 'group chat'.  We use it within the family using a mixture of Android and Ios.

 

UPDATE:  August 2023 Nieuw Statendam and Surf plan granted access to WhatsApp messaging and calls.

[POA1]

Thanks all! I didn't want people to need to upgrade to premium just to text each other. "What time do you want to meet for drinks?" and "We'll be at the Ocean Bar before dinner." did not seem to be worth $40/person for a one week cruise.

 

 

[julia]

We stay in regular touch with our house/cat sitter and cannot use Verizon talk/text because our phones are in airplane mode (obviously).  Whats App works great on the Surf package.

[julia]

16 hours ago, cabinluvn said:

You should be able to use your messenger app that is on your phone and text anyone you want

Not your carrier's talk/text if your phone is in airplane mode.  FB messenger works, as does What'sApp.

[IPB4IGO]

On 6/11/2024 at 9:56 PM, julia said:

Not your carrier's talk/text if your phone is in airplane mode.  FB messenger works, as does What'sApp.

I used Google Messages on my phone on recent cruises. Put the phone in Airplane Mode, turn Wi-Fi back on (if necessary), and text away. Include pictures if you want. It might have something to do with the phone supporting Wi-Fi Calling. Voice calls worked as well, of course.

[POA1]

13 hours ago, IPB4IGO said:

I used Google Messages on my phone on recent cruises. Put the phone in Airplane Mode, turn Wi-Fi back on (if necessary), and text away. Include pictures if you want. It might have something to do with the phone supporting Wi-Fi Calling. Voice calls worked as well, of course.

Wi-Fi voice calling & text /SMS do not work on the entry level Surf plan. You need to have the Premium plan or Stream plan. In our case, we'll all have the Surf plan as part of Have It All. That's why I asked about WhatsApp. We needed cross-platform capability that would work on Android and iOS.

 

There will be 6 of us, including 2 people new to HAL. There's a lot of important research to coordinate and I didn't want to tell everyone that they'd have to spend extra to upgrade their Wi-Fi. The Navigator app could be used in a pinch, but I wanted something more robust.

[IPB4IGO]

1 hour ago, POA1 said:

Wi-Fi voice calling & text /SMS do not work on the entry level Surf plan. You need to have the Premium plan or Stream plan. In our case, we'll all have the Surf plan as part of Have It All. That's why I asked about WhatsApp. We needed cross-platform capability that would work on Android and iOS.

 

There will be 6 of us, including 2 people new to HAL. There's a lot of important research to coordinate and I didn't want to tell everyone that they'd have to spend extra to upgrade their Wi-Fi. The Navigator app could be used in a pinch, but I wanted something more robust.

Good point. I have never had the lowest-rung Wi-Fi plan, and it didn't occur to me that Wi-Fi Calling would not work on that plan.

[HollDoll]

I had the internet included with HIA and called with WhatsApp from the middle of the Atlantic. Also texted with WhatsApp even with photos. 

[POA1]

1 hour ago, IPB4IGO said:

Good point. I have never had the lowest-rung Wi-Fi plan, and it didn't occur to me that Wi-Fi Calling would not work on that plan.

It didn't occur to me at first. We had Premium Wi-Fi in the past, so I never thought about it.

 

Then, three days into our cruise over Easter 2024, I realized that we hadn't received a call nor a text message while we were on the ship.

 

I panicked.

 

What if our car warranties were expiring? Could we be missing out on GREAT DEALS ON REPLACEMENT WINDOWS??

 

You can imagine my trepidation.

 

We upgraded to premium for the last few days - just in a nick of time! It's an election year and OUR VIEWS ARE IMPORTANT! And now the calls and texts were coming through.

 

I wonder if I can downgrade my cell service to "Surf?" It was so peaceful. 😁

[Haljo1935]

On 6/11/2024 at 9:49 AM, POA1 said:

Thanks all! I didn't want people to need to upgrade to premium just to text each other. "What time do you want to meet for drinks?" and "We'll be at the Ocean Bar before dinner." did not seem to be worth $40/person for a one week cruise.

 

 

It also worked w/no issues for me. I used WhatsApp texting only, no calls, to communicate w/3rd party tour providers. 

[kirkc]

FaceTime worked great on Surf on our Rotterdam cruise in November.

[iflyrc5]

Are folks able to watch YouTube videos on the Surf package?  Now that they are limiting the Catholic Priests on the ships we may have to attend Mass via YouTube like we did during the pandemic.

[Mary229]

If I am recalling correctly Apple now supports texting to Android over WiFi

https://www.androidpolice.com/what-iphone-getting-rcs-means-for-android/

 

you could do a test at home.  Simply turn off the cellular data, get everyone on WiFi and try it

 

Edited June 14 by Mary229

[Navybikermom]

16 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

If I am recalling correctly Apple now supports texting to Android over WiFi

https://www.androidpolice.com/what-iphone-getting-rcs-means-for-android/

 

you could do a test at home.  Simply turn off the cellular data, get everyone on WiFi and try it

 

It will be available in IOS 18, which is due out in September, but only for newer iPhones. Older ones will still need a cellular connection to text to non-iPhones (using the built-in Messages app). I have that problem where I live. Insufficient cell signal most of the time so I have to use FB Messenger to send messages to my daughter who has an android phone. 

[DennisNV]

While not HAL specific, our group used Whatsapp flawlessly on a recent Princess cruise on standard wifi. Our group of 6 communicated well throughout the cruise. 

 

Make sure everyone installs it before boarding and create a group.

[POA1]

On 6/14/2024 at 3:51 PM, Mary229 said:

If I am recalling correctly Apple now supports texting to Android over WiFi

https://www.androidpolice.com/what-iphone-getting-rcs-means-for-android/

 

you could do a test at home.  Simply turn off the cellular data, get everyone on WiFi and try it

 

You could test it, but you'd need to block the specific ports and servers in order to mimic the HAL internet.

[Mary229]

Just now, POA1 said:

You could test it, but you'd need to block the specific ports and servers in order to mimic the HAL internet.

Not testing apps but simply texting 

[POA1]

3 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Not testing apps but simply texting 

Texting over Wi-Fi calling works fine at home. It does not work on the ship. Texting / SMS uses TCP ports 9003 and 10042. Those ports are open on Premium and Stream. They're not on Surf.