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Internet Package vs Verizon Travel Package


JoyJoy

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Hi everyone!

I sail in 3 days and I am actually getting a little nervous now :-).

I have purchased the RC internet Surf and Stream package. I am considering adding Verizon Wireless' international travel package for $10/per day. Can I make phone calls, text etc on the ship? Or will my service be dead? I wonder if I need both services and if Verizon's package would be enough instead of RC internet package. Any suggestions?

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https://www.verizonwireless.com/solutions-and-services/international-travel/

You will not be able to use the Verizon service on the ship with the international package.  Verizon has a $20/month package you can add that will give to 50 MB to use on the cruiseships.    That 50 MB will be eaten up very quickly with background apps and such.  If you don't have this plan, you want to make sure that you turn your phone on airplane mode when you are on the cruiseship.

If you want to use your phone on land at the ports, that is where you will need to have the $10/day travel package.  I believe if you sign up to enable the service through Verizon it will only charge you the $10 when it detects that you are connecting to international cell service.

 

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Verizon's travel plan only works while you are in port - not out in international waters. Phone carriers' at-sea charges are exorbitant. I personally didn't need internet access every day so opted to use only the Verizon plan. While we were docked, I found cell service only when I was outside, never inside. If you're getting both plans, you would use Verizon while on the excursions, but switch to the RC package once you're back on the ship.

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3 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

https://www.verizonwireless.com/solutions-and-services/international-travel/

If you want to use your phone on land at the ports, that is where you will need to have the $10/day travel package.  I believe if you sign up to enable the service through Verizon it will only charge you the $10 when it detects that you are connecting to international cell service.

 

I read this as well and thought it was cool. Thanks so much for your feedback. I will definitely utilize airplane mode.

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1 minute ago, JoyJoy said:

While in airplane mode, I can still use the RC internet to use all other apps and services like google maps, facebook, youtube etc?

Yes.  Get onboard and switch your phone into airplane mode.  Then turn the wifi on and connect to the ship's wifi and log into your VOOM account.  You will be asked to create an account the first time you log connect to the wifi.  It will recognize the VOOM plan you purchased through the Cruise Planner if you bought one ahead of time when you put in your personal information (name, birthdate).

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  • 2 weeks later...
22 minutes ago, Tigerlaw said:

So just to be clear, if I get the voom package on the ship, can I text back home to the states while on board?

If you mean regular SMS text messages, then no. Those require an actual cell signal and can't be sent using ship wi-fi; they'll use the ship's cellular system and you'll end up being charged for the texts (although I seem to recall the charge per-text isn't outlandish; maybe 50 cents to a dollar each depending on your carrier.

It's better to make sure everyone you want to send messages to back on land has an app like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger; or if everyone has iPhones / iPads then you could use the Messages app and FaceTime for video or audio calls.

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23 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

If you mean regular SMS text messages, then no. Those require an actual cell signal and can't be sent using ship wi-fi; they'll use the ship's cellular system and you'll end up being charged for the texts (although I seem to recall the charge per-text isn't outlandish; maybe 50 cents to a dollar each depending on your carrier

This is incorrect.  SMS (and MMS) text messages work over WiFi Calling.  A quick google search will confirm.

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3 hours ago, JLMoran said:

If you mean regular SMS text messages, then no. Those require an actual cell signal and can't be sent using ship wi-fi; they'll use the ship's cellular system and you'll end up being charged for the texts (although I seem to recall the charge per-text isn't outlandish; maybe 50 cents to a dollar each depending on your carrier.

It's better to make sure everyone you want to send messages to back on land has an app like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger; or if everyone has iPhones / iPads then you could use the Messages app and FaceTime for video or audio calls.

We text using Voom onboard all the time and never get charged.  You are sending the text over Wifi just like Wifi calling.  My daughter who uses an iPhone is the only one who has issues with doing it.

 

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3 hours ago, JLMoran said:

If you mean regular SMS text messages, then no. Those require an actual cell signal and can't be sent using ship wi-fi; they'll use the ship's cellular system and you'll end up being charged for the texts (although I seem to recall the charge per-text isn't outlandish; maybe 50 cents to a dollar each depending on your carrier.

It's better to make sure everyone you want to send messages to back on land has an app like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger; or if everyone has iPhones / iPads then you could use the Messages app and FaceTime for video or audio calls.

Really? I assumed my texting was utilizing wifi on my previous cruises, and I never incurred any additional charges. I even just put my phone on airplane mode here at home and it's sending and receiving texts fine via wifi. 

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14 hours ago, JLMoran said:

If you mean regular SMS text messages, then no. Those require an actual cell signal and can't be sent using ship wi-fi; they'll use the ship's cellular system and you'll end up being charged for the texts (although I seem to recall the charge per-text isn't outlandish; maybe 50 cents to a dollar each depending on your carrier.

It's better to make sure everyone you want to send messages to back on land has an app like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger; or if everyone has iPhones / iPads then you could use the Messages app and FaceTime for video or audio calls.

We always get the package to stay in contact with our kids and we’ve texted, FaceTimed made and received phone calls, FB live all in Airplane mode and have never been charged a thing.  In fact if you put your phone in airplane mode at home and connect to your home WiFi...What ever you can do at home you can do on the ships WiFi.  It just might be slower ???

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15 hours ago, Atlantix2000 said:

This is incorrect.  SMS (and MMS) text messages work over WiFi Calling.  A quick google search will confirm.

 

12 hours ago, Hoski said:

We text using Voom onboard all the time and never get charged.  You are sending the text over Wifi just like Wifi calling.  My daughter who uses an iPhone is the only one who has issues with doing it.

 

11 hours ago, SpeedNoodles said:

Really? I assumed my texting was utilizing wifi on my previous cruises, and I never incurred any additional charges. I even just put my phone on airplane mode here at home and it's sending and receiving texts fine via wifi. 

 

43 minutes ago, Psycho and Barb said:

We always get the package to stay in contact with our kids and we’ve texted, FaceTimed made and received phone calls, FB live all in Airplane mode and have never been charged a thing.  In fact if you put your phone in airplane mode at home and connect to your home WiFi...What ever you can do at home you can do on the ships WiFi.  It just might be slower ???

 

Hmm, I guess I stand very corrected! ? Genuine apologies, I would have sworn that I read here or somewhere else that standard SMS texts don’t work over WiFi because of the data protocol used, even if you have WiFi calling enabled. Might also be because I’m on an iPhone, given @Hoski‘s comment.

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