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VOOM Surf and Stream question-


Boston Babe

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HI all, I am extremely stupid trying to comprehend the Voom package.  If you get it, can you just get internet, can you get texts and emails? Are the additional charges like uploading pictures and sending them. can you get a regular phone call? (I assume not as Verizon doesn't quite reach Bermuda! LOL).  Is it worth it? My cost right now is $14.39 per day.  We don't have kids, but we do have 2 Golden's who are our kids and I would like our dog sitter to be able to get in touch with us in case of an emergency.  Thank you in advance from this techno dummy!!

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You can even make phone calls .... IF --- And that's a big IF you're phone can do Wi-Fi Calling ......

When we were on Grandeur in September, my wife was able make phone calls all the time ...

The key is making sure your phone is in Airplane Mode and being hooked up to the Wi-Fi (Voom)

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The Voom package allows full internet usage -- email, Snapchat, Facebook, Netflix, YouTube, etc. You can download and also upload without extra charge (although upload speed will be a lot slower than download), so you can live blog from the ship and send images and such, post to Facebook or Instagram, or connect to your office over their VPN.

You can send messages through apps like Messages (iPhone only), Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, etc. -- all of these use internet data for sending and receiving. To my knowledge, you can not get SMS or MMS messages with VOOM, those only work over cellular networks.

For phone calls, you actually can get those as well, but only if your phone is a smartphone on a network provider that allows WiFi calling. Easiest way to determine that is to go your phone's Settings app and (at least on an iPhone, not sure about Android) tap "Cellular". From there, you should have an option labeled "WiFi Calling" in the section for your carrier, assuming your carrier allows it. If you tap on that, you can set up WiFi calling so that you'll get cellular calls over the internet.

Do note you need to do that setup step at home before you board the ship. I believe the reasoning is to make sure the phone is the same approximate geographic area the carrier has on record for your billing address, and also possibly for things like 911 calling so they know where to route that call.

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@JLMoran Summed things up nicely.  It's, generally speaking, a regular internet connection.  If your phone supports WiFi calling that should work - but it's just one of the many ways of keeping in touch.  The below articles should provide some additional guidance.  Reach out with any questions!

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2016/07/27/how-stay-touch-someone-your-royal-caribbean-cruise
http://cruisehabit.com/wifi

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8 minutes ago, coneyraven said:

You can even make phone calls .... IF --- And that's a big IF you're phone can do Wi-Fi Calling ......

When we were on Grandeur in September, my wife was able make phone calls all the time ...

The key is making sure your phone is in Airplane Mode and being hooked up to the Wi-Fi (Voom)

Wow, @coneyraven that would be great. Mind you, I want to "disconnect" from everything, but still need to keep in touch. On Grandeur in May. Is the $14 a good price per day? 

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Just now, Boston Babe said:

Wow, @coneyraven that would be great. Mind you, I want to "disconnect" from everything, but still need to keep in touch. On Grandeur in May. Is the $14 a good price per day? 

Keep an eye on the sales ..... it's possible you can get it at a lower rate ..... when we were on in September, we purchased internet and the beverage package as a bundle at an even lower rate ...... Keep an eye on your Cruise Planner

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Unless you need to stream movies the basic Voom Surf plan is cheaper.  It also allows wifi phone calls.  The speed is restricted so things like nanny cams and web pages take longer to load but for basic texting it's great.  Surf is typically available only on board starting at $12.99 per day if purchased for the whole cruise.  Depending on C&A status there are additional discounts off the on board plans.   Surf and Stream is priced at $17.99 on board if purchased for the whole cruise.  

Voom experience varies somewhat by ship.  The newest ship such as Oasis and all since use different satellites.   A few older ships have been upgraded to that system like Freedom and Independence.  Other ships use an older technology that is still better than other cruise lines but not as good as the newer ships.  

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1 hour ago, twangster said:

Surf and Stream is priced at $17.99 on board

Thanks so much Twangster.  The offer in my cruise planner is Surf and Stream together and it's $14.39 per day. The cruise is only 5 nights so I think it's a no brainer. Of course I'm on an older ship, the Grandeur but as long as someone can get in touch with me is all I care about. 

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2 hours ago, Boston Babe said:

Wow, @coneyraven that would be great. Mind you, I want to "disconnect" from everything, but still need to keep in touch. On Grandeur in May. Is the $14 a good price per day? 

you don't need to put on airplane mode, just switch off "data roaming" this means that all email, text messages etc are blocked but phone will still ring in case of emergency back home

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29 minutes ago, Ray said:

you don't need to put on airplane mode, just switch off "data roaming" this means that all email, text messages etc are blocked but phone will still ring in case of emergency back home

Texts will still come through - but in most cases they're not terrifically expensive to receive (depends on the carrier obviously).  Random fact - texts/SMS messages actually ride on the packets of info that your phone and the tower use to check in on each other.  That is to say, the idea that carriers ever got away charging for texts is nuts, as it requires no overhead on their part.  The text info is smaller than the packets going back and forth - much like sticking a coin in an envelope - the stamp doesn't get more expensive as whatever you can fit in travels.  Nerd-rambling complete. :-)

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  • 1 year later...
On 12/14/2017 at 11:48 AM, JLMoran said:

The Voom package allows full internet usage -- email, Snapchat, Facebook, Netflix, YouTube, etc. You can download and also upload without extra charge (although upload speed will be a lot slower than download), so you can live blog from the ship and send images and such, post to Facebook or Instagram, or connect to your office over their VPN.

 You can send messages through apps like Messages (iPhone only), Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, etc. -- all of these use internet data for sending and receiving. To my knowledge, you can not get SMS or MMS messages with VOOM, those only work over cellular networks.

 For phone calls, you actually can get those as well, but only if your phone is a smartphone on a network provider that allows WiFi calling. Easiest way to determine that is to go your phone's Settings app and (at least on an iPhone, not sure about Android) tap "Cellular". From there, you should have an option labeled "WiFi Calling" in the section for your carrier, assuming your carrier allows it. If you tap on that, you can set up WiFi calling so that you'll get cellular calls over the internet.

Do note you need to do that setup step at home before you board the ship. I believe the reasoning is to make sure the phone is the same approximate geographic area the carrier has on record for your billing address, and also possibly for things like 911 calling so they know where to route that call.

Can you still use snapchat, facebook and instagram, using the VOOM Surf, rather then VOOM Surf + Stream?

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Yes, but trying to broadcast live on any of those platforms won't work as well on Surf.  

I can make wifi phone calls on Surf.  Pandora doesn't work very well, that really needs Surf and Stream to function.  Unlike Carnival that limits apps that work on their "Social" plan, Royal doesn't, it's just slower so some apps that need bandwidth don't work as well. 

Surf is much slower, think back to dial up days.   

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I work in the Bahamas and was for the longest time getting hammered on  text and calls. My daughter looked at me one day "Duh Dad! Get WhatsApp." Problem solved. Now I use it any place I have wifi. We used it onboard to communicate with each other. I use it at work. Have even used in South Africa...

 

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  • 3 months later...
15 minutes ago, waldo2772 said:

Can anyone tell me whether you need the Voom STREAM to use Whatsapp?  Or can you use it with just the Voom Surf activation?

I believe you can use Whatsapp regardless.  We had Voom STREAM and Whatsapp worked fine, I think Voom Surf is pretty much the same thing just less bandwidth. So any bandwidth hungry features/apps may just be problematic.  HTH

 

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15 minutes ago, Koki said:

I believe you can use Whatsapp regardless.  We had Voom STREAM and Whatsapp worked fine, I think Voom Surf is pretty much the same thing just less bandwidth. So any bandwidth hungry features/apps may just be problematic.  HTH

 

Thanks so much!  Still trying to decide whether it's worth the extra $ for stream.  We really just need to access internet, read/write emails and work on discussion posts for a class homework

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46 minutes ago, waldo2772 said:

Can anyone tell me whether you need the Voom STREAM to use Whatsapp?  Or can you use it with just the Voom Surf activation?

WhatsApp works over Voom.  Basic chat and calling works over basic Surf.  Surf & Stream is  faster for sending pictures/videos or any other bandwidth intensive function.  

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Keep in mind if you have Verizon their international package is $10 a day that you can use in Bermuda and will only be charged for the days you use it.  Our family doesn't always cruise together so we use this in port to call home.  You just need to take your phone out of airplane mode when you hit land to enable it.  Canada and Mexico are free.

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9 minutes ago, jdown077 said:

Right now for my Symphony Sailing in Dec. it's ~$11/day for VOOM and ~$14/day for VOOM+SURF.

As usual, they have no consistency whatsoever. Usually they charge more for everything Symphony. But now I think they may be going by the number of days and really sticking it to us.

My 4 night on Navigator is $14 and $12 but my 12 night on Adventure is $16 and $13. It will be interesting to see what they come out with for the Key on Adventure when the time comes. 

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 12/14/2017 at 11:54 AM, monorailmedic said:

@JLMoran Summed things up nicely.  It's, generally speaking, a regular internet connection.  If your phone supports WiFi calling that should work - but it's just one of the many ways of keeping in touch.  The below articles should provide some additional guidance.  Reach out with any questions!

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2016/07/27/how-stay-touch-someone-your-royal-caribbean-cruise
http://cruisehabit.com/wifi

I dont know any phone today that can not use Airplane mode or in this case "cruise mode"

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  • 3 years later...
On 7/21/2019 at 5:33 PM, Hoski said:

Keep in mind if you have Verizon their international package is $10 a day that you can use in Bermuda and will only be charged for the days you use it.  Our family doesn't always cruise together so we use this in port to call home.  You just need to take your phone out of airplane mode when you hit land to enable it.  Canada and Mexico are free.

Hi do you know if I can use 2 devices at the same time with Voom on the cruise?

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