Allure Phone System

[Sea Gull]

We are going on the Allure of the Seas with friends in a couple of weeks.  While I understand that the Voom system allows me to send messages to home from the ship.  Can friends on the ship without Voom call to each other to coordinate their location on the ship with their cell phones?

[NS8VN]

Assuming Allure still has Cellular at Sea installed, then yes.  But when they receive their phone bills they will probably wish they had just gotten the Voom package.  Think $2 per minute expensive (and if they are calling each other then that cost is for each of them).  If their phones try to use cellular data it only gets uglier by the second.

Welcome to the forum!

[monorailmedic]

If everyone has Voom, than there are a few options for keeping touch - any messaging app really, or WiFi calling if your phone and carrier support it.  What you don't want to do is use the ship's cellular network (CeelularAtSea) as the cost is insane.  

The below articles should help explain how to set up your phone and what your options are.  Reach out with questions!

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

http://www.cruisehabit.com/wifi

[twangster]

3 minutes ago, monorailmedic said:

  What you don't want to do is use the ship's cellular network (CeelularAtSea) as the cost is insane.  

Depends on carrier and your texting habits.  TMobile doesn't support data over Cellular@Sea so no risk of unexpected data charges.  Text are free to receive, $0.50 to send.  Voice is $5.99 per minute.

If you just need a few texts or want to be reachable in case of emergency back home and you are disciplined in choosing when to send a text it's an option for many.    For teens who text constantly throughout the day it would become costly.

[monorailmedic]

48 minutes ago, twangster said:

Depends on carrier and your texting habits.  TMobile doesn't support data over Cellular@Sea so no risk of unexpected data charges.  Text are free to receive, $0.50 to send.  Voice is $5.99 per minute.

If you just need a few texts or want to be reachable in case of emergency back home and you are disciplined in choosing when to send a text it's an option for many.    For teens who text constantly throughout the day it would become costly.

Agreed that for occasional texting it's not a big deal.  So many people end up on a slippery slope of either overuse or accidentally enabling data that while I agree (and sometimes offer that advice) I've started to try and just keep it simple :-)  I actually use SMS via ship's networks on other cruise lines where the WiFi isn't always as affordable.

[rjac]

47 minutes ago, monorailmedic said:

I actually use SMS via ship's networks on other cruise lines where the WiFi isn't always as affordable.

Here comes the dumb question.....how do you do that?

[monorailmedic]

Just now, rjac said:

Here comes the dumb question.....how do you do that?

Depending on the cruise line you're on and your cellular carrier, you'll likely automatically connect to the ship's cellular network (on RCI it's ATT's CellularAtSea).  You'll want to be sure that data roaming is turned off, as you can easily get a bill in the thousands without even actively using your phone.  For voice it's pricey, but a dollar or two cheaper than calling land from your stateroom phone.  Texts are in the order of $.10 to $.25 each.  You should get a text from your carrier (free) upon connecting to that network (which is activated once away from shore) explaining the rates.