Stay in touch with other guests

[Truth]

We will be going on the Allure of the Seas.   What is the easiest way to communicate with other family members while at sea? 

[Guest toodle68]

The cheapest is to just arrange meeting times. There were 6 of us and 3 cabins on our dec cruise and we just planned ahead.

[JLMoran]

If everyone has iOS or Android phones/devices, easiest is to purchase a WiFi plan for as many devices as you need and then communicate over any agreed-on messaging app.

On a couple of the ships that use the Royal IQ app (Q class, Harmony), people have found they can use the Messages app on iOS devices without purchasing a WiFi plan, although it’s understood this is most likely a temporary thing and not something that will last forever. If everyone is on iOS and you’re sailing one of these ships, this would be both the easiest AND the cheapest.

Other options are thing like putting magnetic white boards on your cabin doors and leaving each other messages, or using Post-Its, or as @toodle68 said just make arrangements in person ahead of time and meet up as needed.

Just don’t do walkie-talkies, the metal on the ships makes them really iffy with range and signal strength.

[Matt]

Check out this post about your options for staying connected with friends and family onboard: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2016/07/27/how-stay-touch-someone-your-royal-caribbean-cruise

[ADK]

We just returned from our cruise. We were a group of 10 and found it impossible to stick to a schedule. There are not a lot of clocks onboard, people aren't wearing watches (due to water), kids are running around, you lose all sense of time really, lol. I was the only one who purchased VOOM so couldn't use internet texting with them. Those who thought their cell carrier would have a signal ended up with no signal. A few of us purchased Royal IQ. It's very basic but good enough to ask "where are you?" and get a reply. Biggest problem was no one was checking their phone!

[Guest toodle68]

13 hours ago, ADK said:

Biggest problem was no one was checking their phone!

I would mark that down as a great vacation then :)

During our cruise, the 4 adult children had no access to internet/phones, and by the end of the week all said it was 'enlightening' to have been disconnected and away from their phones and found it a good thing.

[arebee]

13 hours ago, ADK said:

 Biggest problem was no one was checking their phone!

Once we pass the sea buoy,  My phone gets locked in the safe until we return.  I have no need to be connected 24/7.  That is the problem with todays society always want to know if someone likes your post, have to check in or have to text someone.  Unless there is an emergency reason for me to be connected, the reason for my vacation is to be un-connected.

[KLA]

In our group of 12 where no one bought VOOM but me, we printed out a "directory" of rooms so we could quickly dial each other if needed. 

Unpopular option: My in-laws also brought walkie talkies with us - which did actually help a bit on sea days.

[twangster]

@Truth - welcome to the message boards!

I'm not sure when you are sailing Allure so keep in mind that over the next several months Royal Caribbean has hinted at a new "chat with others on your booking" feature in their Royal app for ships like Allure.  We don't know when they might roll that out but if they do you can be sure it will be discussed here on this site. 

[sandfact]

Years ago I brought two walkie talkies with us and they worked fine. I don't know if they would work now.

[ADK]

I had my 11 and 14 yr old sons with me and my brother had college aged boys with him. I could not imagine not having a way to keep in touch with them. They would all start out with a plan for the day but it would always change as they found new, more interesting things to do or people to run around with. Each day there would be at least a dinner, a show or some other activity that the whole family would do together but the kids had no concept of time. My son said the ship is like the Lotus Casino from Percy Jackson, lol. 

[Alex S.]

Many ppl use walkie talkies. 

[fonemanbob]

Breaker one nine this here is rubber ducky.      Over    

[Lovetocruise2002]

The walkie talkie discussion reminds me of similar threads from before. Some interesting food for thought if you are going to go that route.

 

 

 

[sandfact]

Like I said before I used mine on the cruise but I only used it outside and sometimes I could hear the ships crew talking and I guess they could hear me. I hope someone that got off a cruise with walkie talkies can let us know how it worked.

[Rob9]

On 6/5/2018 at 7:44 AM, arebee said:

Once we pass the sea buoy,  My phone gets locked in the safe until we return.  I have no need to be connected 24/7.  That is the problem with todays society always want to know if someone likes your post, have to check in or have to text someone.  Unless there is an emergency reason for me to be connected, the reason for my vacation is to be un-connected.

"Unless there is an emergency reason for me to be connected" .... what if there is someone emergency and they want to reach you....

 

you take phone when you are in need to talk to others and keept it away when you dont need.... what if everyone keep their phones away when you are in mood to talk  

 stop talking about current society  as if they are wrong and you are current... if everyone's choice.....