Cell plan questions...

[Wislodgers]

I searched the forum, I know these questions have been asked before but I could not find what I was looking for. We have ATT. Last year we went on a 7 day cruise on the Fantasy and I paid for the Cellular at Sea package through ATT. It was not cheap. I did not work at all for data and was spotty for sending texts. I paid for the WIFI on the ship but my phone ate it up very fast. I went to the desk and they changed the settings. It was better but still not great.

I see they have new packages for WIFI.
My questions:
1. Is this new service on the Fantasy?
2. Is there any benefit to paying for the ATT package AND the access through the ship?

I don't do social media or even need to make phone calls. I just want to be able to text family members to keep in touch and check email.

Thank you!

 

[cvjw]

Yes. The new service is on the fantasy. I would just buy the internet on the fantasy and use the international day pass thru AT&T for $10 a day on port days.

 

[Wislodgers]

Thank you! We have used the international day passes before on our account and just leave that feature added on all the time, that is a great idea.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Yes. The new service is on the fantasy. I would just buy the internet on the fantasy and use the international day pass thru AT&T for $10 a day on port days.

We find this combination to work well, purchasing the middle tier wifi service onboard for length of cruise at $20 per day compared to the daily fee of $24. We only use the international day pass if we’re off the ship for a significant time in port, otherwise, we don’t connect to it and so avoid the $10 daily fee.

 

[catsrgr8]

We find this combination to work well, purchasing the middle tier wifi service onboard for length of cruise at $20 per day compared to the daily fee of $24. We only use the international day pass if we’re off the ship for a significant time in port, otherwise, we don’t connect to it and so avoid the $10 daily fee.

Just an FYI we’ve been able to use the international day pass without leaving the ship, even in Cabo, which is a tender port

 

[cvjw]

Just an FYI we’ve been able to use the international day pass without leaving the ship, even in Cabo, which is a tender port

Some US plans work in Mexico. We have unlimited AT&T which works in Mexico, the US virgin islands and Puerto Rico for no extra cost.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Just an FYI we’ve been able to use the international day pass without leaving the ship, even in Cabo, which is a tender port

Of course, but having already paid the $20 for the onboard wifi, there’s no reason to incur another $10 charge for the international day pass unless we were needing to make a phone call. Wifi support for email, texting, and web surfing usually covers our needs.

 

[darnheather]

Joining in to ask what is the easiest and cheapest way to text while onboard?

 

[cvjw]

Joining in to ask what is the easiest and cheapest way to text while onboard?

If you have an iPhone, you might be able to use iMessage for free. I have never had an issue with it working, but others have.

 

[darnheather]

If you have an iPhone, you might be able to use iMessage for free. I have never had an issue with it working, but others have.

I don't but my best friend does. May have to make the switch because he worried over me the entire time I was gone.

 

[PrincessNelly]

Yes. The new service is on the fantasy. I would just buy the internet on the fantasy and use the international day pass thru AT&T for $10 a day on port days.

sorry to bump an old thread. But we signed up for this and are going on our first cruise next week. Do we need to do anything special with our phones once on the ship? Do we need to put them in airplane mode or will it automatically drop & pick up the At&t service once we hi certain areas?

 

[mmouse37]

Have not cruised since the new wifi plans went into effect. Do the new plans in any way interfere with using IMessage on the Iphone? Past cruises we had no problems at all using IMessage to keep in touch back home WITHOUT having to buy any internet package. Does that still work now or will we have to buy a wifi package to use IMessage? Thanks.

MJ

 

[cvjw]

sorry to bump an old thread. But we signed up for this and are going on our first cruise next week. Do we need to do anything special with our phones once on the ship? Do we need to put them in airplane mode or will it automatically drop & pick up the At&t service once we hi certain areas?

To use the international day pass, you have to take your phone out of airplane mode and make sure roaming is on. That is what the AT&T advisor told me. You should get a message on your phone about the international day pass being activated once you connect to cell service in a foreign country.

Your phone needs to be in airplane mode on the ship to avoid expensive roaming charges.

 

[cvjw]

Have not cruised since the new wifi plans went into effect. Do the new plans in any way interfere with using IMessage on the Iphone? Past cruises we had no problems at all using IMessage to keep in touch back home WITHOUT having to buy any internet package. Does that still work now or will we have to buy a wifi package to use IMessage? Thanks.

MJ

You don’t have to buy a WiFi package to use iMessage. iMessage worked perfectly for me in late October on my iPhone 12. My husbands iPhone 14 couldn’t use iMessage all week. Just random. Works on some phones and others it doesn’t.

 

[Alicatt]

I believe if you have one of the smaller wifi plans you can use wifi calling. That also works for texting. I've not done it myself yet but that's what my plan is in a few weeks.

 

[lynnfitz]

Ok, sorry if this is a dumb question-on the cruise from Port Canaveral for 4 nights. Will an Iphone be able to call to NY from the Iphone to a landline? My mom is in her eighties, and we talk everynight-what would be our options? My husband has an Iphone, I have a Samsung (at this time, I might upgrade by cruise time this August)
Thanks!!

 

[Alicatt]

On Samsung the wifi calling option is easy to turn on. For a AT&T for example, any calls to a US number is free. https://www.att.com/support/article/wireless/KM1401809/

 

[Alicatt]

Duplicate. Sorry.

 

[Alicatt]

Sorry the better link is https://www.att.com/legal/terms.WiFiCalling.html

 

[Mommb]

Have not cruised since the new wifi plans went into effect. Do the new plans in any way interfere with using IMessage on the Iphone? Past cruises we had no problems at all using IMessage to keep in touch back home WITHOUT having to buy any internet package. Does that still work now or will we have to buy a wifi package to use IMessage? Thanks.

MJ

On the Fantasy last week, I was able to use iMessage while on DCL WiFi to communicate with people onboard and back home. I also received text alerts but was unable to open them. I did not try using a purchased Internet package.