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I recently sailed with Royal Caribbean onboard their ship Mariner of the Seas from January 2nd to January 6th, 2023. While on this trip I traveled with fellow Royal Caribbean Blog and Cruise.Blog writer, Allie. We enjoyed testing out the new complimentary version of Royal Caribbean’s messaging system. You can purchase a plan at a discount before your cruise starts or you can simply purchase when you are on the ship. Either way, it’s a cheaper and easier way of using your phone in port if you are fine with having access on a more limited basis. Other times spots like restaurants or shops will offer free wi-fi service to customers as a perk for shopping there.
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I’ve noticed that some of the SMS text messages people told me they’ve sent while I was cruising just never arrive—even once I’m home. So for any important messages that coworkers want you to see later, asking them to send an email is a better bet. Take all the snaps you want with your point-and-shoot, and save them to edit and upload when you get home. This should prevent you from fiddling with your phone, letting you safely tuck away your mobile device and avoid network charges.
Let Your Phone Connect to a Maritime Network and Send Text Messages as Normal
Keep an eye out for free onboard credit offers, as they sometimes include complimentary internet packages. This will enable you to connect to the ship’s Wi-Fi and send messages using your preferred messaging app. The best way to do video calls on wifi only (to avoid any fees from your cell service provider) is to keep your phone on Airplane Mode with WiFi enabled. You’d be surprised how many services offer free offline messaging through your mobile phone. Apps like Firechat, Bridgefy, Hike, and Signal Offline Messenger let you send text messages for free without WiFi or cellular data required. Keep in mind though that some of these apps might lose their ability to send messages especially when you’re too far out at sea.
MSC Traveller Web, MSC Cruises
Additionally, consider installing any third-party messaging apps that the cruise line may recommend or provide. The chat feature also has a group setting so family members or a group of friends can communicate within the same conversation. The app works on all ships in the fleet, and cruisers do not need a separate internet package. Some apps like WhatsApp also let you make calls, chat, and even chat via video.
That meant that if my wife sent me a message, I wouldn’t receive it or get a notification unless I logged back onto the Wifi again. Some cruise lines may offer special promotions for free internet access or discounted Wi-Fi packages. We’ve used it ourselves on lots of Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruises ever since we discovered it by accident a few years ago. My next cruise is on Norwegian Cruise Line, so I’ll let you know if it works on their cruise ships. The use of a complimentary messaging system while onboard has already proved to be very helpful to guests. As a traveler who likes to save when they can, I appreciate Royal Caribbean deciding to include this feature as a complimentary service in their app.
Wifi Options
We’re also sharing the small wifi hotspot we take on trips with us to avoid cruise line fees for internet, allowing us to get affordable wifi for multiple devices for around $5 per day. If you only need to text your cruise companions who are on the ship with you, then you may be able to do so using your cruise line’s app. However, to use them outside the country, you may need to see if your carrier will cover you. Most contain the information on their website and will allow you to determine whether you can use your phone while cruising or whether you need to increase your coverage temporarily. Norwegian Cruise Line frequently has Free at Sea promotions where guests can receive unlimited open bar, free airfare, excursions, specialty dining, internet, and a free third or fourth guest.
How to communicate with someone on a cruise ship
Calls, texts and internet use at sea won’t be included in your mobile phone contract and you’ll pay a premium for it. You can keep in touch outside your coverage area using messaging apps, provided you can connect to hotspots. You still can’t use SMS texts if you do not have any cellular data. When you’re out at sea (and your phone isn’t in airplane mode) you might wonder how you’ll know if you’re connected to a maritime provider. Your phone can sometimes pick up a signal from a cell tower even when you’re several miles from land. All of the ports that your cruise will call at provide free WiFi.
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Finally, waiting until the ship is in port can also provide an opportunity to use free wifi and send text messages without incurring any charges. So, it’s generally not a good idea to just turn on your mobile/cell phone and start texting. Once you depart from the port on a cruise ship, your phone switches to roaming mode so that you stay connected.
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Rove freely around the world, phone in hand — just don't roam without understanding the costs first. But remember, your cellphone won't be useful to you if you run out of battery life. Double-check that you have packed the right chargers and outlet plugs, especially for accessories like Bluetooth earphones. Note the difference between SMS (text only, up to 160 characters long) and MMS (a message that contains media including photos, videos and audio files). Use the ship's Wi-Fi to monitor usage on your service provider's app. If something seems off, contact the service provider's customer service.
Don't know if that would have changed if we'd paid the $10 device charge, but since we didn't need to use it to communicate on the other ship, we never paid that. My hubby and I were able to text each other without using any of our minutes this way, and could also text my daughter who was at home dealing with a sick baby. It's $10/device, does not require the internet package, works off the ship's local wifi. Consider installing texting apps such as Viber, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, EvolveSMS, and Android Messages. Since you’ll be using public networks, be careful with the websites you visit. You don’t want to access anything personal like your bank accounts while on public Wi-Fi.
When you’re on land, texting is often the quickest, easiest and cheapest way to keep in touch with people. If those around you are used to receiving an instant reply, you may want to prepare them for when you are taking your cruise. If they have never been on a cruise, they may be unaware that you may not be receiving their texts if you aren’t connected. While you may feel like paying is the inevitable conclusion, there are ways to be able to use your device for free. Most carriers will recommend signing up for a monthly plan “just in case”; there are ways that you can avoid this.
With this cruise ship app, you don’t need the roaming service of a service provider to communicate with others. If you still want to use your mobile device, just use the cruise ship’s internet services. To log in to the ship’s WiFi network, you need to reactivate your wireless connection. As soon as you are logged in, open your browser, and the process will be complete.
Yup, that's a "hole" that was left open (intentionally or not I'm not sure) on that ship and others using the RoyalIQ app. There is a transition in progress to a new app, the Royal app, which actually has free messaging within the app for now. That free messaging may be open so they can work out the bugs, then they'd put it behind a "paywall".
That is to say you will be reliant on international cellular services. This site focuses on small-format cruises and ship-within-a-ship concepts on large cruise ships, including special cruise experiences you can enjoy during your next vacation. With these settings enabled, you won’t be on cellular data (see screenshot below).
You’re basically telling your phone that you want to connect to wifi, only, as if you are in an airplane and wifi is your cell phone’s only option. The messaging in Disney Cruise Line's app is just one example of free texting on cruises. Another is the MedallionClass app, which is Princess cruise line’s app. This method can be very expensive because you’ll pay not just to send and receive the SMS text messages, but also for any data that your phone uses in the background. When your phone is on airplane mode, you will not be able to make calls, send texts or use the internet, unless you can connect to wifi. Check your coverage with your phone provider before boarding, especially if you are going outside your home country.
On certain ships, you can use the cruise line’s app to send messages to others on the same ship. You can sometimes get a free wifi package as a special offer when you book your cruise. Fortunately, modern-day cruise ships have already considered that. So they have a bunch of options on board to help you stay connected with your family, friends, and whoever else you might need to contact while you’re sailing away on vacation. If you want to text while on a cruise ship, you have the option of either connecting to the ship’s Wi-Fi network or its cellular service so you send an SMS over the Internet for free. Most modern ships are built with “Wireless Maritime Services” or ‘Cellular at Sea” services to provide cell signal for those aboard.
