Airplane Mode/Wifi/Texting

[RGLakatos]

If you are able to access wifi on the ship to access the online version, through the DCL app, the Navigators and it is free....shouldn't you also be able to "text message" onboard another phone that is onboard?? In theory, my daughter and I could use our own phones to text each other onboard and it shouldn't cost us anything...any thoughts from anyone??

 

[emilyann415]

As always, talk with your own cell phone provider. Ours you certainly wouldn't be able to. We have to have our smart phone on airplane mode or will rack up charges so we just use the wave phones provided by the cruise ship....easy peasy and free.....

Emily

 

[lanejudy]

The DCL Navigator app works with "free" wifi -- any Disney website is also available free onboard. However, texting goes through the satellite cell service, not the wifi, and since it is not Disney-owned is not free.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

If you are able to access wifi on the ship to access the online version, through the DCL app, the Navigators and it is free....shouldn't you also be able to "text message" onboard another phone that is onboard?? In theory, my daughter and I could use our own phones to text each other onboard and it shouldn't cost us anything...any thoughts from anyone??

No, unless it's unlimited free wi-fi, you wouldn't be able to use that feature. If you get the internet package with wi-fi, then yes, you would be able to text, but it's not free.

They can easily limit what is available on the wi-fi without a network key.

 

[Tenkawa]

Warning: Text messaging is NOT wifi, it is cellular, which will cost an arm and a leg per message (about $1 per almost I think for each person, both sending an receiving).

On an iPhone, iMessage will send using wifi though if the recipient is another iPhone, as it uses its own messaging instead of texting when going to another iDevice. again though, this requires going to Apple's servers, so using the internet.

That said, I believe the onboard Wave phones have texting built in.

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

If DCL IT did their job, the only thing that should run on that network is the app. They should be able to block texting if they do it properly.

 

[Bree]

Text messaging won't work if you don't pay for an internet package. I know because we bought a package and if I was signed out of Connect@Sea my text message wouldn't go through.

And by the way.....Apple doesn't have servers that your text messages go through.

 

[pkgman]

Text messaging won't work if you don't pay for an internet package. I know because we bought a package and if I was signed out of Connect@Sea my text message wouldn't go through.

And by the way.....Apple doesn't have servers that your text messages go through.

Yes iMessages goes through apple servers. If it fails through apple servers than it falls back to regular texting if configured correctly. Or you can block it falling back to regular texting

You can see the status of services for mac os x and iPhones at

http://www.apple.com/support/systemstatus/

Handy link for apple users to have for troubleshooting service problems.

 

[tweis]

No, it will not work because as others have mentioned, texts do not use WiFi. We have AT&T and texting is not that expensive. On our cruise last year, we did not have our iphones in airplane mode because our kids were home. I received a few texts and sent one. I was only charged for the sent text which was 50 cents. This was texts only and NOT imessages.

 

[LeslieG]

No, it will not work because as others have mentioned, texts do not use WiFi. We have AT&T and texting is not that expensive. On our cruise last year, we did not have our iphones in airplane mode because our kids were home. I received a few texts and sent one. I was only charged for the sent text which was 50 cents. This was texts only and NOT imessages.

I agree the texts are fairly reasonable, but I thought you would still incur lots of charges for background stuff happening, data charges, or something like that, so I've always put the phone in airplane mode. Were you able to avoid any extra charges besides simply the text messages?

 

[Angiedee]

DC should come out with a small app that family members can txt he other
with there own cell phone on the ship.
say 5 bucks a phone
4000 x 5 bucks = 20000
I would pay that

 

[tweis]

I agree the texts are fairly reasonable, but I thought you would still incur lots of charges for background stuff happening, data charges, or something like that, so I've always put the phone in airplane mode. Were you able to avoid any extra charges besides simply the text messages?

I called AT&T multiple times before our 2013 cruise and I shut off all push notifications, data and disabled a lot of my apps. I incurred no other charges at all. My bill was 50¢ more than usual because I was only charged for the text I sent. If you do this you have to make certain that all the "background" stuff is shut off.

 

[Mazz519]

Mostb international plans are 50 cents to send a text and 5 cents to receive one....We have iPhones and yes if you can get WiFi service the iPhone messaging will work for free from IPhone to IPhone

 

[ocspartan]

DC should come out with a small app that family members can txt he other
with there own cell phone on the ship.
say 5 bucks a phone
4000 x 5 bucks = 20000
I would pay that

Well that's kinda why they provide the wave phones, you can call and text for:

3-3-3 "F"
7-7-7 "R"
3-3 "E"
3-3 "E"

yeah the fear with leaving an iphone on for texting, even if it is only a few cents is all those other apps that run in the background, or auto updates, I'd be livid if I came back with a giant cell bill b/c angry birds released a new level.

 

[Bree]

Well that's kinda why they provide the wave phones, you can call and text for: 3-3-3 "F" 7-7-7 "R" 3-3 "E" 3-3 "E" yeah the fear with leaving an iphone on for texting, even if it is only a few cents is all those other apps that run in the background, or auto updates, I'd be livid if I came back with a giant cell bill b/c angry birds released a new level.

That's great when the wave phones are in working order. One of the wave phones in our room would just randomly shut off. The only way to turn it back on was to go back to our room and put it on the charger. We went to guest services on the first day and they tried switching out the battery and it still wouldn't work. We were then placed on a waiting list for a replacement phone if one became available. Seriously, 1st day of a seven day cruise and they had no extra wave phones. One never did become available and we visited guest services everyday about it.

 

[Dawg91]

We bought a data package for $39 in April to be in contact with the parents. It was fantastic! I didn't stay logged in all the time. I logged in mainly to text them (iMessage), FaceTime Audio call them and even FaceTime Video call them. It worked like a charm. I had all cellular data shut off.