Question about using phones

[ToyStory3]

Hi - we are leaving for our first DCL in 2 weeks. I just want to make sure I'm understanding correctly. FYI - I do not have an international calling/texting plan. So - if we are not purchasing the wifi on board we should turn our phones to airplane mode, but can use the app for texting each other while on the ship? And, we also have phones that DCL provides that we can carry around and contact each other, as well, correct? Thanks!

 

[lbus42]

You are correct. Turn your phones to airplane mode as soon as you board the ship. Then open up the DCL Navigator app. It will give you instructions on how to connect to it using the ship's WIFI. You will not have to pay any WIFI charges to use this app. You can not only use the app to text, but it also contains all of the ship's activities for your cruise.

You will find two wave phones in your stateroom. You can also use these to contact each other, but I find texting on them to be very cumbersome (like old style flip phones).

 

[ToyStory3]

Thanks!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If I'm boarding at a US port or a territory (USVI, Puerto Rico, etc) I leave the phone on after boarding the ship, but then I need to put it in airplane mode when the ship leaves port.

 

[Foxygrl]

Hi - we are leaving for our first DCL in 2 weeks. I just want to make sure I'm understanding correctly. FYI - I do not have an international calling/texting plan. So - if we are not purchasing the wifi on board we should turn our phones to airplane mode, but can use the app for texting each other while on the ship? And, we also have phones that DCL provides that we can carry around and contact each other, as well, correct? Thanks!

if you have verizon it is only 10 bucks a day to use your phone internationally. if you use it one second in a day you are charged the 10 bucks. im sure other carriers have the same type of plan you should look into it.

 

[SDJEL]

You can text through the app, but the phone doesn't beep or vibrate. I often missed texts. I found that the wave phones worked much better because I could feel it buzz.

 

[mhconley]

You can text through the app, but the phone doesn't beep or vibrate. I often missed texts. I found that the wave phones worked much better because I could feel it buzz.

This... It's really a huge shortcoming of the app. Texting without notifications is useless. My app has been dead since I upgraded to iOS 10. Hopefully they fix this miss when they update the app.

Martin

 

[PoopDeckPappy]

You can text through the app, but the phone doesn't beep or vibrate. I often missed texts. I found that the wave phones worked much better because I could feel it buzz.

That's a bit of a bummer. I was going to post and ask if our text tones play or is it a standard tone...now I know (neither). I don't want to walk about looking at my phone but I never hear of feel the wave phone either. I've downloaded cool ring/text tones I found here and it's so awesome I was hoping they'd play on the ship. Well, hopefully it's an improvement they will make to the app in the future.

Martin, I have os 10 and everything works. I installed the app after updating though. Maybe delete the app and reinstall and it will work?

 

[mhconley]

Martin, I have os 10 and everything works. I installed the app after updating though. Maybe delete the app and reinstall and it will work?

Thanks. I had to delete it from within settings, shut down and restart my phone, then reinstall the app. Got my countdown back, woohoo!

Martin

 

[taysalyn]

Just an FYI on the DCL wave phones -- they are the old style and use the keypads to text. There is no keyboard so in case you are not used to using the keypads be aware it might be a bit to get used to. We used our smartphones for texting using the app but it is true that there is no notification when you get a text. You just have to keep looking at it. We missed a lot of texts from our group.

 

[diznymom]

Can you call and talk to someone on the ship through the app? How about the Wave phone?

TIA

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Can you call and talk to someone on the ship through the app? How about the Wave phone?

TIA

The wave phone is just like the phone in your room. You can call any other room/wave phone on the ship. Not sure about using the app on your phone to make calls.

 

[timrousbeastie]

Hi - we are leaving for our first DCL in 2 weeks. I just want to make sure I'm understanding correctly. FYI - I do not have an international calling/texting plan. So - if we are not purchasing the wifi on board we should turn our phones to airplane mode, but can use the app for texting each other while on the ship? And, we also have phones that DCL provides that we can carry around and contact each other, as well, correct? Thanks!

If you are using iCloud, make sure to try turning it off before you leave. It may ask you whether it is ok to delete all photos on your phone, and that leaves you with the option of 1. having iCloud burn up all your expensive DCL data plans (literally cost me hundreds of dollars before I figured out what was going on!) uploading your cruise photos in the background or 2. losing all your vacation photos up to that point. If you back up your photos and/or disable iCloud before you leave, you won't have to worry about this.

 

[RafikiTiki21]

The app has visual number notifications for texts received and not viewed. You can see when others have received or viewed your sent messages, similar to iMessage.

You cannot make voice calls via the app.