Question for WhatsApp users

[mrsgthatsme]

I have been reading up on the texting/calling options available while cruising. I have never used WhatsApp before and want to make sure I understand it correctly. Does it work while the ship is at sea? Do you have to purchase wifi to be able to use it? What mode should you put your phone in to use it? Will it work to send/receive messages while your phone is in airplane mode? I put Verizon's Travelpass on my phone just in case and am worried about triggering that while using WhatsApp.

Also curious about the reasons to use Travelpass vs WhatsApp. Obviously WhatsApp is free vs $10/day for Travelpass, but wondering if there is any reason to do one over the other. We will just be using it to text home briefly each day and get a quick report from them. My daughter also wants to be able to download the new Taylor Swift album that comes out while we are cruising, but I am assuming she could use the free Margaritaville wifi to do that without the Verizon travelpass? Thanks for your help! This is all new to me!

 

[sjuncfan]

WhatsApp is just an app to communicate. It's an alternative to text/iMessage. You will need to be connected to use WhatsApp, through wifi.

TravelPass is cellular data so you can use your phone in a different country like you would at home.

So... at sea, if you need to be connected, pay for the wifi, put your phone in airplane mode, and use WhatsApp. (you may also be able to use iMessage without paying for the wifi... that is hit or miss). Travelpass will likely not work at sea (I think it's a different package and more than $10). In port, you will likely be able to connect via Travelpass and it'll be like using your phone at home.

 

[Clarkson U]

On a summer sailing, there was a very irate guest who was using some sort of cellular at sea service provided by Disney but they had Verizon Wireless and apparently DCL Cellular at Sea and Verizon Wireless don't play nice in the sandbox and this person was being charged for international roaming charges while at sea.

To use WhatsApp, best thing is put your phone in Airplane Mode, you will need to login and be connected to a PAID wifi service that supports app messaging. Then when logged in and connected you can use WhatsApp to text messages.

I will say this summer on the Fantasy - sometimes iMessage worked for us to use with friends back home but it was inconsistent and we don't know why or how it worked as we didn't pay for any wifi.

 

[insureman]

The WhatsApp worked for us on this past west bound transatlantic on the Magic.

 

[happycamper47]

On a summer sailing, there was a very irate guest who was using some sort of cellular at sea service provided by Disney but they had Verizon Wireless and apparently DCL Cellular at Sea and Verizon Wireless don't play nice in the sandbox and this person was being charged for international roaming charges while at sea.

He was irate with the wrong person. All those rates are set by the cell provider not the cruise line. I looked into long ago and decided..."NOT"..

Does cellular at sea cost money?

All billing is handled by your cell phone carrier and you will be billed for any charges incurred while onboard a ship on your next monthly cell phone bill directly from your carrier. There are no additional charges or billing from Cellular at Sea or the cruise lines.

Right from Verizon..
Rates for Cruise Ship
Voice & SMS

• $2.99/min
• 50¢ sent SMS
• 5¢ received SMS

 

[brentm77]

WhatsApp is just an app to communicate. It's an alternative to text/iMessage. You will need to be connected to use WhatsApp, through wifi.

TravelPass is cellular data so you can use your phone in a different country like you would at home.

So... at sea, if you need to be connected, pay for the wifi, put your phone in airplane mode, and use WhatsApp. (you may also be able to use iMessage without paying for the wifi... that is hit or miss). Travelpass will likely not work at sea (I think it's a different package and more than $10). In port, you will likely be able to connect via Travelpass and it'll be like using your phone at home.

You can use whatsapp without paying for a wifi plan - at least on the ships with the new internet. You still connect to wifi first (like you would to us use the Disney app), but you don't need a plan. It worked the entire time for us on our last cruise. We could communicate with each other onboard and those back home. It's my understanding that this is turned on for the crew members to communicate back home, but it works for guests too.

 

[mrsgthatsme]

The WhatsApp worked for us on this past west bound transatlantic on the Magic.

Thanks! Did you have to purchase the DCL wifi for it to work?

 

[Jack_Sparrow_NJ]

Thanks! Did you have to purchase the DCL wifi for it to work?

No. Just connect to the ship WiFi as you would to use the Navigator App. Put your phone on airplane mode and then turn on WiFi. I used iMessage during the entire cruise. Microsoft Teams worked as well.

 

[abdgeek]

I have been reading up on the texting/calling options available while cruising. I have never used WhatsApp before and want to make sure I understand it correctly. Does it work while the ship is at sea? Do you have to purchase wifi to be able to use it? What mode should you put your phone in to use it? Will it work to send/receive messages while your phone is in airplane mode? I put Verizon's Travelpass on my phone just in case and am worried about triggering that while using WhatsApp.

Also curious about the reasons to use Travelpass vs WhatsApp. Obviously WhatsApp is free vs $10/day for Travelpass, but wondering if there is any reason to do one over the other. We will just be using it to text home briefly each day and get a quick report from them. My daughter also wants to be able to download the new Taylor Swift album that comes out while we are cruising, but I am assuming she could use the free Margaritaville wifi to do that without the Verizon travelpass? Thanks for your help! This is all new to me!

If you plan to use Travelpass, make sure the ship is docked at the port or you are on land. That way you are connecting to a cell tower on land and the $10 fee for 24 hours will apply. When you are not docked, put your phone in airplane mode. It may be different on the new ships, but my phone normally didn’t work(had no cell signal) the closer I got to my room and in my room. I normally book rooms on deck 7 or higher, depending on the ship. As OP have said, if you use your phone while at sea you are connecting to the ship’s cell tower which has a totally different fee structure.

I always use Travelpass when I travel internationally, including cruising. It does kick in each day that you receive a text or call within the 24hr period, so make sure you budget for it. The only way to keep it from activating is to keep your phone in airplane mode once the ship leaves the dock. You will receive a text message each day when you take your phone out of airplane mode and your 24hr period begins telling you when the next one will begin. I always check my email and make my calls when the ship gets in to port in the morning or while I’m on shore. I definitely make sure I get my $10 worth. Once the ship leaves the dock, my phone is in airplane mode. Anyone who needs to get in touch with me then can call my room on their own dime.

 

[insureman]

Thanks! Did you have to purchase the DCL wifi for it to work?

Nope. Not until later in the cruise.

 

[Clarkson U]

He was irate with the wrong person. All those rates are set by the cell provider not the cruise line. I looked into long ago and decided..."NOT"..

Does cellular at sea cost money?

All billing is handled by your cell phone carrier and you will be billed for any charges incurred while onboard a ship on your next monthly cell phone bill directly from your carrier. There are no additional charges or billing from Cellular at Sea or the cruise lines.

Right from Verizon..
Rates for Cruise Ship
Voice & SMS

• $2.99/min
• 50¢ sent SMS
• 5¢ received SMS

Agree

 

[mousefan73]

WhatsApp worked for us for free on the magic this past summer on the 11 night Iceland and I believe also for me on the wonder in April on Hawaii. Hawaii I’m not 100% sure though. The weird thing with WhatsApp is that you can only use it for texting so no voice messages or pictures. But I noticed overnight friends that sent me images or voice messages would after a longer time show up in my chat. So it’s kind of like some incoming images snuck through. I love WhatsApp that’s what everyone uses in Europe. Can also make phone calls for free. It’s like iMessage but everyone can use it regardless of what phone you have. I did also use iMessage before but I found WhatsApp had better “service”. We would communicate as a family using WhatsApp because that was much faster than the Disney chat service