Using phones on the ship

[FigmentSpark]

When on the ship, what settings do you use on your phone so you don't get data charges? Airplane mode? Or just turn off the data? We will get the free 50mb for emails, but I also want to use the Navigator app without getting piles of charges. I have an iphone, if it matters

Also, we are from Canada, so any time I turn on my data, I could be using my Roaming, which is between $12 - $15 a day. I want to avoid that and use the Navigator.

Tips?

 

[NurseDave]

Turn on airplane mode and then turn on your wifi.

 

[FigmentSpark]

oh okay. that seems easy enough

 

[Marc D]

If you want to use the 50mb for emails, you’ll need to modify multiple settings on your phone to make sure you don’t burn through the data package because of the background apps updating the second you connect to the Internet. There are posts here, and guides online, about what settings to modify. You can also visit the help desk on the ship. They will modify the settings for you.

 

[TRTRguy]

You also cal log out of the paid wifi service each time when done using it without affecting the navigator app.

 

[swimfin]

Turn on airplane mode and then turn on your wifi.

Hi!
Can you help me remember about iPhone to iPhone ... can our son, who is 18 and won't be on the cruise, still IM us and have it go through while we are on the ship?

 

[HeatherLassell]

Yes as far as I've heard IM with apple still works. Text only though.

 

[NurseDave]

Hi!
Can you help me remember about iPhone to iPhone ... can our son, who is 18 and won't be on the cruise, still IM us and have it go through while we are on the ship?

Usually, but not always is the answer.

 

[mcrowder1978]

I used airplane mode then turned on the wifi. If you are using the paid wifi I would recommend changing the setting for background app refresh to off (on the iphone). This will prevent your phone from updating your apps when you aren't using them directly. It seems to work pretty well a couple of weeks ago....when the paid internet was working that is.

One thing I forgot about until we had already departed was going through my phone company to get a phone/text/data package through AT&T that they have specifically for cruises. It would have been cheaper for me in the long run. Hopefully I remember about it next time.

 

[Snowwhyt]

Turn on airplane mode and then turn on your wifi.

I did that, but even after having guest services check my phone and settings I kept going over. They refunded me 2X but I stopped using my phone after second refund. Usually not a problem for me and always went to technical desk to get phone in order before we sailed out of port. But was my first time on the Fantasy.

Also had ATT package for cruise.

 

[onesam319]

You can also visit the help desk on the ship.

When we were on the Dream February 14-18 there was no one at the "Connect at Sea" desk. We were told they could help you at guest services. We have android phones. We turned on airplane mode (this turns off wi-fi), then turned wi-fi back on. In settings go to network and internet and turn off mobile data. Just be frugal when you log in to use the internet. We only used it to keep my emails from getting out of control (most of them I just delete!), checked Facebook to see if there were any messages from our cruise group and then be sure to log out when done. I didn't even use half of my 50 mb on a 4 night cruise.

 

[lilmc]

Can you help me remember about iPhone to iPhone ... can our son, who is 18 and won't be on the cruise, still IM us and have it go through while we are on the ship?

Kind of. Usually. It’s apparently a ”glitch” per the CM I spoke to while troubleshooting on the ship when mine went away. Whole family able to text iPhone to iPhone, I did something with their free 50 MB of WiFi and I stopped being able to. CM says they don’t know how to rectify when your loophole has closed. He’d been shutout for a few months. While in port I connected to a restaurant‘s WiFi and when I got back on board, my texting privileges had been restored.

 

[swimfin]

Yes as far as I've heard IM with apple still works. Text only though.

PERFECT!! That's all we need!!! Cheers!

 

[princessmommyx3]

I think I remember someone posting in a different thread that their iMessage was not working onboard and they discovered it was because they had switched the time on their phone to be set manually. Once they switched it back to the automatic setting, iMessage worked again. I think they also said that guest services had seen this happen to others as well. Just something you could check if it's not working.

 

[Calantha]

Kind of. Usually. It’s apparently a ”glitch” per the CM I spoke to while troubleshooting on the ship when mine went away.

This 100%. I don't know who's really right...but as I've posted before...in 2019 with my iPhone I had iMessage the whole cruise on the Fantasy and then in Jan 2022, I didn't have it at all on the Dream. New phone, but to stave off all those people who said "well maybe the person you were texting didn't have an iPhone anymore", everyone I tried to message had an iPhone - or I was messaging their iPad. CM said it was a glitch too. So, hope for it, but be aware it might not work.

 

[swimfin]

This 100%. I don't know who's really right...but as I've posted before...in 2019 with my iPhone I had iMessage the whole cruise on the Fantasy and then in Jan 2022, I didn't have it at all on the Dream. New phone, but to stave off all those people who said "well maybe the person you were texting didn't have an iPhone anymore", everyone I tried to message had an iPhone - or I was messaging their iPad. CM said it was a glitch too. So, hope for it, but be aware it might not work.

THANK YOU for the heads up!!

 

[Freeman867]

Hi!
Can you help me remember about iPhone to iPhone ... can our son, who is 18 and won't be on the cruise, still IM us and have it go through while we are on the ship?

Don't depend on it working by any means. It may? It may not. We were on a month ago and it was pretty spotty. Remember you can't send photos, videos, anything except text and you both must have iMessage turned on and be using an apple device.

 

[Dug720]

WhatsApp will also possibly work. I know a lot of the crew use that to communicate with family and friends at home.

 

[gatordoc]

Just got off the Fantasy yesterday. Did the following with my iPhone:
Turn off cellular data
Turn off cellular data roaming
Turn off background app refresh (general)
Turn off send as SMS
Close every app
Put in airplane mode (wi-fi on)
Connect to DCL wi-fi network

I had iMessage working throughout the cruise, and no unexpected data losses (mine and my wife’s free 50MB each lasted me the whole cruise checking email daily).

 

[Disneygirlxo91]

Kind of. Usually. It’s apparently a ”glitch” per the CM I spoke to while troubleshooting on the ship when mine went away. Whole family able to text iPhone to iPhone, I did something with their free 50 MB of WiFi and I stopped being able to. CM says they don’t know how to rectify when your loophole has closed. He’d been shutout for a few months. While in port I connected to a restaurant‘s WiFi and when I got back on board, my texting privileges had been restored.

This is interesting. I lost my iMessage to in December and I’m thinking maybe it was after I connected to use the free 50mg of Wi-Fi.