Can I text while on Royal Caribbean cruise?

Royal Caribbean's onboard messaging system is now free: Here's how it works. Royal Caribbean's chat feature in its app is free for everyone now, but how well does it work? As of January 1st, 2023 the onboard messaging system on all Royal Caribbean ships is now complimentary for all guests to use during their voyage.



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The chat feature in the Royal Caribbean app allows you to chat with other passengers onboard your sailing for FREE.

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It's possible to send and receive text messages at sea on a cellular signal, as long as you have a signal through your ship's roaming network. (Just make sure you turn on data roaming in your settings.) Texting costs a lot less than a voice call -- usually in line with standard, international pay as you go rates.

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Of course, those who purchase an internet plan have the ability to use chat apps like iMessage, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger, but Royal Caribbean's app chat function is the perfect answer for those who want to stay connected to each other on the ship but don't need or want wifi for anything else.

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Is WhatsApp free on a cruise ship? By default, WhatsApp is not free on a cruise ship. You need to be online, and most cruise lines charge for internet access, unless you have a special fare that includes WiFi access.

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It's a common question with varying answers. Guests are free to utilize their cellular data or connect to our onboard Wi-Fi on any ship. But, please be aware that cellular data used on the ship or in certain ports of call will result in charges from your cell phone provider.

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Your phone will automatically connect to the at-sea provider if you don't put your phone in airplane mode. So, if you send a text or make a call, you can be charged for it. These providers are very expensive, and you will receive an additional data charge plus a per-text charge. This applies to any incoming texts, too.

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Although Royal Caribbean does not give free wifi to every passenger, there are a few ways to get free wifi onboard. It's no secret that wifi on a cruise is expensive. You should expect to pay around $20 per day for Royal Caribbean's wifi package, and that's only for use on one device at a time.

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To use your cell phone on your cruise, you have two options — either connect to the ship's cellular service or connect to the ship's wi-fi. Both will cost you extra. For traditional cell service, today's modern cruise ships use providers such as “Cellular at Sea” or “Wireless Maritime Services”.

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VOOM is 6x faster than any other internet at sea! For the first time you will be able to stream music and movies, upload pictures, video chat with family and friends using FaceTime or Skype, check your email, look at your stock prices, surf the web and stay connected with work.

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If the ship provides free wifi and internet, then iMessage and FaceTime would be free. Those services are always free from Apple, and you only pay something if you are charged for the internet connection you are using.

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Pro tips for using cruise ship Wi-Fi If you can't get cruise ship internet included, don't wait to purchase your internet package until you're on board: It's usually less expensive to purchase Wi-Fi packages before sailing. Buying a package for the entire cruise is typically a better deal than the daily rate.

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If you're not able to wait for ports of call (or don't have international data on your phone), it might be worthwhile to pay for a Wi-Fi package. Although prices have decreased over the years, it can still be pretty costly to purchase Wi-Fi for your cruise.

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To ensure you are not charged by your phone company on your cruise, you have two choices: Turn off your phone as soon as your cruise ship leaves port, or, if you want to use offline applications, put your phone into airplane mode.

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It helps to think of it this way: Your cruise fare is mostly all-inclusive — your stateroom, dining in a variety of locations, onboard entertainment and access to pools, hot tubs and other amenities and activities are typically included on a cruise.

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Each Interior stateroom includes: Either a Royal king size bed or two twin beds, private bathroom with shower, vanity area, a TV and telephone, fridge or minibar, hair-dryer and 24 hour room service.

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The easiest way is to connect to the ship Wi-Fi, is via your phone Settings once onboard. Every ship's Wi-Fi follows the same format: Guest-(ship name)-Wi-Fi.

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