Does WhatsApp work on Royal Caribbean ships?

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.



Excellent question! The short answer is yes, WhatsApp can work on Royal Caribbean ships, but how well it works and how much it costs depends entirely on how you connect to the internet.

Royal Caribbean offers two tiers of internet service, and your WhatsApp experience will be very different on each.

1. With the “Voom Surf” Package (Basic Package)

  • Text Messaging: WhatsApp text messages will usually go through, but they can be slow and unreliable. Sending and receiving may have significant delays.
  • Voice Messages & Calls: These are highly unlikely to work well, if at all. The basic package is not designed for real-time communication.
  • Photos/Videos: Sending media will be very slow and may fail frequently.
  • Overall: It’s frustrating for anything beyond occasional, non-urgent texts. Not recommended if you plan to use WhatsApp actively.

2. With the “Voom Surf + Stream” Package (Premium Package)

  • Everything Works: This package is designed for streaming and real-time apps. You can expect:
    • Instant text messaging.
    • Reliable voice message sending/receiving.
    • High-quality WhatsApp Voice and Video calls.
    • Fast sending of photos and videos.
  • Overall: This is the package you need if you want to use WhatsApp (or any messaging/social media app) as you normally would on land.

Crucially Important: How to Avoid Massive Charges

You MUST purchase one of the ship’s Wi-Fi packages and keep your phone in Airplane Mode with Wi-Fi turned

People Also Ask

The chat feature in the Royal Caribbean app allows you to chat with other passengers onboard your sailing for FREE. Chat is only available while onboard your ship and only while you are connected to the ship's Wi-Fi network.

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Can you use WhatsApp on a cruise? Yes, but bear in mind video calling services such as Skype or messaging services like WhatsApp will use your onboard data if you're connected to the cruise ship's Wi-Fi.

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With the fleetwide introduction of VOOM, your clients will also now be able to stream and utilize VoIP applications, such as FaceTime and Skype. 4. How will the internet experience vary from ship to ship?

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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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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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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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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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Ship internet The best option for most people is to purchase a Royal Caribbean Voom internet package. Once connected to the ship's internet, you can leverage any number of messaging apps to communicate with someone else onboard, or even at home. These apps are usually free to use for voice and texting.

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  • iConcierge, Norwegian Cruise Line. iConcierge app on Norwegian Cruise Line (Photo: Norwegian) ...
  • Carnival Hub, Carnival Cruise Line. ...
  • Navigator, Disney Cruise Line. ...
  • MSC Traveller Web, MSC Cruises. ...
  • Navigator, Holland America Line. ...
  • Princess@Sea Messenger, Princess Cruises. ...
  • Royal iQ, Royal Caribbean International.


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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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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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Cruise ships have cellular service that you can connect to. However, it's usually considered international roaming and means you'll be charged high rates to access. You likely know that instead of using a cell signal, you can hook your phone up to wi-fi and use the Internet to make calls, send texts, and surf the web.

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Royal Suite Class Star and Sky guests will enjoy the Surf + Stream package. Surf the web, stay in touch via email, share vacation photos on social media, stream music and movies from Spotify or Netflix and connect using video chat apps such as Skype.

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