Ahoy, Jim! Welcome to planDisney and welcome aboard
Disney Cruise Line!
The line where the sky meets the sea, it calls me! Sometimes, while chasing that endless horizon, the shore calls me, too. For those times, knowing you can be reached is the peace of mind needed to immerse in your vacation. Luckily, there are a few options for staying connected while aboard your Disney Cruise Line ship.
First things first: Before you set sail, download the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator App. Once you are onboard, you can
connect to Wi-Fi and unlock all the functionality designed to make your cruise a breeze.
- The Navigator app has a chat function for you to message fellow shipmates. This is a great tool to plan meet-ups, see where everyone else is, and have someone go ahead and order a drink for you while you are on your way to meet them.
- Internet packages are available for purchase. There are a few options based on what you will need. Once you are on the ship, open the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app and select the “Connect to Internet” tile. This will open a separate browser for you to view internet plans and purchase internet access. These packages will support phone calls to four-hour video conference calls (which I can sadly share from my own experience).
- Disney Cruise Line has access to Connect at Sea. The rates for this are determined by your cell phone carrier. Some carriers offer special plans you can purchase to use on your cruise. If this is the route you take, I suggest checking with your carrier about rates. If I happen to leave my phone in cellular mode and the ship gets far from shore, my phone lights up with caution messages from my carrier letting me know to switch to Wi-Fi to avoid Cellular at Sea charges.
Depending on your destinations, you may have cell service when you are in port. I'd suggest checking with your cell carrier to check coverage and rates for your destinations. With my iPhone, I have also had luck texting other iPhone users with a Wi-Fi connection. I could not send pictures, but plain messages seemed to work.
Just a tip: To limit extraneous data usage, set your phone to Airplane Mode and then turn on Wi-Fi.
Speaking of cruising and calls, did you know you can request a character call before your cruise? It is a lot of fun to have Mickey Mouse give you a ring and share his excitement to welcome you on board!
If you have any other questions, please sail back by planDisney. You've got a friend in us!
Bon Voyage!
Jana