Using One NZ in Aussie (on a cruise)

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OnceBitten

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#317871 22-Nov-2024 16:05

We both have One NZ mobiles on pre-paid plans (not on account) and in December we are flying to Sydney then doing a cruise around South Australia back to Sydney

My wife wants to be able to use her phone for calls / txts while we are away in case of an emergency - does anyone know if there is a plan we can go on for the 2.5 weeks we are away?

Or does anyone know what the roaming charges are for Australia?

any advice would be appreciated

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#3311893 22-Nov-2024 16:11

Roaming will not likely work onboard on a cruise,

Wificalling "might" but you should check the cruise company on what their comms setup is...

Satellite calling rates are still ruinous

Jase2985

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#3311897 22-Nov-2024 16:24

You will really need to check if your phone will work over there as after the shambles that was their 2/3G shutdown, about 1/2 a million phones failed to work properly or at all. Some from within the last 3-4 years.

Goosey

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#3311900 22-Nov-2024 16:29

quick answer... once you see the roaming charges.... yall just take a risk and see if wifi calling works / social media apps.

(again, cruises either charge you for data or have it included)

Roaming plans are on One NZ website, but beware...you need to have enabled these plans before switching on your mobile data when you get there...and are you actually expecting to be within cellular coverage out in the ocean?

djtOtago

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#3311903 22-Nov-2024 16:31

I assume you have looked at OneNZ pre-paid roaming information page.
https://one.nz/prepay-roaming/

HamishOneNZ

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#3311948 22-Nov-2024 19:38

Hi,

We don't have a plan that includes Maritime roaming. However, you can find our Maritime roaming prices and information at the following link - Maritime Roaming. Roaming rates and prices for Cruise liners. One NZ.

Thanks,

Hamish

One New Zealand

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#3311949 22-Nov-2024 19:49

Cruise ship wifi is generally shocking at best in my experience. Pretty much, we just said to people if they needed us for an emergency, contact the ship. Just used roaming when we were in port.

XPD / Gavin

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DjShadow

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#3311998 22-Nov-2024 20:25

I went on the P&O Pacific Explorer in late August, website indicated there was a mobile network on board which I think I found during a manual network search but I couldn’t connect to it (I’m on one nz pay monthly).

In saying that, the whole fleet I understand has been kitted out to use Starlink so would expect reasonable WiFi coverage if you go for that package but note it is expensive. I don’t know how well WiFi Calling would work over it, but I’d suggest looking for free WiFi when in port

jackyleunght2002

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#3312021 22-Nov-2024 22:16

On the pacific Explorer, you need to buy wifi and it is on the deck level where they display all the photograph.

You can also buy the data plan on the app before the cruise begins.

If you lucky enough, you might able to receive the signal while it is on cruise. Inside room, no chance to get outside signal.

OnceBitten

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#3312072 22-Nov-2024 22:48

jackyleunght2002: On the pacific Explorer, you need to buy wifi and it is on the deck level where they display all the photograph.

You can also buy the data plan on the app before the cruise begins.

If you lucky enough, you might able to receive the signal while it is on cruise. Inside room, no chance to get outside signal.

thanks we have a wifi plan on the cruise ship so will be able to do e-mails / social media...etc...

cokemaster

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#3312078 22-Nov-2024 23:43

I've been on the Pacific Encounter.

The good news is that onboard wifi is excellent and appears to be delivered most of the time with Starlink with sub 100ms ping. Was getting 60-150mbps downstream.
Some of the time I was getting >500ms ping with extremely slow speeds but that was few and far between.

Speeds were great. None of the kids experienced buffering with Netflix etc. External IP was owned by their parent company and appeared in the US.
The room package included two devices so I used wifi on my iPhone and then used my laptop as a hotspot on the other (for the 5+ devices the kids and co brought).

I was using Vodafone AU which geoblocked Wifi calling from non AU locations, I was able to evade that using VPN... but with One NZ you won't have those issues.
I did roam on the ship network, however it is only activated a few hours from shore and at $5/min in or out, ~0.80c a SMS and no data... I only used it for 2FA.

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#3312124 23-Nov-2024 09:09

Get cheapest wifi onboard and use WhatsApp for messages and odd, short phone calls?

If on/near land, get Tourist SIM (Optus are good for that) ... remember to turn off OneNZ SIM or remove it temporarily.

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johno1234

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#3312148 23-Nov-2024 11:49

In the ports you can use regular roaming. When at sea you have to use the ship's service which is really expensive but if only using it for emergencies will hopefully be zero cost.

johno1234

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#3312149 23-Nov-2024 11:53

Not too much more than OneNZ's $8/day roaming but works while at sea:

https://www.rentasatphone.com.au/product/isatphone-2

Asteros

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#3312181 23-Nov-2024 14:12

What phones are you taking on this cruise? With the right model roaming on One over wifi could be free (wifi calling).

OnceBitten

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#3312182 23-Nov-2024 14:30

Asteros:

What phones are you taking on this cruise? With the right model roaming on One over wifi could be free (wifi calling).

Mine is iPhone 8 (yes it's an antique) wifes is iPhone 11xr or something?

chances are we won't need to use the phones at all for calling, but want to be able to just in case... if we get a message that a family member has taken ill or something and we need to phone back home....

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