Cell Rates and Internet Cafe and WiFi Rates on Caribbean Princess 11-15

[chrisahx]

SORRY for my longer than average posts!

I've read so many conflicting reports about the cell phone rates and even availability while out at sea on Princess from cruise critic. I even went to AT&T's website and for some strange reason Princess is the ONLY cruise line AT&T fails to even mention.

When I went to AT&T's site myself, I found a GRID, where you first choose your Cruise line, (I choose Carnival since they own Princess) and then you pick your ports of call and put them in the itinerary column. Mine are: San Juan-Embarktatio port quoting me regular plan rates, St. Thomas, Torotodo, BVI, St Lucia, St Martten, Antigua and Barbados, Quoting me $1.69 per minute since I pay the $4 per month world plan discount rate. This to me makes it appear all I'll ever pay on ship and off after leaving San Juan is $1.69 But I KNOW that just can't be right since one CC poster said on his Alaska Cruise w/ Princess, AT&T charged him $4.99 per min.last year flat out on his bill when he got it and claimed AT&T could do nothing since they claimed the charge originated from Princess, clearly both parties passing the buck.

Another poster told him if he got service on the ship, the phone display would read "Cellular at Sea" He claimed it said nothing, not even that he was "roaming" This was however on an Alaska Cruise, and mine is a Caribbean cruise definitely visiting out of Country ports. I just need to know what should I expect to pay while onboard the ship and out at sea on my IPhone. Any tips to avoid any other charges that might end up appearing on my Iphone bill will help me out a lot

Another person claimed you couldn't even get cell service AT ALL on any Princess ship while away at sea from ports?

Finally, as a Full Suite guest I'm supposed to be entitled to FREE internet access, BUT I don't think WiFi in the rooms or by the pools or sitting down are included, only while online in the ships Internet Cafe? I have a Magic Jack and Skype as well as a Skype Plugin making me able to use Skype while dialing * before my number to make a Skype call w/ the plugin on a Magic Jack. But unless I can use a ethernet cable to attach to my laptop, I won't be able to make those Skype/Magic Jack calls, since they both require broadband internet service to route those calls.

Will they hassle me about taking a RJ45 cord from the net cafe and plugging it into my personal laptop? Without being able to connect my laptop to an ethernet cable, or a WiFi connection, I doubt the Magic Jack or SKYPE will even work for me since to use either of them on the ships computers, I would have to download all the required software, which I doubt they would allow unless no one was looking?

I'm just trying to find a way for my mother to be able to stay in touch with my sister and her family while we are away for these 10 days. If I just keep my IPhone on, but don't call out or answer any calls I don't recognize and let them go straight to VM, should I be in good shape? Again here one person claims that AT&T will charge you 2 bucks to route a call to you and another 2 bucks to forward it to your local Voicemail. To me this all seems like a thoroughly confusing but ideal way for both AT&T and Princess totally FLEECE YOU! They could make this SO SIMPLE if they so choose to do so by posting clear and concise rates on their website, in their literature and even directly on smart phones. They obviously don't make this well guarded secret to light because its such a big money maker for them!

[kobecat]

Originally Posted by chrisahx

SORRY for my longer than average posts!

I've read so many conflicting reports about the cell phone rates and even availability while out at sea on Princess from cruise critic. I even went to AT&T's website and for some strange reason Princess is the ONLY cruise line AT&T fails to even mention.

When I went to AT&T's site myself, I found a GRID, where you first choose your Cruise line, (I choose Carnival since they own Princess) and then you pick your ports of call and put them in the itinerary column. Mine are: San Juan-Embarktatio port quoting me regular plan rates, St. Thomas, Torotodo, BVI, St Lucia, St Martten, Antigua and Barbados, Quoting me $1.69 per minute since I pay the $4 per month world plan discount rate. This to me makes it appear all I'll ever pay on ship and off after leaving San Juan is $1.69 But I KNOW that just can't be right since one CC poster said on his Alaska Cruise w/ Princess, AT&T charged him $4.99 per min.last year flat out on his bill when he got it and claimed AT&T could do nothing since they claimed the charge originated from Princess, clearly both parties passing the buck.

Another poster told him if he got service on the ship, the phone display would read "Cellular at Sea" He claimed it said nothing, not even that he was "roaming" This was however on an Alaska Cruise, and mine is a Caribbean cruise definitely visiting out of Country ports. I just need to know what should I expect to pay while onboard the ship and out at sea on my IPhone. Any tips to avoid any other charges that might end up appearing on my Iphone bill will help me out a lot

Another person claimed you couldn't even get cell service AT ALL on any Princess ship while away at sea from ports?

Finally, as a Full Suite guest I'm supposed to be entitled to FREE internet access, BUT I don't think WiFi in the rooms or by the pools or sitting down are included, only while online in the ships Internet Cafe? I have a Magic Jack and Skype as well as a Skype Plugin making me able to use Skype while dialing * before my number to make a Skype call w/ the plugin on a Magic Jack. But unless I can use a ethernet cable to attach to my laptop, I won't be able to make those Skype/Magic Jack calls, since they both require broadband internet service to route those calls.

Will they hassle me about taking a RJ45 cord from the net cafe and plugging it into my personal laptop? Without being able to connect my laptop to an ethernet cable, or a WiFi connection, I doubt the Magic Jack or SKYPE will even work for me since to use either of them on the ships computers, I would have to download all the required software, which I doubt they would allow unless no one was looking?

I'm just trying to find a way for my mother to be able to stay in touch with my sister and her family while we are away for these 10 days. If I just keep my IPhone on, but don't call out or answer any calls I don't recognize and let them go straight to VM, should I be in good shape? Again here one person claims that AT&T will charge you 2 bucks to route a call to you and another 2 bucks to forward it to your local Voicemail. To me this all seems like a thoroughly confusing but ideal way for both AT&T and Princess totally FLEECE YOU! They could make this SO SIMPLE if they so choose to do so by posting clear and concise rates on their website, in their literature and even directly on smart phones. They obviously don't make this well guarded secret to light because its such a big money maker for them!

I think you are being a bit harsh on both Princess and your cell phone provider.

Internet: It makes no difference whether you use your laptop WIFI in your cabin or use the ship computers - it is all the same, so yes you can use Skype etc from your laptop in your cabin.

Re the cell phones charging is nothing to do with Princess; it is entirely your carrier. There are apparently only two satellite providers who then charge your provider who in turn charge you. My service always shows a different provider on the screen when it is picking up service at sea and yes it is expensive for calls. It however costs nothing for me to receive text messages and even when at sea it is only about $1 to send a text.

Of course I have an Australian cell service which clearly shows all rates; I am sorry that A T & T is not as co-operative.

Be assured all is good for the internet and I hope you work out the cell phone question.

Beryl

[CROWNCRUISER]

If your phone is turned on you will receive a free text message saying that the charge is $1.99 a minute if you are on Verizonwireless. Don't know about other carriers.

[caribill]

Originally Posted by chrisahx

Finally, as a Full Suite guest I'm supposed to be entitled to FREE internet access, BUT I don't think WiFi in the rooms or by the pools or sitting down are included, only while online in the ships Internet Cafe? I have a Magic Jack and Skype as well as a Skype Plugin making me able to use Skype while dialing * before my number to make a Skype call w/ the plugin on a Magic Jack. But unless I can use a ethernet cable to attach to my laptop, I won't be able to make those Skype/Magic Jack calls, since they both require broadband internet service to route those calls.

A) Anywhere WiFi receprion is available on the ship, its use will be included in your suite free internet access perk.
B) Do not expect any use of broadband while onboard. The internet access on the ship via satellite will be at dial-up speeds or even slower. Some people have reported success using Skype on board, others have reported it was too slow to work and others have reported that it was blocked because it used too much of the available bandwidth.

[Caribbean Sunsets]

My cell provider is also AT&T. San Juan and St. Thomas are part of the US, and I'm not charged anything additional while in port to make/receive calls.

I ususally purchase a calling card on the islands not covered/included if I need to phone home to avoid those expensive extra fees.