Jump to content

Staying in touch on board - Cell Phones


camii40
 Share

Recommended Posts

my hubs and i are cruising on the reflection in december and like to do different things. we are from canada and i am wondering if i can buy phones and sims while in miami to use on board to keep in touch with him - text messages to meet up etc.

i am not sure how this would work. wifi/android app?? no clue :)

 

thanks:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Regardless of the phone, you're still going to get the charge of $2.49 a minute for calls and $.50 cents to send and $.05 to receive texts. You know, the ship isn't that big, and you really have no need to call using a cell phone to find each other. Just plan your day, agree on what times and where to meet, and go from there. You can also use post it notes in the cabin or leave notes for each other in the cabin as to where you are.

 

Be careful of using a phone for wifi. First, wifi is not free and you'll get charged per minute for use. And, if you use wifi with your phone, and you don't turn off data roaming, you will be charged per minute and it can add up to huge dollars. On my first cruise with a smartphone, I had no idea how things worked, and I came home to a bill of over $600 and did not make one call.

Edited by kitty9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

my hubs and i are cruising on the reflection in december and like to do different things. we are from canada and i am wondering if i can buy phones and sims while in miami to use on board to keep in touch with him - text messages to meet up etc.

i am not sure how this would work. wifi/android app?? no clue :)

 

thanks:)

 

Check out Roam Mobility, Canadian company based out of Vancouver. Wherever T-Mobile has coverage you will have service.

 

Remember though, there is no cell service when you're at sea.

 

Might be worth looking into the Ripple Cruise Communicator

http://www.ripple-connect.com/

Edited by cwb27
Link to comment
Share on other sites

my hubs and i are cruising on the reflection in december and like to do different things. we are from canada and i am wondering if i can buy phones and sims while in miami to use on board to keep in touch with him - text messages to meet up etc.

i am not sure how this would work. wifi/android app?? no clue :)

 

thanks:)

 

I have seen people using inexpensive Motorola walkie talkies on previous cruises.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

we purchased the unlimited internet plan, put our phones on airplane mode bu turned on the wifi. We kept in contact with our family at home and sometimes with each other on the ship through facebook messenger. no further charges on the ship or through our mobile carrier. It worked very well for us and we will do this in the future.

 

Bev

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have seen people using inexpensive Motorola walkie talkies on previous cruises.

 

 

I as well have seen low cost highly effective walkie talkie usage on board-- cheaper to buy and operate than the cell phone model

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
we purchased the unlimited internet plan, put our phones on airplane mode bu turned on the wifi. We kept in contact with our family at home and sometimes with each other on the ship through facebook messenger. no further charges on the ship or through our mobile carrier. It worked very well for us and we will do this in the future.

 

Bev

 

I don't think Celebrity sells an unlimited internet plan....perhaps you are thinking of another cruise line.

 

As far as walkie talkies, they are used....but be considerate of the other passengers. I don't want to hear "screetch screetch" and then someone talking into their walkie Talkie at normal voice levels while on the elevator....and I know I'm not alone. Imagine if everyone had them....

 

As others have said, the ship isn't that large...and everyone develops somewhat of a pattern of where they hang out. Get some excercise and go find the other person :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your correct, we used the unlimited plan on RCI I assumed X had a similar plan.

As for the walkie talkies if there are of of folks using them then u will have a lot of overlap from other conversations and yes they are sometimes annoying with the noise the radio makes and the yelling people think they need to do so they can be heard.

Post it notes in the cabin also are a good way to communicate plans

Bev

 

Sent from my XT1080 using Forums mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think Celebrity sells an unlimited internet plan....perhaps you are thinking of another cruise line.

 

As far as walkie talkies, they are used....but be considerate of the other passengers. I don't want to hear "screetch screetch" and then someone talking into their walkie Talkie at normal voice levels while on the elevator....and I know I'm not alone. Imagine if everyone had them....

 

As others have said, the ship isn't that large...and everyone develops somewhat of a pattern of where they hang out. Get some excercise and go find the other person :)

 

100% Agree

 

First Celebrity cruise we were on The Solstice... I truly thought it was going to be such a huge ship (and it is)... That Mr Sloop & I would lose each other regularly

 

We did not

 

In the end I am happy that we didn't but the Walkie Talkies that I had my eye on precruise at Cdn Tire... They would have been a BIG waste of money, as they truly were not needed (and YES they would have been very bothersome to other Pax enjoyment... This I really see now quite clearly)

 

In truth we did things the old fashioned way... And in so, slowed down our hurried lives and reconnected in a way that technology just does not provide. We agreed to meet up at a particular place & time (a date ?) or we left notes for each other in the cabin.

 

I will admit... That it was very good for ourselves as well as our relationship to be totally unplugged... Lol, more than one creative note left by my dear hubby brought a smile to my face... And some could clearly be deemed "love notes" :cool:

 

So ya, skip the expense of your cell phone, and the squelch of the walkie talkie (which BTW on all accounts are far from perfect reception on / in a floating city block of steel) and use your cruise to kick back and connect on a whole other level

 

Cheers!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've tried text messages between each other on the ship but they don't always come through right away and have occasionally had a big delay.

 

We use notes in the cabin or leave messages on the cabin phone. Benefit of the latter is that you can leave a message on the cabin phone from anyplace on the ship as there are house phones all over.

 

I've read walkie talkies don't always work depending on the location due to the amount of metal walls and number of decks on the ship. They are also extremely annoying to those around you and even to the users as they often make a lot of screeching noise and static.

Edited by Lsimon
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have seen people using inexpensive Motorola walkie talkies on previous cruises.

 

 

OP: please think very hard about whether to go this route. First of all, you will be on a big metal ship, and the walkie talkies will not work that well. Second, you will invariably find yourself yelling into them or otherwise annoying those around you. You can't imagine how annoying this is.

 

Real experience at the big sea day special brunch on the Eclipse: a woman with a plate of food sat down at a nearby table, pulled out a walkie talkie, and starting screaming into it: "I'm over here." Static static. "Can you hear me? I'm over here!! (louder)" Static. "Over here!!!!!!!!!!" (louder) Kept on like this...

 

Really not the experience you want to have.

 

As others have said, tell your spouse where you'll be going, leave sticky notes in the cabin...Yes, there may well be some times when you can't find each other, and maybe you want to have a designated "meet back at the cabin time" just in case... But you'll work it out.

 

Have a great trip!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OP: please think very hard about whether to go this route. First of all, you will be on a big metal ship, and the walkie talkies will not work that well. Second, you will invariably find yourself yelling into them or otherwise annoying those around you. You can't imagine how annoying this is.

 

Real experience at the big sea day special brunch on the Eclipse: a woman with a plate of food sat down at a nearby table, pulled out a walkie talkie, and starting screaming into it: "I'm over here." Static static. "Can you hear me? I'm over here!! (louder)" Static. "Over here!!!!!!!!!!" (louder) Kept on like this...

 

Really not the experience you want to have.

 

As others have said, tell your spouse where you'll be going, leave sticky notes in the cabin...Yes, there may well be some times when you can't find each other, and maybe you want to have a designated "meet back at the cabin time" just in case... But you'll work it out.

 

Have a great trip!

 

Oh gosh, I can only imagine what hat sounded like :(

 

And to think she could have avoided all that if she & her travel companion had just decided to talk to each other about which part of this large venue (the buffet) they prefer... Such as inside or out, port or starboard, front, middle, back etc

 

Mr Sloop & I quickly stake out the room of a place new to us... And determine our preferences... These become our "go to spots" in the larger public spaces... Buffet - Pool - Sun Deck - Theatre etc

 

Cheers!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have not tried this but there is an app for Iphone/iPad. Its called Ripple Cruise Communicator.

 

You turn on Airplane Mode and leave wifi on. You look for the ships wifi in the settings and click to connect to it. Your device connects to the ships wifi but then prompts you to enter log on with your username and password. You cancel that. This leaves you connected to the ships wifi but not to the internet. You can then use the app to communicate with voice, text or video messages between you whilst onboard with no wifi or telephone fees.

 

The app is free. I have not used it and would be very interested in knowing if its been tried by anyone.

 

Heres a review by Gambee: http://www.cruisewithgambee.com/2014/08/17/ripple-cruise-communicator-review/

Edited by kevinyork
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have not tried this but there is an app for Iphone/iPad. Its called Ripple Cruise Communicator.

 

You turn on Airplane Mode and leave wifi on. You look for the ships wifi in the settings and click to connect to it. Your device connects to the ships wifi but then prompts you to enter log on with your username and password. You cancel that. This leaves you connected to the ships wifi but not to the internet. You can then use the app to communicate with voice, text or video messages between you whilst onboard with no wifi or telephone fees.

 

The app is free. I have not used it and would be very interested in knowing if its been tried by anyone.

 

Heres a review by Gambee: http://www.cruisewithgambee.com/2014/08/17/ripple-cruise-communicator-review/

 

Just noticed that in that review that Gambee has indicated that Carnival is now blocking the app from functioning over their wireless network.

 

If one assumes that the people behind Ripple aren't actually working with the cruise lines to develop the product, I'm really not shocked.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have not tried this but there is an app for Iphone/iPad. Its called Ripple Cruise Communicator.

 

You turn on Airplane Mode and leave wifi on. You look for the ships wifi in the settings and click to connect to it. Your device connects to the ships wifi but then prompts you to enter log on with your username and password. You cancel that. This leaves you connected to the ships wifi but not to the internet. You can then use the app to communicate with voice, text or video messages between you whilst onboard with no wifi or telephone fees.

 

The app is free. I have not used it and would be very interested in knowing if its been tried by anyone.

 

Heres a review by Gambee: http://www.cruisewithgambee.com/2014/08/17/ripple-cruise-communicator-review/

 

Tried to use on our iPhones on Oasis TA this month. Did not work at all. We've deleted the app.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My carrier, at & t lets you purchase an international text message plan, with a certain number of included free texts. I always buy this to communicate with my kids. Maybe your carrier offers something like that?

 

We did walkie talkies, motorola, on our first cruise when our girls were younger. But, white boards with messages or sticky notes on mirror or something are great for communicating!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just received the message below from Princess.

 

Sadly it looks like it is only a matter of time before we lose our last escape from this invasive technology as people on cruise ships everywhere will be going around with their smartphones at all times.

 

Alas, there goes your last chance to evade your annoying in-laws, pesky teenagers or bossy group organizer on a cruise ship. ;)

 

_________________

 

Introducing our free Princess@Sea Messenger that lets you stay in touch and communicate with other guests onboard. It debuts on Regal Princess in November and will be rolled out to the entire fleet by the end of 2015.

 

Powered by Princess@Sea

The Princess@Sea Messenger is integrated in the complimentary Princess@Sea web app, via the browser on your smartphone or tablet. Check on the day's events and activities, review the ship's itinerary and port guides, browse the restaurant menus, and even access your stateroom account — and now the Princess@Sea Messenger lets you do even more.

 

Instantly Make Plans and Share Experiences

With the Princess@Sea Messenger, you can instantly connect with other guests onboard.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...