Cell coverage California coast question

This maybe a dumb question, but never having been on a cruise before, here goes. When off the coast of California traveling between San Diego, Santa Barbara and San Francisco, are you close enough to the coast to receive regular cell service (not international)??

Thanks.

John

California's environmental laws are forcing cruise lines to sail farther and farther off the coast. In most cases you are out of sight of land - and out of range of cell towers. Only when arriving or leaving a port will you have a chance for local coverage. But you must be very careful to watch the display on your mobile telephone. When they turn on the roaming tower on the ship, your local call can be shifted from local coverage to international roaming without any notice.

I agree with Bruce. I turned my phone on fir just a minute during a Califirnia Coastal and got a telephone call which cost me $50 due to not having international roaming. I now turn my phone on airplane mode on the ship to be safe and turn it in when dicked in a US port.

Keep your cell on airplane mode until docked. DH learned the hard way when he turned on his cell too early and had intl. charges for a call he answered.

I agree with the advice you have given.

Best to wait till you are docked in each port.

Keith

This maybe a dumb question, but never having been on a cruise before, here goes. When off the coast of California traveling between San Diego, Santa Barbara and San Francisco, are you close enough to the coast to receive regular cell service (not international)??

 

Thanks.

John

Wouldn't it be nice if this were true...sorry it isn't.

Airplane mode is best. I delayed doing that and my phone auto-updated the time based on connecting to a maritime service, which used Alaska's time zone. I didn't realize the time was wrong and was late picking up my kids from the kids' club!