iPhone on cruises

Help! We're about to board a cruise to Mexico and I brought my iphone. I only need it for the ipod part. How can I avoid international roaming data fees? Anyone taken theirs before? Thanks!

You should be able to put your iPod in airplane mode which will disconnect the phone portion of the iPhone.

I just asked this question on another thread.

Put your phone in airplane mode.

Make sure data roaming is turned off. (In settings). It should already be off (default), but if you are like me you will want to check just to be sure!:)

You CAN put your iPhone into Airplane mode, but then you can't use the ship's wi-fi, or a wi-fi hotspot. A better solution, and the one I think Apple set up for the purpose, might be to go to "Settings", then "General," then "Network" and finally "Data Roaming." Turn THAT off, and you'll have access to everything else on your iPhone, just not tres expensive Data Roaming!

I just left it in the car. I did some internet research and read how some people had turned off the data roaming and STILL got billed a ridiculous amount. I'll research it some more before we go on our next cruise b/c I sure missed my iPod!! Thanks for the help!

You can remove your SIM card and use your iPhone as just a PDA and iPod -- and it will work with all WiFi connections without incurring charges through ATT.

Read up on more here:

http://forums.wireless.att.com/cng/board/print?board.id=apple&message.id=8567&format=one

WORD TO THE WISE, EXCUSE MUY USING CAPS JUST WANT YOUR ATTENTION, I HAVE A SPRINT PHONE AND GOT NOT ONE PENNY IN ROAM CHARGES!!!! NOW FOR I PHONE USERS, MY FRIENDS I PHONE SHOWED AT SEA, TRANSLATUION THIS PUTS IT INTO BIG BUCK MODE WHICH WAS ALMOST 500 DOLLARS FOR A SEVEN DAY EASTERN CARRIBEAN CRUISE ON RCLI. ADVICE CALL ATT AND TURN OFF ALL EXTRAS IE TEXTING WEB ETC, THEN YOU CONTROL PHONE MORE. DONT TAKE WHICH IS HARD. IF YOU GET HIT WITHA HUGE BILL TELL THEM THAT ATT AND YOUR CRUISE LINE NEVER ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE CORRECTLTY, THEN OFFER ATT ONE HALF OF TOTAL TO BE SPLIT INTO TWO OR THREE BILLS, THIS THEY WILL DO. BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR I PHONE, ALSO CRUISE LINE WILL BLAME ATT AND ATT WILL BLAME CRUISE LINE. GOOD LUCK LANCE 32/ jonparkus@aol.com:)

I use my Iphone all the time while cruising. Just make sure the data roaming is off and you will not get any roaming charges! I only use my phone for the Ipod feature though. Once I was in port in the Bahamas and was able to use my phone without seeing the infamous "cellular at sea"!

I just got off the phone with A T & T and the lady I spoke with told me that if I turn my Iphone on even 1 time during the cruise that I can be charged the 2.49 per minute. She also said that even when the ship is in a US port you can be charged the 2.49 per minute because it depends on when the crew turns on the ships cell tower. Generally they are NOT supposed to turn on the cell-at-sea until the ship is 12 miles out to sea but sometimes they turn the towers on while the ship is in US ports.

So my phone will stay off-besides I won't miss it at all!

To just use the video or listen to music, all you need to do, as already stated, is to go to "Settings" and turn the Airplane Mode on. You will not be able to use your phone, but you will not incur any charges.

You can also go to "Settings", then "Network", then turn the "Data Roaming" off.

If you want to use your phone, you can sign up for AT&T's World Traveler Plan. This will cost you $5.99 per month and they recommend you leave the plan in place for 60 days. If you have text messaging on your plan, you will be able to receive incoming messages at no charge (up to your plan limit). Outgoing text messages will be charged at .50 each.

The price per minute for calls depends on which country you are visiting, and of course, you will incur an additional charge for that. If you choose to add this, AT&T can tell you the per minute charge for the country. Tell people not to leave you voice mail, because you will be charged for each minute of the message! I have no idea what ship charges would be on top of this.