Seeking guidance in dealing with $500 cell satellite bill

Our family of 7 was on the Oosterdam at Christmas. We did not opt-in to buy the HAL overly priced cell coverage at sea and all kept our phones on airplane mode while on the ship at sea. When we reached port, we turned our phones on and connected to Mex Telcel. When we got home, we were greeted with a $500 additional cell phone bill.

I contacted our cell carrier (ATT) and they said it's an issue with HAL. You can be OFF the ship and in port and their satellite cell system can push you data (email, location service, etc.) if you are in their range. One ATT rep said the range could be 8 miles.

I contacted HAL and they tell me it has nothing to do with them, even though this is a company they contract with to supply this service.

We all had a great time and were considering dropping another 15k to go next year, but this has left a very bad taste in my mouth. Anyone else have similar problems and how was it resolved?

I don't think it's a hal issue. I used my cell while on the Oosterdam when I was in port. I used my data with no issues or large charges on my cell phone bill. I was on the ship last fall.

Definitely not HAL. It is your cell phone provider.

It is not likely a HAL issue as once in port you will connect to the nearest cell service land tower and the charges will originate from there. In the future turn of all data services and keep it on airplane mode on board to be sure. Your carrier also has "at sea" service packages that they can set up for you that typically are very cost effective for calls and texts while at sea. We have done this several times.

And BTW, glad you are planning another cruise but quite frankly, what's the point in referencing "dropping another 15k" - who cares what you "dropped". :rolleyes:

I'll be the voice of dissent: I've been in port and had my phone connect to the ship's cell tower, not the local carriers. People are going to say it doesn't happen, but if you have a cellular at sea bill, it happened.

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I have to agree and disagree with what AT&T is telling you. It is actually the opposite, when the ship is close to shore they have to turn their their At Sea Cellular Service off, only their wifi is working. Most of the time while we are sailing into port I have to turn off HAL's so that my own phone will flip over to the cellular service being provided in that country. I have been using my cell phone on cruises for years was a call that our son made to us when we were in Japan and did not realize it was 5 in the morning for us and I took the call. It came to $28.00 on Verizon. While I am on the ship I turn my data off and sometimes phone but when we get into port I make sure the ships signal is not showing.

I think it is more of a matter of did you HAL's signal was disconnected.

I would see if AT& T is willing to negotiate with you on a lower price.

When we reached port, we turned our phones on and connected to Mex Telcel. When we got home, we were greeted with a $500 additional cell phone bill.

I'll be the voice of dissent: I've been in port and had my phone connect to the ship's cell tower, not the local carriers. People are going to say it doesn't happen, but if you have a cellular at sea bill, it happened.

 

 

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The OP never said it was a cellular at sea bill - only that he had an additional $500 cell phone bill.

I will be the voice of experience to say that we have never had any connection to the ship service while in port and have never had any charges reflecting that. Any charge we incurred was relative to the local cell service in port with which we were connected.

LAFFNVEGAS's post offers a good explanation as to port of call cell services.

The best way to make sure you never get a bill is to turn your cell off & leave it in the safe until you get home.

Allan

I have AT&T and never had an issue and there has been a couple of times when we had to make a call.

Best to try to negotiate with AT&T.

I have to agree and disagree with what AT&T is telling you. It is actually the opposite, when the ship is close to shore they have to turn their their At Sea Cellular Service off, only their wifi is working. Most of the time while we are sailing into port I have to turn off HAL's so that my own phone will flip over to the cellular service being provided in that country. I have been using my cell phone on cruises for years was a call that our son made to us when we were in Japan and did not realize it was 5 in the morning for us and I took the call. It came to $28.00 on Verizon. While I am on the ship I turn my data off and sometimes phone but when we get into port I make sure the ships signal is not showing.

I think it is more of a matter of did you HAL's signal was disconnected.

I would see if AT& T is willing to negotiate with you on a lower price.

Excellent explanation Lisa.

I will need my phone on before we get to a couple of ports in case a guide needs to text me.

I usually keep my cell phone off on the ship until we get to a port so, I am a bit nervous. I always have data turned off when travelling.

If I understand correctly, there should be no charges if my cell phone is on unless I receive a text / call or make one? Or do I need to look at an "At Sea" Package? Thanks.

Our family of 7 was on the Oosterdam at Christmas. We did not opt-in to buy the HAL overly priced cell coverage at sea and all kept our phones on airplane mode while on the ship at sea. When we reached port, we turned our phones on and connected to Mex Telcel. When we got home, we were greeted with a $500 additional cell phone bill.

 

I contacted our cell carrier (ATT) and they said it's an issue with HAL. You can be OFF the ship and in port and their satellite cell system can push you data (email, location service, etc.) if you are in their range. One ATT rep said the range could be 8 miles.

 

I contacted HAL and they tell me it has nothing to do with them, even though this is a company they contract with to supply this service.

 

We all had a great time and were considering dropping another 15k to go next year, but this has left a very bad taste in my mouth. Anyone else have similar problems and how was it resolved?

The devil is in the details. In the bolded info above the OP states that the phone connected to Mex Telcel. That is a Mexican Cell phone provider and is not a contractor to HAL. That is where the charges began.

For my own part, I have been awake early mornings pulling into St Thomas and Fort Lauderdale and turned on my phone 30 to 40 minutes before docking and found that my phone indicated AT&T. As mentioned before, all cruise ships are required to turn off their cell tower ouside the range of local providers.

If I understand correctly, there should be no charges if my cell phone is on unless I receive a text / call or make one? Or do I need to look at an "At Sea" Package? Thanks.

Be sure that you have Data Roaming OFF. That will prevent you from getting any data updates to apps, etc. You will still be able to receive texts, etc. Depending on your carrier, texts you receive are free with ATT or $.05 for Verizon. As I understand it, if you don't make a call over the Cell at Sea system, you won't be charged. It sounds to me like the OP had Data Roaming ON and their apps did some updating. It also appears that it was done not by HAL, but by the Mexican carrier. Your phone will only send and receive over the cell service that it shows it's hooked up to.

Are you planning an internet plan on the ship? If so, you can set your phone up for "WiFi calling." When you activate this (it's free), and you are hooked up to a wifi, you can make calls to any U.S. number regardless of where YOU are or where the number you call is for free. To ensure you are in "wifi calling," put the phone in airplane mode, turn on wifi, and hook up. You will see as your carrier "[your carrier] wifi." For example, "VZW wifi" for Verizon, or ATTwifi" for ATT, depending on your carrier. If you see that, you can use your phone just like you are at home.

My husband and I was on the Grandeur in December we had are phones on airplane mode also. When we got back to port we turned our phones on and my cellphone bill was $300.00 for usage. I called my carrier T- Moblie to see what happened they said every time someone left me a voicemail it was charging me a crazy about of money a minute. They said they could tell I didn't use my phone. All glory goes to God because the lady took off all the charges. She said I was a long time great customer. She told me next time to let them know before a cruise they can set are phones to something so we won't be charged. I pray your carrier can do the same for you and works out for you and your family. God Bless you.

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Be sure that you have Data Roaming OFF. That will prevent you from getting any data updates to apps, etc. You will still be able to receive texts, etc. Depending on your carrier, texts you receive are free with ATT or $.05 for Verizon. As I understand it, if you don't make a call over the Cell at Sea system, you won't be charged. It sounds to me like the OP had Data Roaming ON and their apps did some updating. It also appears that it was done not by HAL, but by the Mexican carrier. Your phone will only send and receive over the cell service that it shows it's hooked up to.

Are you planning an internet plan on the ship? If so, you can set your phone up for "WiFi calling." When you activate this (it's free), and you are hooked up to a wifi, you can make calls to any U.S. number regardless of where YOU are or where the number you call is for free. To ensure you are in "wifi calling," put the phone in airplane mode, turn on wifi, and hook up. You will see as your carrier "[your carrier] wifi." For example, "VZW wifi" for Verizon, or ATTwifi" for ATT, depending on your carrier. If you see that, you can use your phone just like you are at home.

Thanks very much :)

For sure the data will be off ;)

I will have wifi on board so that is a good tip. My carrier is not one of the 2 you mention (Canada), but it should be all good.

Appreciate the help and confirmation.

When in airplane mode, it won’t connect to anything other then Wi-Fi. I suspect one of two things, first when you got off the ship it is possible to connect to the ship when you came out of airplane mode, second, someone in your group connected while at sea and doesn’t want to fess up.

Either way, it’s not HAL’s fault. Just pay and consider it an expensive lesson.

Just an FYI, T-Mobile plans provide free connection in something like 140 countries for data and text so the problem of huge bills goes away. You still can’t connect to Cellular at Sea for free but land base connections have no surcharge.

Most of the carriers provide an international option (for $10 a day or so). Some carriers provide this free, depending on your cell plan. In those cases, when you get off the ship, you connect to a local carrier, and your only charge is your carrier's per day charge, but it is also per device. So if you have four phones, you could get 4 charges. But otherwise, if you connect to a foreign carrier, your charges will be very high. As said in the above posts, cellular at sea is turned off when in port. There are also carrier plans that can reduce cellular at sea charges, but we don't think its a good deal. Use wifi when truly at sea, an international plan when you're in port, and you should avoid high fees.

You don't "sign up" for a Cellular at Sea package on HAL or any other line; the service is there and you, through your cellphone, use it or don't, just like you would use any cell tower, as that's all the ship's system really is (a bit more complicated is the satellite system that connects the tower to everyplace else.)

If you have turned off the services that can use cellular data via your provider network and via roaming, you will not connect to the ship's cellular system. Sometimes, though it's more and more rare, this means turning off more services than simply putting your phone in "airplane mode" depending on your phones make and model. Something as simple as launching an app can incur data usage.

Using the ship's WiFi system is completely different from its cellular system and, while you can gernerally connect to the ship's intranet system for free after setting up a user ID and password, you must purchase a package to use the internet system.

The ship's Cellular at Sea system should be set up to disable automatically when the ship is within a few miles of shore or a port and detects a stable land-based signal. You should never connect to it while at port as it's not turned on; otherwise, everyone within a few miles of the port also might connect to it and be charged by Wireless Maritime Services, the Cellular at Sea system owner and a subsidiary of ATT, through their provider. At $2.49 per minute, people would howl just as you are!

I would call and speak to ATT customer service and see if there is any way they might abate the charges incurred. HAL really has little to nothing to do with the system.

When in airplane mode, it won’t connect to anything other then Wi-Fi. I suspect one of two things, first when you got off the ship it is possible to connect to the ship when you came out of airplane mode, second, someone in your group connected while at sea and doesn’t want to fess up.

 

 

 

Either way, it’s not HAL’s fault. Just pay and consider it an expensive lesson.

Yes, exactly this.

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If 7 people turned on AT & T cell phones and you had not called them prior to add an international plan, I'm surprised it wasn't more. I think ATT has something similar to Verizon, where I opt into the their global services and it stays on my line. If I don't turn my phone on in a day, no charge. If I do turn my phone on it costs just a set fee for 24 hours, ranging from $2 to $10 a day. If you had opted in, the most you would have paid would have been $70. Without adding the plan, it is apparently $500.

(I have read ATT had the same type of option as Verizon so the above response is based on that)

I have AT & T and have made calls when ashore but never got an additional charge over a great manyh cruises in a number of ports as along as the calls I made were covered by my plan. HAL is not the issue in your case, IMO. It is AT &T.

I was just at AT&T last weekend to discuss foreign travel options. It all depends on what plan/contract you are on.

The new unlimited data plans include roaming to Canada and Mexico, and you can add on the $10/day, pay as you use plan for other countries. But it totally depends on your plan. (My plan is not eligible- so I have to do the Passport plan).

Did you by chance confirm with AT&T that roaming was covered before you left?

And was it roaming or ship cell that drove up the cost? Your title says satellite (implying ship cellular) but you say you were on local cellular.

Stories like these are why my cell phone is usually turned off and put in the safe once we leave port and not turned on until we return to the departure port. I guess I am old school, but I enjoy not being connected while on vacation. If there is a true emergency, you can be reached through the ships emergency line.

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I have never heard of anything like this on any Cruise Line we have sailed.

I have seen where you are docked and they don't turn off the Cellular at Sea as they should but can't imagine how you could be miles away and still get the signal.

What I do is to be on the safe side turn off the phone and then turn it back on when ashore.

I also have AT&T service.

Keith

Thank you all for your very thoughtful responses. It was Maritime charges by ATT. Our plan has coverage in Mexico, so our phones work in Mexico like they do in the US without any additional cost. We do not need to buy the $10/day International package while in Mexico.

I did think at first that some in our group were not fessing up, but my phone and my husband's phone were in the safe on airplane mode. Funny enough, the 3 young people (23-18) had the LOWEST bill. The only person that was not charged anything had their phone totally turned off. My 83 year old mom was the greatest offender and she has no apps and never uses her phone.

ATT has a "deal" with HAL for Maritime charges and it's $120/pp per week to join for cruising. No one in our group exceeded this number, so if they switched us into this program now, it wouldn't better the situation.

The charges are also posted to our account in the middle of the night when I'm fast asleep and the phone is in the safe. ATT says the times don't match up to anything, so there is no way to piece the puzzle together and see really when the charges incurred.

Lesson learned: Completely turn off the phone and do not turn it on until you are a bit of a distance from the ship. Airplane mode is not enough. It was not only ATT that told me the ship can connect while you are in port, but also the HAL guest relations person I spoke with. I don't know if they were misinformed, but that is the information both sources gave me. Every once in a while you got to bend over and take it because it's not worth the hassle.......this is one of those times.