Surprise $117 cell phone charge--How to Avoid in Future?

We found that our cell phone bill was $117 higher than usual, so we called our provider (AT&T) and they said that was the amount charged them by RCCL Cellular at Sea. We've cruised a lot with Royal and this is the first time this is happened to I'm trying to see how we can avoid this in the future.

We took a four-day cruise out of Galveston on the Vision of the Seas last month. Our only port of call was Progreso. We were using an IPad and an Iphone which we only kept on while we were in port. Evidently the devices switched to the ship's cell tower while we were in port and we used 14 MB of data (can't even watch a 30 second video with that.)

The phone representative said to keep it in airplane mode while ON or NEAR the ship to avoid the data charges. So now we can't even use our phones while in port? We have always used our phones while on the ship in port and never had this trouble before.

Does anyone else have any ideas about how to set your devices to not connect to Cellular at Sea? It would be nice to be able to use the 4G network in Mexico and the Carib without worry about connecting to the ship's tower.

Someone on the ship forget to flip the switch to turn off Cellular at Sea several miles off shore.

One thing I do is turn off cellular data to ensure no data charges. If you need to turn on data in a port, you would need to confirm the carrier connection before you turn on data.

Also check with your carrier prior to sailing and make sure you have an international plan. Turn off data, and turn on WiFi. Check with the ships staff, they all know where free WiFi is in each port.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

That happened to us in December. I had over $200 in charges and I bought the RCCL internet. ATT did go back and recalculate the bill as if we had a cruise plan. I had an iPhone at that point. On the next cruise I had a Samsung on DCL and we didn't have any extra charges (just the $10/day International port charge.) Granted DCL gives you a whopping 50mb to use on your trip.

But from what I can tell (which may not be much) RCCL is only at sea and the $10/day International rate is only in port.

My biggest fear! You MUST ALWAYS keep you data turned off. iPhones have a quick swip to turn off and AT&T has a great cruise package. But I have started to buy the internet on the ships. I can’t text, but FaceTime my daughter now instead of texting works best for me.

That happened to us in December. I had over $200 in charges and I bought the RCCL internet. ATT did go back and recalculate the bill as if we had a cruise plan. I had an iPhone at that point. On the next cruise I had a Samsung on DCL and we didn't have any extra charges (just the $10/day International port charge.) Granted DCL gives you a whopping 50mb to use on your trip.

 

But from what I can tell (which may not be much) RCCL is only at sea and the $10/day International rate is only in port.

We did the $10 per day international plan with Verizon when we cruised the Mediterranean in August.. Only can be used in ports and not at sea.

Does anyone else have any ideas about how to set your devices to not connect to Cellular at Sea? It would be nice to be able to use the 4G network in Mexico and the Carib without worry about connecting to the ship's tower.

You would have to set the phone to manual cellular network choice and choose the network when you take it out of airplane mode.

When you turn your phone on check to make sure the carrier is NOT "Cellular at Sea". If it is turn it back off. The ship's cellular should always be off when in port and within several miles of port.

Quit using the overpriced full service phone companies. I use cricket pay one flat fee and never any overages. Unlimited data and works in Mexico and Canada. Currently you can get 4 lines of unlimited calls texts and data for $100.

Eat more Tuna!

Quit using the overpriced full service phone companies. I use cricket pay one flat fee and never any overages. Unlimited data and works in Mexico and Canada. Currently you can get 4 lines of unlimited calls texts and data for $100.

 

Eat more Tuna!

That should solve the problem with any fees from the ship since from what I heard they won't work at all on a ship.

That should solve the problem with any fees from the ship since from what I heard they won't work at all on a ship.

Please expain?? Can it be used with a ship package? Iphone to iphone?

We are considering changing to Cricket and would like to know if it will limit us

I book the $60.00 cruise package with AT&T for texts & calls onboard. I also use the ship's internet package for onboard...and will use the AT&T International package $10.00 per 24 hours when land traveling as needed...I may over due it but it's what has always worked well for us with no need to worry that I'm only a phone call, email or text away from my extended family etc when traveling.

Same thing happened to us last fall. AT&T removed the charges.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

When you turn your phone on check to make sure the carrier is NOT "Cellular at Sea". If it is turn it back off. The ship's cellular should always be off when in port and within several miles of port.

THIS ^^^^^

Check what service you are connected to before using your phone.

The first and foremost thing I always check (and it should already be off, but better safe than sorry) is to check on my iphone to make sure roaming is off. If that's off, than even if it found Cellular at Sea, it should prevent any communication with that tower.

Second. When i board the ship, I slip the extra airplane mode in and turn on wi-fi (when i have the internet package). Yes, they SHOULD turn Cellular at Sea off when approaching port, but, hey sometimes they forget.

Third. Be extra vigilant in port when you do turn your phone on. Look at the carrier, if it says Cellular at Sea, then turn it off. If your roaming is set off or cellular data turned off, you should not have been dinged, and if you were, probably not by much.

Worst thing you want is a petulant teenager or irresponsible adult who was TOLD to do these things, and not listen and rack up 500+ in charges because they didn't think it would be "that bad". Yep, it can be that bad.

A few years ago as we were pulling in to Cozumel someone mentioned to me that AT&T now had added Mexico to regular US plans for no additional cost. I called them and had it added to my plan. I was just in Costa Maya and Cozumel last week on Freedom of the Seas and as soon as I took my phone off airplane mode the little bar thingy at the top left on my iPhone said AT&T MX. The $10.00 a day international plan worked great during my TA in European ports. Neither of these will work on the ship while at sea.

I may be in the minority but I need to stay connected even on vacation so I always buy a VOOM package and get unlimited WIFI calling & texting along with internet.

Please expain?? Can it be used with a ship package? Iphone to iphone?

 

We are considering changing to Cricket and would like to know if it will limit us

Switching to Cricket will limit you. Since Cricket is prepaid, your phone won’t connect to Cellular at Sea.

The only way to guarantee not connecting to the ship’s system is to leave the phone in airplane mode. However, I’ve never gotten a data charge just leaving data roaming off on my iOS devices. Calls and texts are still possible but easier to control. Turning cellular data off will prevent data charges also.

The first and foremost thing I always check (and it should already be off, but better safe than sorry) is to check on my iphone to make sure roaming is off. If that's off, than even if it found Cellular at Sea, it should prevent any communication with that tower.

 

There is no roaming off setting on my iPhone. There is a data roaming setting which I always leave off but that does not stop my iPhone from connecting to Cellular at Sea, it just prevents data usage. Calls and texts are still possible.

I book the $60.00 cruise package with AT&T for texts & calls onboard. I also use the ship's internet package for onboard...and will use the AT&T International package $10.00 per 24 hours when land traveling as needed...I may over due it but it's what has always worked well for us with no need to worry that I'm only a phone call, email or text away from my extended family etc when traveling.

If you have WiFi calling capable phones, you can ditch the $60 cruise package. Since you also get VOOM, you can call and text via VOOM with WiFi calling with no roaming charges.

There is no roaming off setting on my iPhone. There is a data roaming setting which I always leave off but that does not stop my iPhone from connecting to Cellular at Sea, it just prevents data usage. Calls and texts are still possible.

If you're with AT&T and you have Data Roaming off you should be fine. You can receive texts, even over Cell at Sea for free and text for $.50. For Verizon it's $.50 to receive. This is standard international texting rates. I think the OP got hit with Data Roaming charges. ALWAYS LEAVE DATA ROAMING OFF.

WiFi calling is the best. Get the VOOM and put the phone in airplane mode. Then turn on Wifi and hook up to the VOOM. IF you have Wifi Calling on you'll go to Wifi Calling (you can tell by looking where your carrier is and it should say "ATTwifi" or "VZWwifi") if you see that, you can call or text for no charge. If you' are in port, find an Internet to hook up to in the port or in a cafe, and stay in airplane mode to bias to wifi calling. But again.... ALWAYS KEEP DATA ROAMING OFF.

That should solve the problem with any fees from the ship since from what I heard they won't work at all on a ship.

One advantage of all the prepaid cellular programs is that they don't work at all outside their service area. In our case Boost Mobile and MetroPCS charge about $30/month for a fairly low data plan and cannot connect to the ship phone network - no way to get charged. However you can buy the wireless internet package and make calls via that network (assuming your phone can do this). I'm told you can do texting that way as well if you have an app for it, but we just use phone and internet that way.

There is no roaming off setting on my iPhone. There is a data roaming setting which I always leave off but that does not stop my iPhone from connecting to Cellular at Sea, it just prevents data usage. Calls and texts are still possible.

Thats what i meant. Sorry.

This is just the first step but not the only step. Second is the airplane mode.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

If you have WiFi calling capable phones, you can ditch the $60 cruise package. Since you also get VOOM, you can call and text via VOOM with WiFi calling with no roaming charges.

Way too technical for me :eek:.... My iPhone 7 has many features that are way beyond my senior old style abilities...and I'm actually fine with that...but thanks. :D