Another AT&T iPhone question

To give a little background, I have an iPhone 3GS. In the last 12 months, I have received maybe 3 text message and never send one myself. It is relatively important for me to be able to receive a voice call while on the ship (and in port). If I turn off data roaming, assuming I do not receive any text message, will I still incur large unexpected charges? Will I need to turn off cellular data as well? If I turn off cellular data, I assume I will not receive any voicemails that someone leaves. Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks!

To give a little background, I have an iPhone 3GS. In the last 12 months, I have received maybe 3 text message and never send one myself. It is relatively important for me to be able to receive a voice call while on the ship (and in port). If I turn off data roaming, assuming I do not receive any text message, will I still incur large unexpected charges? Will I need to turn off cellular data as well? If I turn off cellular data, I assume I will not receive any voicemails that someone leaves. Any insight would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

We turn off our phones while on-board and place them in the safe. When in port, you can find free wi-fi areas and receive all messages, texts, etc. I give the ships phone number to my family in case of an emergency.

I do not have an IPhone but am a Smartphone owner and ATT subscriber. If you need to still be able to recieve calls but want to stop all other data, then you want to disable data.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4203

Depending on what iOS you are running, the following might help. You can try it out before you leave.

I don't know where you are vacationing but all US territories: ie, USVI, Puerto Rice and others are the same as being home in the states.

To give a little background, I have an iPhone 3GS. In the last 12 months, I have received maybe 3 text message and never send one myself. It is relatively important for me to be able to receive a voice call while on the ship (and in port). If I turn off data roaming, assuming I do not receive any text message, will I still incur large unexpected charges? Will I need to turn off cellular data as well? If I turn off cellular data, I assume I will not receive any voicemails that someone leaves. Any insight would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

Yes, with data roaming off, you will minimize roaming charges. I've always kept my AT&T iPhone on when on a cruise to be able to receive calls and text in case of emergency. And in 3 cruises, I haven't incurred extra or roaming charges, except when I texted my mom twice on the ship. Here's what I do...

• Turn data roaming off (always turned off on mine). You do not have to turn cellular data off if data roaming is off. So as soon as your phone gets a local AT&T signal, you are able to receive data signals with no roaming charges.
  
• With your phone on and not on airplane mode, you will be able to receive calls. If you don't want to get charged, don't answer it. The voicemail will pick up if you don't. You don't get charged when voicemail picks it up.
  
• With data roaming or cellular data off, any voicemail that someone leaves shouldn't appear on your voicemail app. If it does, it means your data is not off. And retrieving and listening to voicemails will incur data charges, so don't if you don't wanna get charged.
  
• If you answer a call, it is $2.49/min on Carnival ships. Roaming rates can be found here.
  
• While roaming, incoming texts are taken out of your text plan. If you don't have a text plan, it will cost $0.20/text.
  
• While roaming, outgoing texts are $0.50/text.
  
• I tell people to text me instead of calling when there's an emergency. Since I have a text plan, incoming texts are included. This way, I get to see what they want to say right away. I don't have to check voicemail which requires data (roaming when on the ship).
  

Hope this helps!

Call and ask to speak to ATT international calling dept. You can add a package to your phone for a week- prorated just for that week it ends up being like 2.39. Then you pay per minute used while on the phone. On the ship uts 2.39 and then the rep can tell you how much each port will be. If you wanted a text package to be safe they have one too....but if you don't your worst case you spend .50 per text sent and nothing for received. They can also tell you how to turn roaming off (if you don't know already). Can you tell I literally just had this conversation with ATT yesterday :). My last cruise I had a horrible phone bill when I came home and we hardly used our phones!

To give a little background, I have an iPhone 3GS. In the last 12 months, I have received maybe 3 text message and never send one myself. It is relatively important for me to be able to receive a voice call while on the ship (and in port). If I turn off data roaming, assuming I do not receive any text message, will I still incur large unexpected charges? Will I need to turn off cellular data as well? If I turn off cellular data, I assume I will not receive any voicemails that someone leaves. Any insight would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

Jason26 I have the same exact iPhone and I spoke to my ATT rep 3 days ago and he said just put it on airplane mode and you won't incurr any international charges. :)

In order for you to receive any type of calls you are going to have to add on the international plan with At&t. That way you can receive your calls still but it will be at a discounted rate, depending where you are cruising to. You will always pay $4.99 when out at sea with the Cellular at Sea rate....no matter what.

If you put your phone on airplane mode you won't receive any calls, texts or messages....at all. The airplane mode keeps you able to have your clock, games, camera....etc. No data or calling. I have done it both ways by using the International plan with At&t and just turning on airplane mode...it just depends how many calls/messages you are needing to deal with. Hope this helps :D

All. Thanks for the responses!!!!! The good people of Cruise Critic always come through.

I just had the same question about 2 months ago. All but one of us in our group has an iPhone. We didn't incur ANY additional charges while on our cruise. Here is what we did:

Shortly after sail away, we all made sure that data roaming was turned off (we always keep that turned off) and turned off cellular data. With this done, you can still send and receive calls and texts. We just let all of our calls go to voicemail. All incoming texts count against your text plan...since we have the unlimited plan...incoming texts were free. Had we sent any outgoing texts, they would have been $.50 each while on the ship.

Our cruise stopped in St. Thomas and San Juan...both included in AT&T coverage areas, so in these ports we turned our data back on and used them just like we would at home. We noticed that after we left St. Thomas, it was almost 9 or 10 p.m. before we lost the AT&T coverage, so we could have continued using the phones at no extra charge had we wanted to.

In order for you to receive any type of calls you are going to have to add on the international plan with At&t.

Not true. No plan needs to be added in order to make calls while roaming internationally on an iPhone.

You will always pay $4.99 when out at sea with the Cellular at Sea rate....no matter what.

Once again, not true. Rates while on the ship and roaming (not on ATT's cellular network) are $2.49 per minute.

To the OP, all the information you are looking for can be found on ATT's website. In all fairness, I would contact ATT (either directly or by researching their website) with any questions regarding your cellular coverage and costs as rates/policies do change.

If you want to get an idea of how much it costs per minute while roaming internationally, you can use the following page on ATT's site by clicking here.

Not that the members of CC can't be helpful, but in this thread you have been given information that differs from ATT's own site a handful of times. In this type of situation, I would trust your provider over the answers given here. Another link that may also be of assitance is ATT's Guide to International Long Distance, Roaming, Messaging, and Data Services