Cell (mobile) phones onboard

[SJCNEWBIE]

When on board I understand that the ship has some sort of connection to allow mobile phones to work. Understandably this is very expensive. I presume there isn't a charge if I have my phone switched on just to receive text charges?

[NathanJax]

You would need to call your service provider to find out. For AT&T, I'm charged $2.99 a minute, the same as international roaming. As far as text messages, that would be international data so your provider will need to sign you up for international roaming and international data plans...

 

 

 

From RCI:

 

 

What are the mobile phone rates while onboard?

Rates for usage of your mobile phone are determined by your home carrier.

For more information, please contact your home carrier customer service.

 

 

How will I be billed for the usage time on my mobile phone?

You will be billed by your home carrier for your international roaming usage on your regular mobile phone bill.

It can take up to 60 days for charges to appear on your phone bill.

 

 

Can I access GPRS data service (e.g. check e-mail, surf the Net, etc.)?

If your home carrier supports GPRS data service, you can use mobile phone service with compatible GPRS data capable devices to check email, surf the web, and share photos while onboard just as you would at home.

[bionicman97]

Last time I was on board, I paid approx $.50 per text (to receive or send) with sprint. If I remember right, cell useage was approx either $2.95 per minute of $3.50. These prices are in addition to your normal charges.

[waterbug123]

You would need to call your service provider to find out. For AT&T, I'm charged $2.99 a minute, the same as international roaming. As far as text messages, that would be international data so your provider will need to sign you up for international roaming and international data plans.

 

Actually, I believe AT&T is 2.49/minute, not 2.99. Texts are something like .50 each for outgoing, and .05 each for incoming. I believe data plans are are not applicable for texting; they are for web surfing, email, sending and receiving pix, etc.

[Crazy Gramps]

You're on a cruise.

Turn the phone off.

Relax.

You can tell everybody you left behind all about it when you get back.

 

Gramps

[wild style]

^ agree with Gramps. It's so nice not to have a cell phone for a week, enjoy it! :)

[wraithe]

When on board I understand that the ship has some sort of connection to allow mobile phones to work. Understandably this is very expensive. I presume there isn't a charge if I have my phone switched on just to receive text charges?

 

There is most definitely a charge for receiving texts, like others have said, contact your carrier or check the web site for your carrier, most of them have the cruise line costs pretty prominently displayed.

[BlueSkySailing]

Here's my two cents. Please call your cell phone provider. RCCL didn't charge me to use thier site but paid $2.49 min for AT&T. Make sure if you have a smart phone (iPhone) it's not receiving data for e-mail, GPS and voice mail ect. Just make sure you know what and how much they charge. Would hate for you to get home and have a phone bill that is more expensive then the cruise you just took! Happy Cruising :o

[picsboy]

Here's my two cents. Please call your cell phone provider. RCCL didn't charge me to use thier site but paid $2.49 min for AT&T. Make sure if you have a smart phone (iPhone) it's not receiving data for e-mail, GPS and voice mail ect. Just make sure you know what and how much they charge. Would hate for you to get home and have a phone bill that is more expensive then the cruise you just took! Happy Cruising :o

 

I've heard & read horror stories about folks who use their cell phones, even for brief 5-minute daily calls (ex. need to be in touch with sick family members back home), who end up with outrageous cell phone bills when they get home. There are also charges for sending & receiving text messages, too, although I don't have the rates on-hand.

 

GPS itself should not cost any money or incur any charges. If you've got a program on your iPhone or Blackberry that only displays & records GPS coordinates, then it shouldn't cost any money because it doesn't actually require any cell phone / data connection.

 

HOWEVER, if your cellphone uses GPS to display your current location on a map, that's where you'll likely run into trouble. Your cellphone likely has to access data in order to display your current map, so this requires a cellphone / data connection to constantly download maps.

 

The safest thing to do is abstinence (ie. turn your cellphone off).

 

The next safest thing to do is turn your cellphone to "Airplane" mode, where no calls or data can come in/out of your cellphone, but you're still able to use many of the functions built-in on your cellphone, like games, alarm clock, GPS, etc.

[dplusd]

You're on a cruise.

Turn the phone off.

Relax.

You can tell everybody you left behind all about it when you get back.

 

Gramps

 

One of the reasons we cruise is to "get away". And a big part of that is NOT being connected and concerned over voicemails and emails. I'm a Realtor and respond to clients call and emails 24/7, except when I am on vacation. Of course, I compensate a co-worker for covering for me while I am away, so my active clients are taken care of. For me, that is just a part of the cost of "getting away". Isn't that what a vacation is for?

[TWELVEOHONE]

Actually, I believe AT&T is 2.49/minute, not 2.99. Texts are something like .50 each for outgoing, and .05 each for incoming. I believe data plans are are not applicable for texting; they are for web surfing, email, sending and receiving pix, etc.

 

Verizon is the same cost.

I called them labout 2-weeks ago concerning this

[scoob2010]

The cost of using a cell on a cruise is kinda of crazy. Just as crazy is the internet connection fees on our last cruise (I do like to surf)

 

I was thinking of using a small walkie-talkie on the next cruise just to coordinate meetings with my wife. I figure that would be cheaper then texting her at $.50 a msg...

[CleoPat]

The cost of using a cell on a cruise is kinda of crazy. Just as crazy is the internet connection fees on our last cruise (I do like to surf)

 

I was thinking of using a small walkie-talkie on the next cruise just to coordinate meetings with my wife. I figure that would be cheaper then texting her at $.50 a msg...

 

Where would you purchase a "small" walkie-talkie and approx how much are they?

[nrose6]

although many people are dead-set on leaving the phone off when you are on a cruise (which I understand completely) , sometimes duty calls and you need to be in contact via voice or text, may it be an emergency at work or a family emergency at home.

 

for those of you who are going to use your phones at sea and are using smartphones, make sure you turn OFF data roaming. handsets such as blackberrys and sidekicks have an active data connection that is always exchanging information with the blackberry and sidekick servers...and the data charges can get quite excessive if this goes on for a large period of time!

[NJnewbie]

We're going with a party of 6 and if someone needs to find one of us, how else do you do that? I figured, even though it does cost a little per text messege, that if used very sparingly for important messages, then it's worth a small price of 50 cents a message.

 

I'm more worried that my daughter's (who's 24) friends will be trying to call and text her while onboard, and then running up a bill.

 

On the other hand, who wants to be carrying a phone around with them everywhere.

 

Someone mentioned using sticky notes to leave messages for others in their party...but can't you also leave a message on the phone in their stateroom?

[bionicman97]

Yes you can leave a message on the stateroom phone.

 

Overall, we have found email to be the least expensive way to keep in touch with back home.

[cofgren]

Although I would love nothing more than to be cell-phone free for a week, it is not possible. My wife's mother is quite elderly and calls my wife constantly and would get seriously confused and bewildered if she wasn't in constant contact. So, I would like to put the phone down and enjoy the cruise,but.

[Poorplaya]

I couldnt even think of trying to use phone on board the ship. I have too much going on, and wouldnt want to pay the huge rates that cell phone providers charge you to recieve messages and make calls. Unless its an emergency, my phone is turned off for the trip.

[apkpcruisers]

We choose cruising to get away from phones and emails, as we are small business owners and it is very rare that we get any time off. That said, I have also been wondering about text while on the ship or in port, I think I just need to set my mind and phone to off and remember that if there is a true emergency they can still contact me via ship phone for who knows what per min. PS I am not telling the hubby that it is even an option, I will turn his phone off and put it in the safe like we have in the past ;).

[BlueSkySailing]

Although I would love nothing more than to be cell-phone free for a week, it is not possible. My wife's mother is quite elderly and calls my wife constantly and would get seriously confused and bewildered if she wasn't in constant contact. So, I would like to put the phone down and enjoy the cruise,but.

I have to agree you. I don't like paying for the cell phone bills.I am a father that only gets my 7 yr old daughter on the weekends. I call her each day to say good morning and to say our prayers at night. I don't stop because I'm on a cruise. So sometime you just have to call no matter what the cost is. :o

[Havingfun2010]

Funny, but about 5 years ago, this conversation would not even exist.

[duncanmaria]

We've taken our cell phones on several cruises with all of the international plans and can attest that, while calls can be made at a very expensive rate, texting won't work once you're a few miles from sail away.

 

Don't forget that St. Thomas a US territory and calls can be made at normal rates.

[uncw89]

We've taken our cell phones on several cruises with all of the international plans and can attest that, while calls can be made at a very expensive rate, texting won't work once you're a few miles from sail away.

 

Don't forget that St. Thomas a US territory and calls can be made at normal rates.

Thanks! I was wondering about that. How about Saint Maarten? I think roaming charges apply since it's Dutch/French.

[duncanmaria]

St. Maarten rates are international. Make your calls in St. Thomas.

[NJnewbie]

Texting won't work on the ship? I didn't know that. How about in Bermuda?