How do teens find their family onboard?

[lilacbirman]

There are six of us, me, hubby, 13 yr. old, mother, sister & her hubby. Since our son will probably spend some time in the teen club, is there a way that he can contact us if he is bored there and wants to find us onboard?

 

I understand that cell phones either don't work or is pricy. What do other parents of tweeners/teens do in these situations?

 

(I'll post this on Princess board as well.)

[reallyitsmema]

We have always brought post-it notes and we leave messages saying where we are in the cabin. We have also left messages on the cabin voice mail if we go somewhere different and don't want to go back to the cabin. Our son was allowed to go between the teen center, sports court and windjammer without having to go leave another note. If he was going anywhere else, he needed to leave a new note.

[cb at sea]

You will tell him where you are likely to be....teens have amazing "homing" powers...he'll find you! There will only be so many places that you'll frequent!

[jam82]

Two way radios. But if you use them, make sure you have code names because so many people use them. You can buy a cheap pair for $20.

[lilacbirman]

Two way radios. But if you use them, make sure you have code names because so many people use them. You can buy a cheap pair for $20.

 

Thank you! That sounds like something that will work for us. :D

 

Do they work at all or most places on the ship?

[seashell36]

We've used the two way radios on one of our cruises. They worked most places on the ship - I think there was one or two places the reception was not too good. But we were able to keep her informed if she was looking for us.

[Asil65]

I am going to text my son if we really need to get in touch with each other. You have to make sure that you have an international plan on both phones. On verizon if you only text you are charged 40 cents to send and 5 cents to receive. If you start actually calling it will get really expensive fast 2.49 a minute. Yikes!

[onthelake]

We always use meal time to let each other know where we will be for the next few hours and make it clear when and where to meet next. Then anyone, adult or teen, can find the others. Some families make lots of use of the walkie talkies but we have never found the useful (one more thing to carry around and keep track of).

[reallyitsmema]

I am going to text my son if we really need to get in touch with each other. You have to make sure that you have an international plan on both phones. On verizon if you only text you are charged 40 cents to send and 5 cents to receive. If you start actually calling it will get really expensive fast 2.49 a minute. Yikes!

The problem with that plan is that the phone will have to be on to receive your texts. If the phone is on, you son will be able to receive texts and calls from anyone. I know my son averages about 3,000 texts a month so there is no way I want to pay for each of those texts. He gets calls and texts from too many people to notify all of them not to contact him while we are on a cruise so his phone remains off and locked in the safe.

 

FYI, it is actually 50 cents to send with Verizon, not 40.

[eh24fan]

Our party of 10 had two way radios that we put on the same channel to keep in touch. We heard a lot of people sometimes, but it wasn't a big deal and it was pretty easy to figure out if it was one of our group by the voices. There were places the reception was a bit spotty, but overall they worked out great!

[schmeed]

Marco??????

...

Polo!!!!!!!!!!

[Asil65]

The problem with that plan is that the phone will have to be on to receive your texts. If the phone is on, you son will be able to receive texts and calls from anyone. I know my son averages about 3,000 texts a month so there is no way I want to pay for each of those texts. He gets calls and texts from too many people to notify all of them not to contact him while we are on a cruise so his phone remains off and locked in the safe.

 

FYI, it is actually 50 cents to send with Verizon, not 40.

 

Hmm, I hadn't thought about that. If you get a text and you don't open it do you receive it? You are right about the 50 cents per text. My mistake. My son just got his phone so I know he is not as active as your boy is. But still how do you stop kids from texting your kids? Be nice if you could put a block on it somehow.

[reallyitsmema]

Hmm, I hadn't thought about that. If you get a text and you don't open it do you receive it? You are right about the 50 cents per text. My mistake. My son just got his phone so I know he is not as active as your boy is. But still how do you stop kids from texting your kids? Be nice if you could put a block on it somehow.

I am not sure if you can block all numbers except yours without having to do each number manually. You would have to undo it when you got home too. I would call Verizon and ask, can't hurt.

 

If he just got his phone, maybe not many kids have his number and you will be ok if he just tells them not to text him. My son is older than your son and has had his number for at least 6 years. He gets texts still from kids he met 3 yrs ago on a cruise. Look at what his monthly numbers are and see how expensive it might get. I just know with my son, I would go broke.;)

[vavasmom]

My daughter (14) is also a 3K+ "texter" a month. That is how she communicates. Gone are the days of your teenage daughter on the home phone for hours. It is text messages instead.

When I configured my phone to work on the ship last year (my mom had been very ill so I really wanted my sister to be able to reach me if she needed to) , I purposely did not do her phone. It would not connect to the ships tower. She did text in San Juan (included in my Verizon plan). I don't think I could put a block on all of her friends numbers - she also likes "catching up" when we get home. It was bad enough with my phone (0 texts but I did get a couple of missed calls). The text is recevied when it hits the phone - you do not need to open it.

 

We communicate via post-it notes and a small white board. We both keep it updated. It has worked well for us.

[Asil65]

I am not sure if you can block all numbers except yours without having to do each number manually. You would have to undo it when you got home too. I would call Verizon and ask, can't hurt.

 

If he just got his phone, maybe not many kids have his number and you will be ok if he just tells them not to text him. My son is older than your son and has had his number for at least 6 years. He gets texts still from kids he met 3 yrs ago on a cruise. Look at what his monthly numbers are and see how expensive it might get. I just know with my son, I would go broke.;)

 

I did call verizon. They checked his texts for last month. A mere 160. So if I had to pay for 1/2 of those recieved it would be only 4 dollars. Thankfully you only pay 5 cents for those received. I think if he asks his buddies to lay off the texts while we are gone we should be OK.. He will be forced not to repsond to any texts except mine while we are cruising. Am I a mean Momma or what?

[Asil65]

My daughter (14) is also a 3K+ "texter" a month. That is how she communicates. Gone are the days of your teenage daughter on the home phone for hours. It is text messages instead.

When I configured my phone to work on the ship last year (my mom had been very ill so I really wanted my sister to be able to reach me if she needed to) , I purposely did not do her phone. It would not connect to the ships tower. She did text in San Juan (included in my Verizon plan). I don't think I could put a block on all of her friends numbers - she also likes "catching up" when we get home. It was bad enough with my phone (0 texts but I did get a couple of missed calls). The text is recevied when it hits the phone - you do not need to open it.

 

We communicate via post-it notes and a small white board. We both keep it updated. It has worked well for us.

 

Thanks for the info. What do you get charged for a missed call? I did not have that information after calling Verizon.

[Lahta]

We recently took our 16 y/o on the cruise with us and what we decided work pretty well for us. On port days he was mostly with us so it wasn't an issue. At other times he was with the club group of his age and we pretty much let him go on his own - I mean how far can he go right? We required that he tell us in the morning what he might be doing and that he be back to the cabin in time to get ready for dinner each night. We actually would run into him during the day on the ship! He has a good head on his shoulders, though, so we didn't worry.

[reallyitsmema]

I did call verizon. They checked his texts for last month. A mere 160. So if I had to pay for 1/2 of those recieved it would be only 4 dollars. Thankfully you only pay 5 cents for those received. I think if he asks his buddies to lay off the texts while we are gone we should be OK.. He will be forced not to repsond to any texts except mine while we are cruising. Am I a mean Momma or what?

That won't be too bad then as long as he controls himself.;) We actually did not have an unlimited text plan back when my son first got his phone. He never really texted much until after his first cruise. We gave him his phone as we were leaving the ship and the texts from the kids he had met on the ship started immediately. He proceeded to text for the next few hours before we got on our flight home. We realized that we were going to have to change our plan so we went to Verizon a few days later since we were at renewal anyway. He had already racked up almost $100 in charges by then.:eek: Luckily, Verizon back dated our new plan for us and we only had to pay our new flat rate plan.

 

I would just go along with the "mean Momma" thing and tell him if he does text his buddies, it comes out of his allowance. I know with my son, if it is his money, he tends to be more responsible. :p

 

As far as the missed call question, it will cost you $2.49 per missed call since it is considered a minute.

[vavasmom]

Thanks for the info. What do you get charged for a missed call? I did not have that information after calling Verizon.

 

It was not that expensive but I don't remember exactly - it was billed as a 1 minute call $2.49(?)

[akcruz]

Just another thing to think about when using walkie talkies or cell phones on the ship. Are your teens responsible enough to keep track of them while they are off hanging out with their friends? What will they do with them if they go to the pool or get into a game of dodgeball?

 

We do enable our kids phones to use on the ship but only make use of them sparingly. We usually do the post it note route, has always worked well for us. We do check in periodically to make sure they are where they said they would be. Make dinner a check in time and have everyone share their plans for the next 24 hours if you aren't planning to be together. There really are not that many places to go on the ship and you will find you will frequent the same ones many times as well as run into the kids around the ship!

[Asil65]

That won't be too bad then as long as he controls himself.;) We actually did not have an unlimited text plan back when my son first got his phone. He never really texted much until after his first cruise. We gave him his phone as we were leaving the ship and the texts from the kids he had met on the ship started immediately. He proceeded to text for the next few hours before we got on our flight home. We realized that we were going to have to change our plan so we went to Verizon a few days later since we were at renewal anyway. He had already racked up almost $100 in charges by then.:eek: Luckily, Verizon back dated our new plan for us and we only had to pay our new flat rate plan.

 

I would just go along with the "mean Momma" thing and tell him if he does text his buddies, it comes out of his allowance. I know with my son, if it is his money, he tends to be more responsible. :p

 

As far as the missed call question, it will cost you $2.49 per missed call since it is considered a minute.

 

I love the idea that if he texts he pays the bill. He is really cautious about spending his money so I think that will work like a charm. I am not a crazy phone person like many people are so I don't think that I will get a ton of calls. Thanks for the info about the missed call thing too. Only 4 more days until our trip. I am getting so excited.:D

[Asil65]

Love the post it note idea too. Thanks for the great advice everyone.

[Hailbriliz3]

Only 3k texts a month? LOL! My daughter averages 9k a month. :eek: I have already told both of the girs the phones stay home! Love the idea of the post it notes! I'll have to use that one. Thanks

[highbridge5]

Our party of 10 had two way radios that we put on the same channel to keep in touch. We heard a lot of people sometimes, but it wasn't a big deal and it was pretty easy to figure out if it was one of our group by the voices. There were places the reception was a bit spotty, but overall they worked out great!

 

Get a set of 2 way radios that gives you a choice of multiple channels.

The default is channel 1. We keep ours on channel 2. We rarely have

a problem with having other people on the same channel. Many come with a choice of up to 10 channels.

 

If you get a set, take them to your local home improvement warehouse store (or discount grocery club warehouse ... you know the ones ) and see if they work corner to corner through all that pallet rack and merchandise.

 

If they work there they will work from most places to most other places on the ship. If you are too self-concious or embarassed by usig them at the warehouse, you will probably be too self-concious to use them on the ship.

 

I would also recommend getting a kind that come with a rechargable battery but will also take standard AA batteries. This way, you don't have to be without one because you forgot the charger, someone forgot to use the charger or your room steward unplugged your charger because you were not in your room and it was left plugged in and unattended...

 

hb5

[highbridge5]

I just realized that they probably make 2-way radios that have 2-way text messaging.

 

I am always a bit concerned about annoying others with my 2-way radios.

 

Here is just one example of a two-way radio that has 2-way texting that I found on-line. I don't have any experience with these, it is just an example with a price point. I don't know how much noise it makes when

a text goes in or out.

 

If your kids would carry a phone around anyway, they'd probably be able to find room for this if it meant that they had more leeway in making decisions for themselves.

 

 

TriSquare TSX300

*Est. $80 per pair

While other two-way radios operate on crowded FRS/GMRS frequencies, the TriSquare TSX300 operates in the 900 MHz band, the same band as many cordless phones. This means that although these radios are more expensive, you… won't need an FCC license to use them legally, and you won't get interference from other two-way radio users. The TSX300 comes equipped with two-way text messaging, call waiting, caller ID, an NOAA weather receiver, a backlit keypad and more. Range is the same as other types of two-radios, from one to 20 miles depending on conditions.