texting

[gamblinrose]

i'll be on the dawn in 2 weeks - i have iphone with at&t. i purchased a data plan for $59.99 along with a $10 package that will allow me to send 50 text messages (incoming are free). on the ship, it will be $2.49/minute but in bda, it'll be i think $1/min so this way i can email, text and make a call or two to stay in touch with my very small office while on vaca....perhaps verizon has a similar package.

[che5904]

i'll be on the dawn in 2 weeks - i have iphone with at&t. i purchased a data plan for $59.99 along with a $10 package that will allow me to send 50 text messages (incoming are free). on the ship, it will be $2.49/minute but in bda, it'll be i think $1/min so this way i can email, text and make a call or two to stay in touch with my very small office while on vaca....perhaps verizon has a similar package.

 

I'm assuming you are an adult that can afford to purchase your own plan, and I'm sure as an adult have learned self-disipline and ways to keep your texting and phone calls brief. You do realize that the OP was asking about teens?

[babyof8]

I have traveled 4 times on this cruise with my two teenagers. Once we left port I took the phones and locked them in the safe and only gave them back the morning we redocked. The rates they charge are out of control. Tell them if they must they can pay for internet minutes and this way they can go on to fb or check emails or send them. But even those minutes are not cheap I dont think but when they are gone they are gone so they will need to use them wisely. Neither of my kids had an issue turning over the phone once we left... Good luck.

[nathand95]

I'm not sure if this is all phones or what cell company it happened with, but my friend's parents sent a text to each other and one text saying "k" was $19.95. It is definitely cheaper to text in port. Usually it's about &.50 per text (that's what it was in Mexico). I'm 16 and I bring my phone with me, but most of the time it's off. I bring it with me so I can know the time,although it never seemed to update correctly... I also turn it on to get peoples' numbers. Other than that it's off. It is sad and difficult, but it's no big deal. The friends I make on the ship, make up for it.

Some people put their phones in Airplane Mode, but I'm not sure what that is. I know on my friends' iPhones on Airplane Mode they could use certain apps, but couldn't use internet.

[che5904]

I'm not sure if this is all phones or what cell company it happened with, but my friend's parents sent a text to each other and one text saying "k" was $19.95. It is definitely cheaper to text in port. Usually it's about &.50 per text (that's what it was in Mexico). I'm 16 and I bring my phone with me, but most of the time it's off. I bring it with me so I can know the time,although it never seemed to update correctly... I also turn it on to get peoples' numbers. Other than that it's off. It is sad and difficult, but it's no big deal. The friends I make on the ship, make up for it.

Some people put their phones in Airplane Mode, but I'm not sure what that is. I know on my friends' iPhones on Airplane Mode they could use certain apps, but couldn't use internet.

 

That is correct airplane mode is a setting available on many cell phones and other electronic devices that, when engaged, suspends many of the device's signal transmitting functions – thereby disabling the device's capacity to place or receive calls or text messages – while still permitting use of other functions that do not require signal transmission (e.g., games, built-in camera, MP3 player)

The name is derived from the fact that it permits the user to operate the device while on board a commercial aircraft while in flight, where the operation of cell phones and other devices that send or receive signals is generally prohibited due to the potential impact on aircraft avionics and the potential for interference with ground cell networks.