Using a cell phone onboard while the ship is docked?

[AcadiaL]

We will be on a NCL cruise that just goes to Hawaiian ports and stays overnight in two. Do I have to leave the ship to call for free while we are

docked? I always wondered about this.

[PennyAgain]

You can use your own cellphone on the ship but you must look at the part of your screen that shows the service provider to make sure you are on a cell service that won't cost you a lot of money.

 

Being on a balcony, outside deck or on the pier gives you the best quality of service.

[paul929207]

If it says something like Cell At Sea, you are using the ship's system and paying the price.

[firefly333]

I read a post from someone who assumed they could call from the ship in port and had a $300 cell phone bill .. as others say .. look at the screen real close.

[cb at sea]

Once docked, the ship's towers are supposed to be turned off....do check before you call!

[AcadiaL]

Thanks for all of the advice. I think I will be extra cautious about using it on the ship!

[PennyAgain]

The Cellular at Sea call charges post to your cell phone's normal bill and not to your cruise bill. So by the time you see the charges, you have little way to complain to the cruise ship.

 

Alaska actually passed a law that requires cruise ships turn off their cell towers while in Alaskan ports after thousands of Alaskans got Cellular at Sea charges on their cell phone bills when they were at home, at work or just outside anywhere near the ships.

[beachchick]

There are no cell towers on Pride of America. If you have cell service onboard, regardless of whether you're in port, it will not say "Cellular at Sea" or "roaming" as long as you have a US nationwide plan or other plan that includes the state of Hawaii. All cell service that you get onboard PoA is from towers on the islands themselves. Overnight, the ship is usually too far from land to have cell service, so I suggest that you turn off your phone (or at least, phone features) because otherwise it will be searching for service all night. However, you sometimes get service when you don't really expect it. We were quite surprised to have excellent connections while cruising around the Na Pali coast of Kauai. Well, that is until we looked up and saw the enormous gang of cell towers high above the tallest cliffs...

 

In any case, you will only have cell service onboard PoA if the ship is in range of cell towers on the island. Yes, the NCL website and documentation talks about how their ships offer Cellular at Sea service. They do, all except the one US flagged ship in Hawaii.

 

beachchick

[AcadiaL]

Thanks BeachChick!

 

So if I am onboard and my Verizon phone shows I have service, it seems I can just go ahead and call without worrying that the ship will somehow know I am calling and then tack on their ridiculous charges? I hope this is true!

[beachchick]

Thanks BeachChick!

 

So if I am onboard and my Verizon phone shows I have service, it seems I can just go ahead and call without worrying that the ship will somehow know I am calling and then tack on their ridiculous charges? I hope this is true!

 

Yes, it is 100% true. If you have Verizon's nationwide calling plan (and really, who doesn't), then you will not have additional charges. The cruise line can't charge for service they don't even provide--no cell towers onboard, no service to charge (not that they wouldn't like to try, I'm sure).:p

 

beachchick