Ipod

[cruisingmimi]

Drat, thought a Royal Connect phone would be your answer. They must be a new idea (to make money, of course) so not available on all ships.

 

The pager would work as an alternative. This way, you should be able to reach them.

 

Have you tried posting on your RCCL roll call? This is really where you might get answers to your questions as there may be other teens going and you can connect w/ them via the roll call. You can also post and ask how many have teenagers going on the cruise and maybe get together to introduce yourselves. If you don't know how to find your roll call, post and we'll help you. You can also find others who may be going on tours when you get to port and looking to share w/ them. You can save a lot of money doing this.

 

One other comment about texting & using internet on the ship. I totally agree w/ Kittly 9 on not letting them text while onboard. I indicated this in my first post that you just need to turn the phones off and lock them in your cabin safe. Really..... I think that you won't even have to worry about this problem once onboard because the kids are going to be having such fun they won't care about texting or friends back home.

 

On our recent Princess cruise, I had 250 "free" minutes that you get after you reach a certain # of cruises. Well, I didn't get to use those all of the 250 free minutes because it took so long to access the internet (which is via satellite),log on and retrieve emails that I probably didn't use 1/2 of those minutes. The first day I tried to log on it took me 41 minutes of repeated trying (as well as all those others at the internet cafe) and was unable to log on. The satellites are very slow and there are so many more people using laptops, etc. onboard that it's almost impossible to log on w/out incurring lots of money (especially if you are paying for minutes). Everyone was complaining about this but there is nothing you can do if you are relying on those satellites.

 

I would bring your cell phone and if you can get a decent text plan tell your boys they can send texts when ashore but that is it. Take their phones away from them and lock them up!

 

Good luck, check out your roll call and maybe see about the walkie talkies and pagers. This should work very nicely for you. You are on a family vacation and your kids can and will survive w/out their devices for however long your cruise is.

 

Mary

[ladybug1s]

Have you tried posting on your RCCL roll call?

 

What is the roll call? I signed up with our meet and mingle? lol

[cruisingmimi]

The Roll Call is set up here on the boards by cruise line, ship, and sailing date. Just go to the Roll Call area after you open the "Boards" and scroll down until you find RCCL Meet & Mingle and open that and look for your ship and sail date. You may have already been there and signed up for your Meet & Mingle. If not, check it out as you will find some great info and advice there. Good luck.

 

Mary