AT&T iPhone users - questions

[PaisleyAnn]

This is the first time I'll be traveling out of the country with my iPhone, and I have a couple of questions for using the iPhone (AT&T plan) while cruising. Next month I'll be traveling on the Allure on the Eastern Caribbean itenerary. I know I can use my iPhone with no additional charges in Ft. Lauderdale and St. Thomas (since its a US Virgin Island). I understand anything beyond that would be international roaming and rates- which I want to avoid. I also understand that I need to put my phone in "airplane mode" while out of the country.

I'm a new user, please excuse me if these are dumb questions! :o My questions are:

[LIST]
[*]When we are [I]docked[/I] are at US ports, such as Ft Lauderdale and US Virgin Islands, can we use the phone while still on the ship as part of the nation-wide plan? Or do you have to step off the ship and be on land before the nation-wide coverage applies?
[*]Is there a symbol on my phone I should look for to make sure I'm not on international roaming?
[*]While my phone is on airplane mode, will it send all incoming calls to voice mail, or will it still ring to let me decide if I need to answer it?
[/LIST]Any advice on avoiding international or roaming charges is appreciated. I don't want to be tied to my phone while on vacation; however, my husband and I are leaving our young son at home with the grandparents, and we would like to check in with them when we can.

[bajathree]

No you don't have to actually walk off the ship to make a call while in a US port. The ship usually switches off the ship satellite as you get close to port in range of a local cell tower. When you are roaming on the ships satellite it will show "cellular at sea" on the phone screen as you provider. You will have local service like you mention with no roaming charges in both FLL and St Thomas.

[macruisefan]

Look at your phone, when you're docked, the ship is SUPPOSED to disable the cellular at sea network. As long as it says "AT&T" you're fine.

In airplane mode, calls will go right to voicemail. Your phone is not connected to any network in that mode.

The other safety setting is to go Settings > General > Network, and turn Cellular Data OFF.

Then go Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Fetch New Data, and Set "Push" to OFF.

These two steps will ensure that if you are on a roaming network, it won't automatically download data and charge you.

[PaisleyAnn]

That is very useful information; I appreciate both of your replies!

[Keith1010]

NOTE: After I just posted I saw that macruisefan had already responded with the same thing I just did about data roaming off and fetch off.

Keith


No question is dumb so always ask away.

As bajathree said you can use your phone from the ship when in port and often when you are close to the port. Sometimes you have to walk outside to get local service and sometimes you have to walk to the other side of the ship. In the case of the iPhone with ATT you will know you have the ATT service as it will show ATT up top.

When you are on international roaming at sea it will show cellular at sea and when in an international port you will get a text (no charge for an incoming text) noting it and you will see the local provider up to in lieu of the ATT.

When in airplane mode the phone will not ring but someone could leave a voice mail.

When we are at sea, I just turn my phone off. I only turn it on when I want to make a call either at sea or in port. If I wanted to listen to music or use other capabilities then I might put it on airplane mode.

To avoid other charges do the following

Go to settings, Go to general, and then make sure data roaming is set off which it should be.

Also, Go to settings, go to mail, then make sure fetch new data is set to off

If you plan to use the phone outside the USA contact ATT and be sure you are set up for international roaming. There is no cost for this service. Only cost is per minute usage.

Keith

[PaisleyAnn]

Great, thank you Keith!

[dmwnc1959]

Here is a REALLY great thread that is definitely worth taking the time to read through [i]including[/i] some of the links to other threads/posts. Tons of advise on how to avoid international roaming charges and exactly how to set up your iPhone and call forwarding before leaving the US.

[url]http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1704528[/url]

[ssb]

Att has on site specific info on Intl monthly fees and [B][I][U]tips[/U][/I][/B]for phone, messaging data and text plans ,
and a [B][I]new app (att)that should be real helpful[/I][/B]!!!!
See ATT website !:)

[CruzieSue]

Good advice from other posters.

We also left our young son at home with grandparents on our first cruise this past March. We are all AT&T users, 2 iPhones and son's is something else, with unlimited texting plan. We chose to keep in contact via text with the understanding that son/grandparents would text us in case of emergency and we could check our phones several times each day and we would text him each evening. Thankfully there were no emergencies and texting back and forth (average 6-8 texts total between us each day) ended up only costing us $11.00 on the next bill. Very reasonable as far as we were concerned and we had the peace of mind keeping in touch every day. Of course, they had the Royal Caribbean numbers just in case of real emergency and we needed to be contacted quickly.