How far out can you use phone/text on Pride?

[xowendyxo]

We are going to be sailing the Pride in early April; I was wondering how far out or how long you can use your phone/text before you hit international waters. I have Verizon, and my plan covers all of the US without roaming charges, so I am thinking at least the first night I should be ok?

 

We are travelling with 2 teenagers and I was thinking if we go our separate ways (hubby and I are doing David's Steakhouse the first night) they would be able to contact us if needed (I can foresee someone forgetting a room key and getting locked out while they go to dinner....)

 

Thanks!

[grumpyjr88]

I don't know how far out you can use your phone without roaming charges but if you have kids, I would recommend putting a whiteboard on your cabin door so you can leave notes for them (like check in at xtime) and they can leave notes for you (at the slides)

 

Our last cruise was with 3 kids and those white boards made all the parents much more comfortable letting the beasts...er, kids...roam on their own.

[xowendyxo]

Thanks for the idea :)

 

I doubt my son will be roaming too far...he's 16, but he's a homebody, likes to hang around us (strange kid...) . We are taking our Japanese foreign exchange student though, and I am more worried about him. Since we are doing the steakhouse the first night (and they weren't invited!) I just want to make sure they don't get sidetracked....or sick. My son was fine last cruise, the FES said he's been seasick before, so I am a little worried. I plan on loading him up with Bonine before we take off, but, I am a worrier

[R3D3P]

I have AT&T and it was around midnight on departure when we lost regular service and around midnight upon return when service returned. If I remember correctly, the ship position at the time was around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.

 

I was able to send and receive texts after/before that but it was considered roaming and I was billed for each one.

 

RdP :)

Edited February 10, 2014 by R3D3P
Additional Information

[Starlight Durban Cruising]

We are going to be sailing the Pride in early April; I was wondering how far out or how long you can use your phone/text before you hit international waters. I have Verizon, and my plan covers all of the US without roaming charges, so I am thinking at least the first night I should be ok?

I have only sailed out of Long Beach California, and after about an hour the land-signal got weaker and weaker. By that time the ship's cellular tower would have been activated anyway, however I was watching my Verizon signal the whole time. I turned off the cell before it reached 0 bars of Verizon signal.

 

I would not assume that you will have land-signal the full first night as they usually head for international waters pretty quickly (in order to open shops and casino).

We are taking our Japanese foreign exchange student

Taking the FES with - please make sure that he/she has a multiple entry visa for the US, and that the countries you will visit on the cruise will allow him to visit without a visa needed. I would not be happy if I arrived at the port to find out that my guest is denied boarding for one of these two reasons.

[Donray]

We are going to be sailing the Pride in early April; I was wondering how far out or how long you can use your phone/text before you hit international waters. I have Verizon, and my plan covers all of the US without roaming charges, so I am thinking at least the first night I should be ok?

 

We are travelling with 2 teenagers and I was thinking if we go our separate ways (hubby and I are doing David's Steakhouse the first night) they would be able to contact us if needed (I can foresee someone forgetting a room key and getting locked out while they go to dinner....)

 

Thanks!

 

Not very far, before the ship turns on there cells tower and you start paying for the ships cell service.

[R3D3P]

I would not assume that you will have land-signal the full first night as they usually head for international waters pretty quickly (in order to open shops and casino).

 

Baltimore is a little different than most other ports due to its location. The ship spends several hours after departure in the Chesapeake Bay between Maryland and Virginia before reaching international waters. The ship casino opens after right after departure and I believe sales tax on beverages also ends at that time.

 

RdP :)

Edited February 10, 2014 by R3D3P

[christie629]

Just off 10 days ago. You can use your phone using verizon services till about 10-11. After that I shut my phone down till FL on Wed.

 

 

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[snowskier]

If they need to reach you - here is an idea -- use a phone on the ship and call the restaurant. There are phones all over the ship, in addition to one in your cabin.

 

.. or one of them could also come to the restaurant and get you.

 

Not sure why they have to use a cell phone.

[Carnival_Brides]

You will have cell service until about midnight the first night and you'll have it back around midnight on the way back. I'd make sure you were past the bridge tunnel before turning service back on though. We don't love the idea of paying $20/MB for a ridiculous text picture.

 

If you're going to Port Canaveral, you'll also have it that entire day.

 

The casinos are allowed to open as soon as you hit the Key Bridge and I thought we had sales tax on drinks that first evening, but I"m not 100% on that.

[Prinycesa07]

I have T mobile. Service started getting spotty around 9pm and lost completely around 11. On the way back i had service the night before around 9pm. I remember it clearly because my sister was at the end of her pregnancy and i kept checking my phone on the way back to see when service would come back so i could call her!

[Zeta3]

You can also text which will be cheaper than accidentally winding up on the ship's network for a call. We were able to get AT&T signal for quite awhile in out cabin but when we went up to lido it switched over to cellular at sea anyway.

[xowendyxo]

 

Taking the FES with - please make sure that he/she has a multiple entry visa for the US, and that the countries you will visit on the cruise will allow him to visit without a visa needed. I would not be happy if I arrived at the port to find out that my guest is denied boarding for one of these two reasons.

 

Yes, as far as I am concerned, we have dotted our i's and crossed our t's. We had to have a DS-2109 (?) Filled out to say that he was good to go and I am getting a letter from his parents on top of the paperwork from the exchange organization.

 

I also looked and the Bahamas does not require a visa for Japanese residents.

 

I have stressed a lot about this, I will be one happy cruiser once we get on the ship! :)

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[xowendyxo]

Just off 10 days ago. You can use your phone using verizon services till about 10-11. After that I shut my phone down till FL on Wed.

 

 

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Thanks, that will work for us!

 

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[xowendyxo]

If they need to reach you - here is an idea -- use a phone on the ship and call the restaurant. There are phones all over the ship, in addition to one in your cabin.

 

.. or one of them could also come to the restaurant and get you.

 

Not sure why they have to use a cell phone.

 

I just figured a quick text would be easier, less bother.

 

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[xowendyxo]

Thanks for all of the help!

 

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[Aplmac]

If they need to reach you - here is an idea --

use a phone on the ship and call the restaurant.

There are phones all over the ship, in addition to one in your cabin.

 

Not sure why they have to use a cell phone. ===> Habit.

I've always had the impression

that the onboard telephone system gets used hardly at all by passengers.

 

Am I right or wrong?

 

.

Edited February 10, 2014 by Aplmac

[xowendyxo]

I've always had the impression

that the onboard telephone system gets used hardly at all by passengers.

 

Am I right or wrong?

 

.

 

I've only sailed once before, so I don't know.....I honestly didn't think of the phones on board, but I thought a text would be easier than bothering someone at the restaurant or one of them showing up in a swimsuit :)

 

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[serene56]

The kids program doesnt run very well the first day of the cruise. THe kids will have a meet and greet (along with an ice breaker) but thats about it. And its done later in the evening.

 

What time is the dinner?

 

The can use a house phone located by any elevator.

 

a text will cost 50 cents. if they really need you that will be 50 cents worth it

[NS-Cruiser]

I've always had the impression

 

that the onboard telephone system gets used hardly at all by passengers.

 

 

 

Am I right or wrong?

 

 

 

.

 

 

On our last cruise we used the on board phone system more than usual, but we had three cabins in our group, and we were placed all over the ship, so it was more convenient to call first, then go looking for the other folks....

 

 

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[bunnyfoofoo82]

We have both AT&T and Verizon and found that even though you aren't on sea cellular service in the Bay, there is very little signal after 9 pm on the way out. On the way back I couldn't tell you, I'm asleep but it works when I get up. And sure one text is 50¢ but you never know how many other texts you're going to get before you shut off your phone.

 

In Port Canaveral, we made sure we were docked before the phones came on because we weren't 100% sure when land towers would pick up and there was several days worth of email, texts and voicemails that would come flooding in.

[xowendyxo]

We have both AT&T and Verizon and found that even though you aren't on sea cellular service in the Bay, there is very little signal after 9 pm on the way out. On the way back I couldn't tell you, I'm asleep but it works when I get up. And sure one text is 50¢ but you never know how many other texts you're going to get before you shut off your phone.

 

In Port Canaveral, we made sure we were docked before the phones came on because we weren't 100% sure when land towers would pick up and there was several days worth of email, texts and voicemails that would come flooding in.

 

I guess I didn't know that the ship takes over cell service :)

 

Definitely waiting to dock to turn on the phone, IF we turn them on. When we went to Nassau on another trip, Verizon told me to take the batteries out of the phones because you can apps that update even with the phone off (of course now they make it so you can't take the battery out) I put mine on airplane mode, turn off roaming data, AND shut it off! :)

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[ryanpatricksmom]

Also, you mentioned that you were concerned that they might get sick. Never say never, but it's highly unlikely that anyone would get seasick (I'm assuming that's what you meant) on a cruise ship in the bay. It shouldn't kick in until the second day, if at all.....so relax, they should be fine.

[Carnival_Brides]

I guess I didn't know that the ship takes over cell service :)

 

I have used TMobile and ATT on the Pride four times in the last four years and I've never had Cellular At Sea take over. Strange.

[Prinycesa07]

I have used TMobile and ATT on the Pride four times in the last four years and I've never had Cellular At Sea take over. Strange.

 

Was thinking the same thing. We went on pride twice, have T Mobile and never had cellular at sea either. Just had no service.