Cell Phones in Port

[LoveDMB]

Can you use your cell phone in port, on the ship, without excess charges, or should you get off the ship?? This is in regards to an Alaskan cruise. Thank you for any info on this!

Edited May 28, 2014 by LoveDMB

[jseaya]

Check that you have coverage from your carrier in Alaska, unsure if all are covered. I always get off ship. I may be wrong but I feel more secure not worrying about ship charges.

[DaveOKC]

If I see AT&T on my cell phone I go ahead and use it from the ship - never had a problem.

 

DaveOKC

[POA1]

If you are going to foreign ports, make a list of your carrier's partners. Make sure you are connecting to the right carrier. The service provider can be found in your phone's menu system somewhere, or on the status screen. Sorry I can't be more specific. There are just too many phones and menus.

 

We always use our phones in port - after making sure we're connected to the proper network provider, of course. We use the phones on the ship. The ship will turn off its cellular system when you are in port. Double check nonetheless.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Check that you have coverage from your carrier in Alaska, unsure if all are covered. I always get off ship. I may be wrong but I feel more secure not worrying about ship charges.

 

Good idea to check with your carrier. When we were in Alaska, I was using a cheap prepaid ATT plan. In Alaska my per minute rate was double what it is elsewhere. I don't think they did that when I used the phone in Canada, so I was surprised at the Alaska charges.

[LoveDMB]

WOW! I'm surprised that there could extra charges in Alaska. I have AT&T, so I'll have to look into that. I thought the U.S was the U.S. regardless. Thanks for the replies!

[PathfinderEss]

AT&T works fine in all Alaskan ports on the ship.

[3rdGenCunarder]

WOW! I'm surprised that there could extra charges in Alaska. I have AT&T, so I'll have to look into that. I thought the U.S was the U.S. regardless. Thanks for the replies!

 

Maybe it's the same price now. This was a few years ago. It was a prepaid plan. Other plans may not have a surcharge, so best to check.

 

I had used the same phone and plan in St Thomas and San Juan without a surcharge, so the Alaska surcharge was a surprise.

 

AT&T works fine in all Alaskan ports on the ship.

 

Oh, it worked fine. They just charged me more.

[LoveDMB]

I will check it out for sure. I don't want extra charges. That's why I asked about using the phone on the ship in port to begin with. I wouldn't be to happy to get home & find out there were Alaska charges. Thanks again everyone!

[Crew News]

WOW! I'm surprised that there could extra charges in Alaska. I have AT&T, so I'll have to look into that. I thought the U.S was the U.S. regardless. Thanks for the replies!

 

I have used my AT&T phone (unlimited talk and text with free roaming) in Alaska for the past four years with no extra charges in port.

 

I am not sure of the distance (I would guess half mile), but the ship turns OFF the cell tower when it nears a port.

 

While I am in port in Alaska, I use the phone's tethering option to connect my laptop to the internet.

[POA1]

Just check your plans before you go. Some of the larger carriers offer prepaid and post paid plans. The post paid plans are the traditional ones. Generally speaking, the post paid plans offer better roaming and better rates outside the US. (Yes, I know that Alaska and Hawaii are part of the USA, but some prepaid plans are only good in the lower 48 states.)

 

Take a tip from Crew News - If you are traveling to Alaska, the US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, you definitely want to look into tethering or wireless mobile hotspot. Your phone provides the internet connection for your computer or tablet. It's often way less expensive than the ship's Internet access and faster too. Just make sure you know how to use tethering / mobile hotspot before you leave home.

[Typhoon1]

Check with your carrier. Anything is possible if you're willing to pay the price.