Staying in touch!

[Reijo]

What is the best way that you've stayed in touch with others when traveling as a group. Some people say "walkie talkies" are good, others say no. If you've had good luck with them, what kind are you using? I really don't like having to hear conversation of others though. I've seen white erase board put on doors using those removable hooks. Any ideas would be appreciated.

[gerif]

Meet for breakfast and go over everyone's plans for the day (pool, bingo, trivia, etc.); plan when and where to meet for lunch. All meet for dinner. If plans change, you can leave messages on cabin phones. I've never felt the need to b joined at the hip with family or friends but ymmv.

[flacplnj]

What is the best way that you've stayed in touch with others when traveling as a group. Some people say "walkie talkies" are good, others say no. If you've had good luck with them, what kind are you using? I really don't like having to hear conversation of others though. I've seen white erase board put on doors using those removable hooks. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

How many in your group? Are you all subscribing to the on board Wifi?

Leave messages on your in room phones.

[jamesr3939]

We have always staked out the same general location on deck from day one; as do our traveling companions. It's never been an issue to go find somebody to see what/if they want to do something. Unless we decide otherwise everybody tries to meet for dinner and discuss the next days plans. I have never found it necessary to use walkie talkie, post it's, white boards, etc. Maybe left a few messages on cabin phone, but not very often.

 

The most recent cruise on Oasis we had unlimited WiFi and did text several times to plan pre-dinner arrangements.

[wants2cruise2]

usually use paper and pen clipped to 'mailbox' or something outside the door. left notes that way. I tried white board once on a carnival but others were leaving strange sometimes nasty notes so not again.

[Reijo]

Terri, I was afraid of other people posting on the board or even changing what you write. There will be six in all. My husband and me, our son/daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren. It will be hard to get together for breakfast because we will be getting up at different times but perhaps we can go over things the night before instead. We also have our favorite place to hang out that they know about so they could usually find us there. But we do sometimes change our plans and don't necessarily want to be tied down. Just curious as to what others do. We most likely will not have WI-FI due to the cost.

[wants2cruise2]

Terri, I was afraid of other people posting on the board or even changing what you write. There will be six in all. My husband and me, our son/daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren. It will be hard to get together for breakfast because we will be getting up at different times but perhaps we can go over things the night before instead. We also have our favorite place to hang out that they know about so they could usually find us there. But we do sometimes change our plans and don't necessarily want to be tied down. Just curious as to what others do. We most likely will not have WI-FI due to the cost.

 

We also had the usual area of tables by the pool in the am, as everyone woke it was where we showed up for coffee\tea. and just notes on our papers, like ' Dad and I up and out 7am'. they knew what this meant. or 'bingo at 3' and I knew where to find them when. For ports, meeting times always discussed ahead of time. And usually early dinner seating so I knew everyone would be there then. It just worked. But the most was 8 of us in 4 cabins on 2 different floors. easiest was 6 in 3 cabins side by side.

[cb at sea]

Everyone will gravitate to the same places over and over and over...not so hard to find each other! Make plans..tell everyone your plans! Call from cabin to cabin on the phones!

[Reijo]

Thanks Terri, we also have three cabins, side by side. Appreciate your feedback!

[AustinCruise]

Basic plans and post it notes on the doors if things change.

 

You would be surprised how many times you run into each other anyway. There ends up being a standard set of hangouts depending on interests and it "just works" most of the time.

[rluzius]

Also be aware that walkie talkies are illegal in some countries. The frequencies that walkie-talkies use in the US are used for other purposes in other countries.

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[SR-71 Habu]

Thanks Terri, we also have three cabins, side by side. Appreciate your feedback!

 

We used small magnetic dry erase boards. Everybody just wrote the time and where they were going. We would just update during the day if we went by our rooms. We had two rooms side by side and a balcony room not far away.

Edited August 18, 2015 by SR-71 Habu

[impatientlywaiting]

What is the best way that you've stayed in touch with others when traveling as a group. Some people say "walkie talkies" are good, others say no. If you've had good luck with them, what kind are you using? I really don't like having to hear conversation of others though. I've seen white erase board put on doors using those removable hooks. Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

There are 7 of us who usually travel together. We use the white boards on the outside of our doors (magnets are attached to the back). We first used them on a trans-Atlantic in 2014 and it worked great. People we didn't know would start leaving us notes and about halfway through the cruise it started to get really fun! It's a great way to know where everyone is or where they're going to be at a certain time. We will continue to communicate this way in the future as well.

[Reijo]

Anita, this sounds good.

[T.O.cruisers]

I was so relieved that we had our walkie talkies on us when we became separated in Barcelona while shopping. We have used Motorola on board two different ships in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean without problems. We don't carry on long conversations but it gives us the freedom to move around on our own and then be able to meet up at some point without returning to the cabin to look for a message. We like the convenience to keep in touch but not feel we have to be stuck to each other. I wouldn't cruise without them; but that's just my two cents. (I know it's not worth very much)

[Desert Cruizers]

As mentioned, we agree to meet up at a certain time and location, during the day we are doing our thing and friends/family will be doing what they want so need to spend the entire day together. Most ships have what they call a Community Board, you can agree to leave messages on it and check it daily or leave a message on their phone.

[Reijo]

I was so relieved that we had our walkie talkies on us when we became separated in Barcelona while shopping. We have used Motorola on board two different ships in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean without problems. We don't carry on long conversations but it gives us the freedom to move around on our own and then be able to meet up at some point without returning to the cabin to look for a message. We like the convenience to keep in touch but not feel we have to be stuck to each other. I wouldn't cruise without them; but that's just my two cents. (I know it's not worth very much)

 

We had relatives that used walkie talkies on previous cruises and it came in handy so often. Just curious about them and which type really gives you good reception on board. Thanks for your post. Any good info as to the type we should get?

[T.O.cruisers]

We had relatives that used walkie talkies on previous cruises and it came in handy so often. Just curious about them and which type really gives you good reception on board. Thanks for your post. Any good info as to the type we should get?

 

Reception may not be perfect everywhere on the ship but the Motorola we have worked fine out at the pool when one of us was in the cabin, in the WJ and of course when outside in the ports.

[bubba83]

Terri, I was afraid of other people posting on the board or even changing what you write. There will be six in all. My husband and me, our son/daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren. It will be hard to get together for breakfast because we will be getting up at different times but perhaps we can go over things the night before instead. We also have our favorite place to hang out that they know about so they could usually find us there. But we do sometimes change our plans and don't necessarily want to be tied down. Just curious as to what others do. We most likely will not have WI-FI due to the cost.

 

 

There are 13 of us going so far on our April cruise (3 of those are children)...But anyway, we all have the same dinning time so we will most likely discuss possible plans for next day at dinner. But all of us are going into it knowing that we all can do what we want so we don't feel tied down. We (my family of 4) are the only ones who are not booked on the same floor as one another so communication will be difficult. But we all pretty much share the same interest- drinks by the pool...so I know where I should be able to find other family and friends if need to.

[perkli25]

We always find a spot by the pool on the first day and that tends to be home base. There is usually someone from our party there most people of the day. We can also count on all being at dinner as well. We determine plans for the next day at dinner or call each other's rooms and leave messages sometimes.