PoA cell phone usage on ship

[L2trvl]

For any recent passengers on Pride of America please clarify cell phone usage for me.

My interpretation of what I've read on this forum is that while ship is docked, passengers may use their cell phone for calls, texts, internet, etc, while ONBOARD SHIP, with no extra charges added due to using ship's cell tower. This is supposedly because you are actually using an island tower.

Is this right? Why wouldn't your phone automatically connect with PoA cell tower. BTW, as obvious by post, I am pretty illiterate when it comes to how these things work.:)

[esm54687]

For any recent passengers on Pride of America please clarify cell phone usage for me.

My interpretation of what I've read on this forum is that while ship is docked, passengers may use their cell phone for calls, texts, internet, etc, while ONBOARD SHIP, with no extra charges added due to using ship's cell tower. This is supposedly because you are actually using an island tower.

Is this right? Why wouldn't your phone automatically connect with PoA cell tower. BTW, as obvious by post, I am pretty illiterate when it comes to how these things work.:)

Because they shut off the ship's "cell tower" in port so there's nothing to connect (roam) to

[shof515]

my phone is locked to the verizon network and sometimes have problems roaming or using a different cell network and it never works on the ship cell towers.

 

if you really need your phone, check your carrier to see if they have any international plans when you are in port.

[chengkp75]

To the best of my knowledge, POA does not provide "Cellular at Sea" service (no ship's cell tower), so if you have signal, you are using a land tower. When farther out to sea, at night, there will be no cell signal.

[ColeThornton]

my phone is locked to the verizon network and sometimes have problems roaming or using a different cell network and it never works on the ship cell towers.

 

if you really need your phone, check your carrier to see if they have any international plans when you are in port.

 

 

Hawaii is "international"?

[ColeThornton]

To the best of my knowledge, POA does not provide "Cellular at Sea" service (no ship's cell tower), so if you have signal, you are using a land tower. When farther out to sea, at night, there will be no cell signal.

 

 

Correct.

 

"NOTE: CellAtSea Service is not included on Pride of America."

 

 

https://www.ncl.com/about/staying-connected-sea-cellular-phone-service-texting

[tempus137]

I am with Verizon & had no problems while in port.

[L2trvl]

Thanks for info! Have only been on a couple of cruises and was warned not to touch my cell phone on ship even when in port. So this is great news!(y)

[garycarla]

Even if you are on a ship with a cell tower... the phone always indicates which network you are connected to, so you would (should) know.

 

And, if they left the tower on by mistake, it would be possible to connect to that network, or to a shoreside network.

[SeaShark]

Hawaii is "international"?

Since not every passenger is a US citizen, in some cases yes, Hawaii is international.

[DaKa2002]

We have used Verizon, Sprint,and AT&T in and around Hawaii with no problem

[dexddd]

To the best of my knowledge, POA does not provide "Cellular at Sea" service (no ship's cell tower), so if you have signal, you are using a land tower. When farther out to sea, at night, there will be no cell signal.

 

That is correct, no cell tower on POA. When we did the Transpacific after drydock I had purchased verizon cell at sea because they said POA had cell tower only to find out it didn't.

 

I confirmed that at the Captain's cocktail party when I met the captain.

[BirdTravels]

Hawaii is "international"?

The United States of America State of Hawaii is the 50th state of the United States of America. It will offer United States of America cell service. If you have an "off brand" cell provider, you will have to check your coverage in the State of Hawaii.

[goddessofchaos]

Hawaii is "international"?

 

Last I heard and I live here. Hawaii is one of the United States. Of course if you are from another country it is international.

[zqvol]

my phone is locked to the verizon network and sometimes have problems roaming or using a different cell network and it never works on the ship cell towers.

 

if you really need your phone, check your carrier to see if they have any international plans when you are in port.

 

Why would a person who lives in the US need an International plan for Hawaii?

[garycarla]

 

 

I think many folks are having fun with Hawaii and Intl. I think we get it, but....

 

If the ship LEFT the shoreline of Hawaii and if it had a cell tower onboard, the calls then would be international. In reality the ship does leave the shoreline at times but does not have a cell tower. Therefore, none of those onboard with a U.S. based cell plan can make intl calls, even though they may be in intl waters outside the range of Hawaii towers.

[Yo Adrienne]

We have used Verizon, Sprint,and AT&T in and around Hawaii with no problem

 

Asking for a friend who has AT&T...so just making sure I have your info correct before I pass it along to her.

 

You have used AT&T cell phone service onboard and in port...with no additional long distance/roaming fees...? Did you have to add anything special to your service plan before you left for the cruise...? Was service good...? No dropped calls...? Any other info you can provide would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks so much. :) :)

[goddessofchaos]

I live in Hilo, HI and have Verizon service. On shore as long as you aren't in an area with spotty service I would think it will be fine. I had ATT which doesn't have quite as good coverage as Verizon but in most areas it should work. Off shore I can't say but I don't think the ships are so far from shore for any length of time that it should matter.

[DaKa2002]

Asking for a friend who has AT&T...so just making sure I have your info correct before I pass it along to her.

 

You have used AT&T cell phone service onboard and in port...with no additional long distance/roaming fees...? Did you have to add anything special to your service plan before you left for the cruise...? Was service good...? No dropped calls...? Any other info you can provide would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks so much. :) :)

 

We spent several days on the islands using both AT&T and Verizon last year with no problems; a previous visit I had Sprint and it worked just fine (just like in St Thomas). We did not use our cell phones aboard ship at any time, although I am told the ship's cell service is turned off in ports, so that while docked one could be on a balcony and use towers on the island(s) for service. (I have done that in Alaska numerous times, but did not try it in the Hawaiian Islands.)

[dexddd]

We spent several days on the islands using both AT&T and Verizon last year with no problems; a previous visit I had Sprint and it worked just fine (just like in St Thomas). We did not use our cell phones aboard ship at any time, although I am told the ship's cell service is turned off in ports, so that while docked one could be on a balcony and use towers on the island(s) for service. (I have done that in Alaska numerous times, but did not try it in the Hawaiian Islands.)

 

If you are talking about POA, it does not have a cell tower unlike most other ships.