Travel Pass phone usage by Verizon

[NCreadyforfun]

No contracts. You can use your own phone as long as its unlocked. I brought my own iPhone to T-Mobile.

 

Hank

 

Does this plan cover usage while on the ship or only in port?

[Hlitner]

Does this plan cover usage while on the ship or only in port?

 

When within range of land (or in a port) we simply use our phone with the local providers. I do not make cell phone calls on a ship...because the cost is quite expenisve (I think it varies from about $5 per min and higher). But yes, our phone would work on the ship if we chose to pay the outrageous cost. Like most knowledgeable cruisers we keep our phone on airplane mode....if we even turn it on while onboard. Since we have iPhones and T-Mobile service, we can actually make WiFi phone calls (even on a ship) assuming the WiFi is giving fast enough service (this is hit and miss). WiFi calls (at least with T-Mobile) cost us nothing (or sometimes 20 cents per min)...other then whatever we pay for onboard WiFi (often free for us because of our frequent cruiser status).

 

Since we often cruise over 100 days a year, we have been constantly experimenting with communication options. Since we changed from ATT to T-Mobile things have really improved (all over the world). On Board Princess cruises I will often carry my iPhone and keep it in Airplane mode. Our favorite mode of commicating with home (while at sea) is by simply using text messaging...which works perfectly with the ship's WiFi service. Since DW and I often get at least 1000 minutes of free WiFi (500 min each) on Princess...we simply logon to Wifi a few times a day to send/receive texts.

 

We are soon heading to Asia for a 36 day Princess cruise that will take us to 19 ports (in several countries). I think our phone will work everywhere except in Vietnam. Our cost to use our phone in our port countries (Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan) should be zero....unless we make cell phone calls which would cost us 20 cents/min.

 

Hank