Cellphone Roaming Caution

[cltnccruisers]

They sent pictures on Facebook. They were not in Airplane Mode and they were not in port since San Juan and St. Thomas are included in all AT&T plans.

 

Not Facebook, just AT&T messaging. We were docked in St Thomas and in the process of docking in San Juan. It seems like splitting hairs but I think the problem may have been that I was onboard as opposed to on land.

[Charles4515]

Not Facebook, just AT&T messaging. We were docked in St Thomas and in the process of docking in San Juan. It seems like splitting hairs but I think the problem may have been that I was onboard as opposed to on land.

 

I corrected the Facebook part. But your problem was that you were at sea. You won't likely get a $70 charge using regular At&T SMS messaging unless you send a lot of texts. Sent texts are .50 each in that situation. Done it may times. Sounds like you were using iMessage which does use data. If you had data roaming off you would not have used iMessage but regular AT&T SMS. Of course maybe you did have data off and sent over a hundred texts.........You can tell if you are roaming by looking at the indicator on the top left. If it says Cellular at Sea you are roaming.

Edited April 7, 2018 by Charles4515

[cltnccruisers]

I corrected the Facebook part. But your problem was that you were at sea. You won't get a $70 charge using regular At&T SMS messaging. Sent texts are .50 in that situation. Done it may times. Sounds like you were using iMessage which does use data. You can tell if you are roaming by looking at the indicator on the top left. If it says Cellular at Sea you are roaming.

 

iMessage, yes. Could have sworn it was SMS - I wonder if an IOS "upgrade" could have changed that.

 

 

So are you saying even if we're docked if we are onboard then Cellular at Sea may apply. Makes sense - I'll blame it on the kids and make them pay for it. :)

[Charles4515]

iMessage, yes. Could have sworn it was SMS - I wonder if an IOS "upgrade" could have changed that.

 

 

So are you saying even if we're docked if we are onboard then Cellular at Sea may apply. Makes sense - I'll blame it on the kids and make them pay for it. :)

 

Not if you are docked. Cellular at Sea is supposed to be off when docked. It gets turned on and off automatically at 12 miles out by GPS. In the future look at the upper left corner of your phone before you use it. Right now it would say AT&T. If it has another carrier when traveling you are roaming.

[cltnccruisers]

Not if you are docked. Cellular at Sea is supposed to be off when docked. It gets turned on and off automatically at 12 miles out by GPS. In the future look at the upper left corner of your phone before you use it. Right now it would say AT&T. If it has another carrier you are roaming.

 

All good things to know. For all the annoying messages AT&T sends it would have been nice if they'd sent one like, "Dude! You're roaming! Can you afford it!" I got one after my call today about a mobile app to manage my account. I wonder how many cruisers get bit like this - which is why I started the thread in the first place. :)

[Charles4515]

All good things to know. For all the annoying messages AT&T sends it would have been nice if they'd sent one like, "Dude! You're roaming! Can you afford it!" I got one after my call today about a mobile app to manage my account. I wonder how many cruisers get bit like this - which is why I started the thread in the first place. :)

 

 

AT&T sends me messages when roaming. Attached is a screenshot.

 

[cdn_tbird]

it would have been nice if they'd sent one like, "Dude! You're roaming! Can you afford it!":)

That's funny. Thanks for making coffee come out my nose.

 

I wonder how many cruisers get bit like this - which is why I started the thread in the first place. :)

It's not just cruisers. Years ago, there were news stories up here in Canada about some dumb-arse who was too cheap to buy a roaming plan, goes on vacation with the family and then cries to the media about getting a cell bill in the thousands because his kids spent 7 days playing online games or streaming their favorite videos. Things are better these days since most plans including international roaming at reasonable rates.

 

Nice to see there are still people like you that actually take responsibility for their actions.

[cltnccruisers]

AT&T sends me messages when roaming. Attached is a screenshot.

 

 

Son of a b****!!! I did get that!!! I'm sitting here watching The Masters so I'll quote Roberto Di Vincenzo when he signed an incorrect scorecard in '68. "What a stupid I am....." :o

[cruise kitty]

Definitely docked in St Thomas but during approach in San Juan. Cruising in Europe next year so the darn thing stays home and I'll take the old digital camera.

 

Free wifi in cafes all over Europe, just disable your cellular data & roaming, enable wifi calling, & you can call, text & check your email for free. If you happen to walk by an Apple store, free wifi usually extends to area if front of store. There's always a little crowd of people outside the Apple store in Bordeaux. ;) If we run into an emergency on shore, it's nice to know that for a total of $10 I can turn on my data & call an Uber or find another route if trains or buses are down.

 

BTW, I'm on Verizon, not AT&T

[Lastdance]

I seem to get charged a small overage in Europe, but because I have been an AT&T customer, along with purchasing their $60 International plan, they always remove it without question. This has been the case for the last 6 years...I have yet to understand this, and they seem okay with it!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[publicpersona]

Airplane mode turns off all cellular, only WiFi works

No, airplane mode turns off both cellular and wi-fi. However, you can then turn wi-fi on while still in airplane mode.

[Flamencacha]

That could explain it. I took it out of AM to check on the kids when we were in San Juan and St Thomas for about an hour total. Had to rib them since it was sunny and 79 while it snowed at home. Then I put it back in AM. Figured since they are US possessions I'd be safe.

 

Still seems a bit high, though.

 

 

 

In San Juan they have several mobile companies. My European phone has free roaming while in the US. While I had ATT as a server no issues, but once CLARO picked up service, I was charged a fee for international. About $18.00 a day luckily it only happened 4 days.

 

Also, sometimes if you use your phone to close to the ship, especially Saint Thomas, you may get Marine roaming.

 

Your theory is correct, I would contact your service provider and ask them to specify the charges.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ghstudio]

Please be careful when saying Verizon does or AT&T does......they have many plans and depending on YOUR plan, your experience may differ considerably from someone else's

[Z'Loth]

Checking out the Verizon Travelpass countries for my upcoming trip....

• Georgetown, Cayman Islands - Yes
  
• Aruba - Yes
  
• Curacao - Yes
  
• Bonaire - Yes
  
• Key West - It's in Florida, damnit
  

Looking at the Verizon International overview.... scrolling down to the bottom for cruise ships....$3 per minute, $.50 per message, and no cellular data.

 

 

Quite frankly, I had already added Travelpass to all of my phones from the last trip. After all, there is no monthly fee.

[jagoffee]

Please be careful when saying Verizon does or AT&T does......they have many plans and depending on YOUR plan, your experience may differ considerably from someone else's

 

That is great advice. I know from personal experience that my AT&T family/share plan does not cover Canada. But it does include St. Thomas.

 

OP, I would think your problem was sending photos before you docked in San Juan. You could check the time/date of the charges and confirm.

 

We are very careful to keep/return our phones to the airplane mode. The IPhone camera is convenient and it takes great pictures.

 

With time I have become more confident as will you.

[Bobocasey]

When in doubt just go visit your provider store. T Mobile always send me notices when I am about to be charged roaming internationally. T Mobile recommended that I turn off my data and put my phone on AM when I board the international flight and leave it there until I return to the US. I have traveled all over the Far East and Europe and luckily have never been charged roaming fees.

[gerelmx]

No, airplane mode turns off both cellular and wi-fi. However, you can then turn wi-fi on while still in airplane mode.

 

Excuse me in my iPhone 5S if i put it on Airplane Mode the WiFi continues ON. Only Cellular is turned OFF.

[radarcruiser]

When in doubt just go visit your provider store. T Mobile always send me notices when I am about to be charged roaming internationally. T Mobile recommended that I turn off my data and put my phone on AM when I board the international flight and leave it there until I return to the US. I have traveled all over the Far East and Europe and luckily have never been charged roaming fees.

 

 

Another vote for T Mobile. If you travel a lot you cannot beat their plan with free international data and cheap voice. I no longer sweat out getting huge bills. Just turn off thr data on the ship.

[Charles4515]

Excuse me in my iPhone 5S if i put it on Airplane Mode the WiFi continues ON. Only Cellular is turned OFF.

 

 

When you put it in Airplane Mode it turns off WiFi. You then have the option to turn WiFi on in Airplane Mode.

[cltnccruisers]

When you put it in Airplane Mode it turns off WiFi. You then have the option to turn WiFi on in Airplane Mode.

 

That's correct - just tested it. Learning all kinds of things today. Before you know it I'll know almost as much as my grandkids about this stuff. :p

[gerelmx]

When you put it in Airplane Mode it turns off WiFi. You then have the option to turn WiFi on in Airplane Mode.

 

Nope in my iPhone the WiFi continues ON never turned OFF when I put the phone in AP Mode only cellular is turned OFF , if I say it, it's because I have done it many times and that's the way my phone works

[ghstudio]

Excuse me in my iPhone 5S if i put it on Airplane Mode the WiFi continues ON. Only Cellular is turned OFF.

I think its an FCC requirement that airplane mode turns off all transmitted signals. Unless you have a non us phone, turning on airplane mode turns off cellular,Bluetooth and WiFi.

 

Sent from my XT1575 using Forums mobile app

[gerelmx]

I think its an FCC requirement that airplane mode turns off all transmitted signals. Unless you have a non us phone, turning on airplane mode turns off cellular,Bluetooth and WiFi.

 

Sent from my XT1575 using Forums mobile app

 

I purchase the iPhone in Mexico from Claro Shop, I have just checked a Sony Android from my son at it works as you say AP turns off everything

[TeeRick]

Excuse me in my iPhone 5S if i put it on Airplane Mode the WiFi continues ON. Only Cellular is turned OFF.

 

Check with Verizon if that is your carrier. My iPhone 5S did not support WiFi Calling features. Only iPhone 6 models and above. But you might still be able to text over WiFi with iMessage or What's Ap.

[Charles4515]

Check with Verizon if that is your carrier. My iPhone 5S did not support WiFi Calling features. Only iPhone 6 models and above. But you might still be able to text over WiFi with iMessage or What's Ap.

 

They are in Mexico and bought the phone at a Claro shop so they are on a Mexican carrier. In the US, Verizon and AT&T can not do WiFi calling on the 5S but T-Mobile can. So it depends on the carrier. They would have to check about WiFi calling. They can use iMessage and WhatsApp over WiFi.