Walkie talkie suggestions (which ones to buy)?

[oyme]

Best walkie talkies (brand / screenshot / full Amazon description please) to use on a cruise? I've read Carnival Hub app messaging at $5 p/p is unreliable so am considering walkie talkies to communicate with members of our party. Thanks!

Edited November 10, 2022 by oyme

[1025cruise]

None of them.

 

[CruiserBruce]

Oh boy...a topic that always goes nuclear.

 

None. You don't need them, there are far better communication methods. You are in a big metal box...signals don't travel well, resulting in a lot of irritating noise to your fellow pax...like "Can you hear me?"...

[Zach1213]

38 minutes ago, oyme said:

I've read Carnival Hub app messaging at $5 p/p is unreliable

 

No idea how it actually works, but it can't be any less reliable than a walkie talkie in a big metal ship.

 

[ColeThornton]

Ask about those annoying devices on the cruise technology forum.  😉

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/677-cruising-technology/

[Philob]

Darn, ran out of popcorn 😎

[MBP&O2/O]

Can't see much sympathy / positive feedback  forthcoming on this one. 🤐

Edited November 10, 2022 by MBP&O2/O

[Shmoo here]

4 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

None of them.

 

^^^This^^^

[VMax1700]

You can make these quite cheaply and they will work as good as walkie talkies on a cruise ship 😉

Edited November 10, 2022 by VMax1700

[lenquixote66]

5 hours ago, oyme said:

Best walkie talkies (brand / screenshot / full Amazon description please) to use on a cruise? I've read Carnival Hub app messaging at $5 p/p is unreliable so am considering walkie talkies to communicate with members of our party. Thanks!

Why do you desire this ?

[MBP&O2/O]

Loads of info on this post .. 

[crystalspin]

10 hours ago, oyme said:

I've read Carnival Hub app messaging at $5 p/p is unreliable so am considering walkie talkies to communicate with members of our party.

Ask about using The Hub here:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/133-carnival-cruise-lines/

 

I suspect the "unreliable" aspect is that it does not alert the recipient. That is the case for HAL's Navigator messaging. So your other members will have to be checking their cellphones! 

 

I suggest Sticky Notes to leave on your own and your party's doors.

 

[Hlitner]

So the real answer is that they will not generally work if folks are at any distance inside the ship.  Cruise lines use metal everywhere (floors, ceilings, walls) which effectively block most walkee talkee signals.  Any walkee talkee will work if everyone is outside on the upper decks. 

 

Hank

[Heidi13]

On 11/10/2022 at 5:30 AM, oyme said:

Best walkie talkies (brand / screenshot / full Amazon description please) to use on a cruise? I've read Carnival Hub app messaging at $5 p/p is unreliable so am considering walkie talkies to communicate with members of our party. Thanks!

 

There are only 2 instances when portable VHF/UHF radios work reliably when aboard a ship:

 - When you can access the ship's repeater system, or

 - When you are in line of sight.

 

Since you won't have a toned radio to access the repeater system, it only leaves the line of sight option.

 

This is from many years of futile attempts to communicate with my officers prior to the development of ship wide repeater systems. Our radios were more powerful than consumer walkie talkies, but still only penetrated about 2 bulkheads or decks.

[Turtles06]

On 11/10/2022 at 9:03 AM, 1025cruise said:

None of them.

 

Exactly. 

[Greg4502]

There is one way to assure a problem-free experience with walkie talkies on a cruise ship. It involves “orienting” them correctly once onboard.

1. Make sure the walkie talkies are fully powered.

2. Locate opposite outdoor locations with a clear view of both the horizon and each other’s walkie   talkie. The most ideal spots are along opposite railings on higher decks.

3. Turn the walkie talkies on. Then hold them at arm’s length over the water beyond the rail so that there are no metal or other obstructions immediately adjacent to the walkie talkies (including over and under them).

4. Press the transmit button three times quickly while still holding the walkie talkies  over the water. It is important that both walkie talkies’ button push happens at the same time.

5. Immediately following the third button push, drop the walkie talkies into the water.

6. You (and everyone around you) will now have a problem-free walkie talkie cruise ship experience.

[donaldsc]

2 hours ago, Greg4502 said:

There is one way to assure a problem-free experience with walkie talkies on a cruise ship. It involves “orienting” them correctly once onboard.

1. Make sure the walkie talkies are fully powered.

2. Locate opposite outdoor locations with a clear view of both the horizon and each other’s walkie   talkie. The most ideal spots are along opposite railings on higher decks.

3. Turn the walkie talkies on. Then hold them at arm’s length over the water beyond the rail so that there are no metal or other obstructions immediately adjacent to the walkie talkies (including over and under them).

4. Press the transmit button three times quickly while still holding the walkie talkies  over the water. It is important that both walkie talkies’ button push happens at the same time.

5. Immediately following the third button push, drop the walkie talkies into the water.

6. You (and everyone around you) will now have a problem-free walkie talkie cruise ship experience.

 

Great idea except that there are rules on cruise ships about dropping useless garbage into the ocean.  LOL!!  

 

DON

[Schoifmom]

Walkie Talkies don't work and annoy everyone around you (as you can see by the responses above).  

 

The Carnival HUB app messaging is only as reliable as the person using it.  Granted, it has some glitches, but has typically worked fine for us.  You have to remember to LEAVE THE APP OPEN IN THE BACKGROUND AT ALL TIMES!  I do confess to checking it periodically because the issue that I have is not with receiving messages, but that the notifications aren't always reliable.  

[navybankerteacher]

On 11/11/2022 at 7:36 PM, Heidi13 said:

 

There are only 2 instances when portable VHF/UHF radios work reliably when aboard a ship:

 - When you can access the ship's repeater system, or

 - When you are in line of sight.

…

And of course, as long as you are in line of sight, why not just walk over and chat?

[*Miss G*]

On 11/10/2022 at 7:19 PM, crystalspin said:

I suspect the "unreliable" aspect is that it does not alert the recipient. That is the case for HAL's Navigator messaging. 

 

The Navigator now alerts.

[ldubs]

On 11/10/2022 at 5:30 AM, oyme said:

Best walkie talkies (brand / screenshot / full Amazon description please) to use on a cruise? I've read Carnival Hub app messaging at $5 p/p is unreliable so am considering walkie talkies to communicate with members of our party. Thanks!

 

I found the Carnival Hub to be very reliable and suggest it is not something to worry about.  As already said your phone won't ring when a text comes in, but you will see a notice on your screen.  

 

If you want to be able to talk to others in your group, I would consider getting the wifi plan before I bought walkie talkies.  Likely more expensive but it will work. 

[BruceMuzz]

Don’t buy the radios.

Waste of time.

Waste of money.

They rarely work.

They upset everyone around you.

[DirtyDawg]

1 hour ago, BruceMuzz said:

Don’t buy the radios.

Waste of time.

Waste of money.

They rarely work.

They upset everyone around you.

Also, don't think smoke signals are an option either. 🔥 😁

 

 

Edited November 16, 2022 by DirtyDawg

[oyme]

On 11/15/2022 at 8:55 AM, ldubs said:

 

I found the Carnival Hub to be very reliable and suggest it is not something to worry about.  As already said your phone won't ring when a text comes in, but you will see a notice on your screen.  

 

If you want to be able to talk to others in your group, I would consider getting the wifi plan before I bought walkie talkies.  Likely more expensive but it will work. 

It seems like some say the HUB app works good but others disagree. As of right now we're planning to just try using the HUB messaging. As for like the social wifi plan, that really is a bit spendy for us. We just can't justify that amount of money for it, the HUB messaging cost is fine, though.

[oyme]

On 11/14/2022 at 1:29 PM, navybankerteacher said:

And of course, as long as you are in line of sight, why not just walk over and chat?

We won't be in sight, that's why I'm asking. But yes, I agree with you and then radios are a moot point, lol.

Edited November 20, 2022 by oyme