Cellular At Sea - Say It Isn't So!

[Rev22:17]

Ken,

 

We always leave the phone number where relatives (not work, never) can call our cabin on the ship if there's an emergency. When the ship sails, the phone is turned off and put in the safe. When we are about to disembark, the phone gets turned on. That's sooo simple. I've never been on a cruise where anyone at work would have the slightest clue as to how to find me. I like that. My motto, is, "I take my time off, OFF!" Maybe some folks can't do that, too bad, and I feel bad for you. One thing that annoys me, is how so many people don't want to let a call go to voice mail and will answer at bad times (like in the Papal Mass at the Vatican). These things are more of a menace with each passing day, however, it's like another poster said, it's not the phone, it's the user.

 

In my line of work, we have to leave emergency contact information behind when we are on vacation. I oblige, with a clear note that whoever calls will need a credit card for teh shore-to-ship charge of $8.95 per minute (or whatever the current rate might be) and that there's no guarantee that I would be in my cabin when they called.

 

They never have called me. :-)

 

By the way, many of the people who are so darned rude with their cell phone use, especially those talking a lot, with many calls, are also so irresponsible that they won't think about, or else don't care about, the expensive roaming fees until they choke when seeing their next bill.

 

Unfortunately, you probably are right. And I would not want to be the poor customer service agents who get the irate calls when they receive their phone bills.

 

At this time, the FCC here in the states doesn't allow cell phone jammers at various establishments, but I'd like to see the law change.

 

We don't need jammers. Construction materials that are opaque to cell phone signals will do quite nicely.

 

I wonder how long it takes for a cell phone to sink in salt water?:D

 

And I wonder how soon some obnoxious cell phone user encounters a fellow passenger who is enough of scientist to do the experiment. :-)

 

Norm.

[TomMMD]

I am sort of the middle ground here. I was late in getting a cell phone but now carry it around always (usually turned off, though)

 

My wife and I share the minimum minutes and never go over but I still appreciate the convenience when we are trying to get in touch with each other.

 

I am pleased that I can text message and maybe even send a pic or two on our upcoming trip in the Mediterranean.

 

(I need to see what it costs for the web access on the phone so I can keep up with Red Sox scores. )

[bjbdlb]

On the NCL Wind, passengers used their cells all the time, including cruising to and from Fanning Island, where they don't even have electicity, let alone phones. I suspect there were many irate parents seeing thier children's cell phone bills afterwards.

[bububr]

The "I have to be in touch" or "what if theres an emergency " just doesn't cut it with me.

 

You are on vacation. There is email, might be expensive and slow but doable and DOESN"T disturb others. There is also SHIP TO SHORE, ONce again expensive but doesn't disturb others.

 

We don't own a cell phone. We don't want a cell phone. We don't need a cell phone.

 

We travel frequently at least two to three cruises plus two to three land vacations a year. We have a home, we have 4 dogs, 2 parrots, 1 cat and other small creatures. We have a single family home.

 

Someone watches our lives for us while we are gone. If something happens, we don't want to know untill we get back home. Be it a death in the family, or the house burning down...we are out of touch and we plan to stay that way during our trips, because the bottom line is, 1. We can still be reached if need be by the above ways. 2. we might be out in the middle of the ocean and theres nothing we could do anyway less of getting off at the next port and hoping for a flight home. 3. We TRUST and fully respect the person/people who watch our home and our posessions and stand behind their decisions and judgements...kind of like vacation power of attorney.

 

So if uncle Buck is on his deathbed, cancel your cruise and stay home...that would be the correct thing to do as oppossed to worrying every day and night what might or might not happen. As well as possible negatively affecting those cruising around you.

 

Dave:eek:

[Blanco-Grande]

When I was on Century Mar 5-15, they had a sattelite service for most phones...Century does not charge you...your cell carrier charges you international roaming rates....if you leave your cell in "non roaming" it will not work...I have Sprint and they charge $2.50 a min

[salty dingo]

Same here, I have Sprint, and they dinged me for a few minutes as we left port. Since we were still close to land, I assumed I was connected to a land tower. WRONG!

 

The phone will display a different message when connected to the ship's cell service, but I did not notice, and did not know anything until I got the bill. Good thing it was just a small amount. I am waiting for someone to come on here and rant about a $500 phone bill saying "no one told me..."