Cell phones... why?

[KatieGator]

Quite frankly' date=' there is no earthly reason to use your cell phone at sea.[/quote']

 

Must be nice to not have a terminally ill family member you want/need to call to check up on.

 

As long as I'm not sitting next to you, loudly yakking into oblivion about utter nonsense and spoiling your coco loco, I can't figure why it's anyone's business if I travel with my phone (though for what it's worth, it makes a great alarm clock, and lights up at night when I want to check the time!)

[critterchick]

As the OP of this thread, I just want to keep one thing in mind:

 

Aren't you on vacation to get 'away'?

 

I never said to 'ban' cell phones or their usage. We brought ours along and even used them! I'm sure people use them at Disney World as much as they do while cruising. (If they had a waterproof one, I'm sure kids would use them at Wet n' Wild!!)

 

Kids? Can't get away without staying in touch? Stay home and play some games with them.

 

Sick relative? Can't get away without staying in touch? Stay home and take care of them.

 

Business? Can't get away without staying in touch? Stay home and keep the business running.

 

It just 'appears' to me that the public usage of cell phones is growing more and more and everyone just says, "Oh, I have to... I just can't live without it."

 

I knew this would get some interesting thoughts, but just rememeber, once the vacation is over, you're back home and you won't have to use your cell phone so much since all your worries will be there. Play with the kids, visit your sick aunt and by all means work as hard as possible to pay for another cruise!!!

 

That might be a good philosophy for 1965. Welcome to the 21st century, where some people feel that they can't get away completely so they come as close as they can. I for one don't think it's any of my business to tell somebody how to vacation...

[tip]

The problem is the inconsideration. I don't care that people take them and use them. I care when they invade my 'sound space' with loud yakking.

 

I think that inconsideration is indeed the situation for most of us. I too take my cell phone. We called our daughters from the privacy of our cabin on our cruise in February before we sailed to let them know we arrived safely. Our flight was changed due to a northeast snowstorm.

 

It is usually locked up in the safe, although I will check it once a day for messages as we both have elderly parents.

 

I have absolutely no desire to hear anyone else's phone calls whether it be on the ship, on a plane, in a supermarket, or a restaurant, (etc.). The problem with society today is that some folks have no social skills. Come on folks, please handle private conversations in private!

[Woch2331]

Wow - harsh maybe? :rolleyes:

 

Harsh? I'm not the one that needs to check in twice a day to see if I need to make plane reservations back home because an emergency calls us back. Now, if you're not planning on flying back, why worry, just stay and enjoy your vacation. If you really have the need to call back to check on things, why not stay and be closer? Ah! I remember those days when I was 'indispensable'.

 

As for the 21st century, I'm all for it. We had 2 cell phones, 1 Blackberry, 2 digital cameras, 2 iPods and 1 laptop on vacation.

 

I never said 'ban' them!! I'm just saying the casual public use of them has increased and everyone just uses the same generic response as to why.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

Everyone who owns a cell phone takes them with on their cruise, its common sense for emergencies, contacting your your transportation at the end of your cruise, keeping in touch with family who may have a terminally ill family member, elderly parent or baby sitters. All good reasons for bringing your cell. I bring ours for use in ports, and when we are at the end of your cruise and need to call our transportation.

 

The key here is respect and consideration of others.

We don't want to hear your contract bids for this or that.

We don't want to hear your bosses yelling at you or you at him.

We don't want o hear about grandmas aches and pains.

We don't want to hear about the kids at home having a difficult time with school, sports or their friends.

 

Freedom of speech, of course, it's everyone's right. Please be courteous about it. ;)

 

***

[bethbeth428]

My opinion...well how else would everyone know how important you are or how many friends you have if you didn't use your cell phone out in public, talking loudly while on vacation. I had to use my cell phone twice to call my son's father while on the ship and I did it from my cabin.

[katerkat]

You do have to wonder what people did to connect with their businesses and families 10-15 years ago before we all had cell phones.

 

The world was SO much nicer before cell phones!

Life was easer. Less stress. Ahhh for the good old days...

 

10-15 years ago, before cell phones, I vividly remembering standing in the street of Nassau while my dad called the office from a pay phone. And every port. Cutting into MY (selfish teenager) vacation time! Of course, now that we have cells, Dad went and retired.

 

Kids? Can't get away without staying in touch? Stay home and play some games with them.

 

Sick relative? Can't get away without staying in touch? Stay home and take care of them.

 

Business? Can't get away without staying in touch? Stay home and keep the business running.

 

But the "kids" are 26, 28 and 30 and we still want to talk to Mommy and Daddy when they cruise without us. ;) On their Baltic cruise, my parents got internet and we IMed them every night as they got ready for dinner.

 

Sick relatives have other caretakers. My grandfather doesn't live with us - doesn't mean we don't want updates when he's hospitalized during our cruise.

 

As for business, well, feel free to tell the USAF that they can't contact my husband on vacation. The government thinks differently. (But we give them the ship's number - if they really want to recall my husband from his vacation, they can pay $8 a minute to do so.)

[crusinmama06]

Personally, I take my cell phone and my lap top because I do own a business. But frankly, I am SOOOO happy when the cell phone doesn't work. :D I have an instant excuse to be out of reach and I couldn't be happier. :D

 

I don't carry the cell with me. I keep it in the cabin. And I LOVE when it says "No service" :D

[Xaphrie]

Cell phone etiquette really is out of control at times. I got a call at the checkout line in the grocery store, and I answered and said I'd call them back. I don't want to be THAT PERSON. lol Frankly I'm very self-conscious when I get a call while in a store and all too aware that I'm not alone and my conversation can be heard by anyone in the vicinity. Some people really need to be more aware of that. I'm amazed at how much personal information they inadvertently give out while talking to someone on their cell. :eek:

 

Btw, to anyone who will be sailing on SOS in August, I can guarantee I will not assault anyone's ears with my cell phone conversation. Yes, I will have it on me and will definitely be using it as this cruise is a "girl's trip" and I will want to talk to my DH at least once a day. It will be done discreetly from my cabin - no one will be the wiser. ;):p:D

[Suzanne74]

Harsh? I'm not the one that needs to check in twice a day to see if I need to make plane reservations back home because an emergency calls us back. Now, if you're not planning on flying back, why worry, just stay and enjoy your vacation. If you really have the need to call back to check on things, why not stay and be closer? Ah! I remember those days when I was 'indispensable'

 

Well we left for our cruise in late March for Easter week. My sister and her family and mine. We left for Puerto Rico and arrived late the night before we were to embark. On our way to the hotel, my husband checked his cell phone. We received many calls from my family that was not with us. We found out at 11:45pm at night my mom passed away that morning. Terminally ill - nope. Sick, nope. She just dropped dead of a heart attack. If my husband didn't check his messages, I guarantee we would have all gotten on that cruise the next morning. My mom had all of our vacation info but my Dad probably wouldn't even know where to find it. So I don't care what the good ole days were. I am very grateful my sister and I were able to get on a flight home the next day to comfort my Dad who was in obvious shock and needed his kids with him.

 

So come Friday, we are all leaving for our rescheduled cruise (RCCL was wonderful by the way.) Will we be bringing our cell phone?

 

Absolutely!

[cruzinnluvinit]

As the OP of this thread, I just want to keep one thing in mind:

 

Aren't you on vacation to get 'away'?

 

I never said to 'ban' cell phones or their usage. We brought ours along and even used them! I'm sure people use them at Disney World as much as they do while cruising. (If they had a waterproof one, I'm sure kids would use them at Wet n' Wild!!)

 

Kids? Can't get away without staying in touch? Stay home and play some games with them.

 

Sick relative? Can't get away without staying in touch? Stay home and take care of them.

 

Business? Can't get away without staying in touch? Stay home and keep the business running.

 

It just 'appears' to me that the public usage of cell phones is growing more and more and everyone just says, "Oh, I have to... I just can't live without it."

 

I knew this would get some interesting thoughts, but just rememeber, once the vacation is over, you're back home and you won't have to use your cell phone so much since all your worries will be there. Play with the kids, visit your sick aunt and by all means work as hard as possible to pay for another cruise!!!

It sounds like you don't want anyone having a vacation if they need to use their phone in order to be able to "take their vacation". Some people can't get away from the phone as you have read above. Would you want to deprive someone that has been taking care of a relative and really needs to get the best time away and at the same time be available for that horrible phone call that might come? If you wanted to state your opinion and not really listen to responses, you could have posted on one of the other threads with this theme.

 

I hope you never experience the need to keep in touch with an ill relative, it really isn't convenient.

 

Linda

[orchidj5]

I take my cell when i cruise-i dont carry it around and i ONLY use it in my cabin where no one else can hear my conversation. If it was just about checking on things back home-i would pay to use the phone in the cabin no issue-but 5 people who are VERY important to me ( my husband, one of my sons, my brother in law and my best friend) are soldiers. There has not been a time since 03 when one-or more of them was not in Iraq -and communication is infrequent and on their schedule-i want to be able to get those voice mails as SOON as possible.

[maddea20]

Here's something worse then a cellphone, people who constantly nitpick over everything and constantly complain and whine about someone else.

 

Why do I agree with this statement 100% :rolleyes:.

[maddea20]

You now what I think is funny, not the people who are saying weird things like leave your cell phone at home or I wish it were 1970 again, but the people who are actually trying to defend their actions, lol. Don't let anyone on here make you feel like you have to say things like "well I only talk on my cell phone in my stateroom where no one can hear me". You can talk on your cell phone wherever you want. I'll never understand people who try to act like their life is perfect and so they think life around them needs to be too :rolleyes:. Ay yi yi

[bigal115]

I am the first person to say that I can not stand inconsiderate ppl with cell phones. I take the train to work and it is unbelievable how rude ppl are, and don't care about anyone else around them. The person that devloped "push to talk" should have to sit in a room with 20 ppl that feel it necessary to carry a speakerphone conversation. "BLEEP...Hey whats going on....BLEEP ...Nothing..you...BLEEP...Ect" Ggrrrrrrr ...

 

That being said. I will be bringing my phone with me on my cruise..I will be checking in with my office once a day to make sure I still have an office and clients and probably leave my phone in the cabin. I am very courteous and respectful, as I know misused it can be very annoying.

 

I don't understand why it would bother someone that someone else is bringing a cell phone on a trip. Its the miracle of modern technology...Embrace it ....Enjoy your own vacation the way you want to..and let everyone else enjoy theirs the way they want to without criticizing them .......gotta go make a call..;)

[financialgrl]

I agree 100%! I am taking my two 17 y/o nieces with me on my cruise in about 8 weeks and we all know how teen girls are. We all have that unlimited service while in the 48 contiguous US states. Verizon costs about $2.50/minute in Bermuda. SO, I told their parents that we will alert their parents when our plane lands in NJ, when we are dropped off and ready to board the ship. There will be no calling when on ship but they could wait until we got off the ship in Bermuda, call home and tell them we made it. Otherwise, I don't want to see them on until they land at Dulles AP.

 

As I told the girls, I paid way too much for them to sit on the ship and text or call friends back home. Go enjoy the Explorer. Their parents have told them the same.

[Woch2331]

It sounds like you don't want anyone having a vacation if they need to use their phone in order to be able to "take their vacation". Some people can't get away from the phone as you have read above. Would you want to deprive someone that has been taking care of a relative and really needs to get the best time away and at the same time be available for that horrible phone call that might come? If you wanted to state your opinion and not really listen to responses, you could have posted on one of the other threads with this theme.

 

I hope you never experience the need to keep in touch with an ill relative, it really isn't convenient.

 

Linda

 

You must really be reading between the lines on what I've written. I never said, "don't take them". I said, "It just 'appears' to me that the public usage of cell phones is growing more and more..." and that is the major concern. Use them in your cabin, in a deserted lounge, on an empty deck, not standing in the hallway outside my cabin which happened three times last cruise. If that kind of behavior is ok with you, then I guess we don't have much to talk about.

[cruzinnluvinit]

I agree 100%! I am taking my two 17 y/o nieces with me on my cruise in about 8 weeks and we all know how teen girls are. We all have that unlimited service while in the 48 contiguous US states. Verizon costs about $2.50/minute in Bermuda. SO, I told their parents that we will alert their parents when our plane lands in NJ, when we are dropped off and ready to board the ship. There will be no calling when on ship but they could wait until we got off the ship in Bermuda, call home and tell them we made it. Otherwise, I don't want to see them on until they land at Dulles AP.

 

As I told the girls, I paid way too much for them to sit on the ship and text or call friends back home. Go enjoy the Explorer. Their parents have told them the same.

Do you live near Dulles? Is it convenient to go out of New Jersey. We have sailed out of Miami and Ft Lauderdale because we didn't know if it was adventageous to sail out of Jersey. We live in Northern Virginia.

 

Linda

[cruzinnluvinit]

You must really be reading between the lines on what I've written. I never said, "don't take them". I said, "It just 'appears' to me that the public usage of cell phones is growing more and more..." and that is the major concern. Use them in your cabin, in a deserted lounge, on an empty deck, not standing in the hallway outside my cabin which happened three times last cruise. If that kind of behavior is ok with you, then I guess we don't have much to talk about.

I never had a signal in the hallway. People talked in the hallway all the time and they didn't have phones. People just talk all over the ship. It seems talking is the problem.

 

We can talk, I just agree we don't agree.

 

Linda

[grooveo]

Here's something worse then a cellphone, people who constantly nitpick over everything and constantly complain and whine about someone else.

 

Kudos, I couldn't have said it any better.

 

Yes, I need my cell to be in touch with work. I can enjoy myself more if I know everything is going ok. I don't speak loudly into my phone, and usually only use it in private.

 

Could I do without it while on vacation? Honestly, it's none of your business.

[bplazo]

What is sad is that I work in a restraunt and today there was a woman with a child, she spent the whole lunch talking on her phone instead of with her son.

 

My teen daughter is not allowed to have a phone at the dinner table or out when we are together. In fact, it annoys me when whe gets that iphone out and looks at it every couple minutes.

 

I do not care to hear peoples phone conversations. I am glad that I am not so important that I have to carry a phone with me 24/7.

[FitzLA]

That is why I have an equal partner in RE. He skis and I cruise:rolleyes: All kidding aside, he knows he can reach the ship if he has a real emergency, but I do check my email daily. It is the sea days I keep it turned off. I do keep it on in port and have worldwide coverage.

 

I can't have a partner in RE. I tried that once, and I about killed her. I don't mind having someone cover for me, and paying them something small to do it. Better than splitting every check with someone. I take more vacations per year than the average person. I am lucky that my line of work affords me that, and I have no restrictions on how much vacation time I can take. And if that means I have to take my cell phone with me, it's all good with me.

[Ski-Lady]

I'm trying to get my BF to take a cruise in Sept for my birthday. He is a independent contractor so there is no one else to handle things for him. Everytime we travel there are 1 or 2 issuses a day that must be taken care of. He is considering the trip only because he will be able to get phone service and internet on board ship. I'm not thrilled with the idea of the phone and computer but it is either that or no trip at all.

[BadBoysDriveAudi]

I'm not sure why this is a big deal to you? You can't stop something like people talking on their phone once a plane touches down so y complain about something you'll never be able to change? I guess people just like to vent on this forum.

 

You misinterpret me; I'm not complaining but rather just posting my feelings on that particular matter. If you reread my post, you'd probably pick up on my main peeve -- talking so loudly that everyone knows your business. To speak at such high levels is obnoxious.

 

Why do people reserve pool chairs without returning to them for hours. There's always going to be chair hogs and there's nothing we can really do to stop them, but people still share their feelings regarding the matter. Should we label those folks as "people just like to vent on this forum"? ;)

[BadBoysDriveAudi]

Mine is an 'on-call device' (Pocket PC) and I'm the only one that does what I do at work and I'm basically on call all the time.

 

On call -- I know what that's like.

 

 

On my last cruise, I made one call, from Juneau, as I watched floatplanes land and take off from my balcony. That was to my Husband, who believes Alaska is too cold, while I was wearing shorts and tshirt (it was over 80!!!)

 

Good to know that your impression of Alaskan weather was changed (or rather, your husband's impression when you called him).

 

 

The problem is the inconsideration. I don't care that people take them and use them. I care when they invade my 'sound space' with loud yakking. But, I can walk away :)

 

That's precisely the situation I was talking about. When it's easy to walk away, I'll do that. When you're couped up in a plane and you can clearly hear the person five rows ahead of you, that's another matter.

 

Again, go ahead and call up your ride, let them know you've landed and will need to go grab your luggage -- I don't care. Just do it in a way that allows me to still be able to read my book and tune you out. Hearing about who did what to who and other mindless chat from 30 yards away just isn't my cup of tea.