Do Cell Phones work on ship & on islands (AOS)

[astrohip]

In all the threads I've read, I haven't seen this asked or talked about...

 

Will be on the AOS in 9 days--the San Juan-Aruba-Curacao-StM-StT route. Will my cell phone work at sea? Will it work in San Juan? And will it work on any of the islands?

 

I am not looking to leave it on, or even really use it. Just wondering if something came up, could I use it at all? I have Verizon service in the US.

 

Thanks!

[wrp96]

You need to check with Verizon for international rates and whether your phone will work in St. Maarten, Curacao, and Aruba.

 

AOS does have a cell tower. Service is provided by Cellular at Sea but you have to check with Verizon for rates. I know AT&T charges $2.49 per minute to use a cell phone onboard the ship.

 

San Juan and St. Thomas are usually included in nationwide calling plans so no extra charges, but again you should check directly with Verizon to verify this.

[Desert Cruizers]

astrohip, it will probably depend on how good a service you get. We had Verizon and once we left Miami, 2 days out, on our 17 day Panana, we got nothing until we got back over on the West Coast near San Francisco. Now on the other hand, during our Hawaii Cruise this Oct, ( now with Sprint) we had great service in the middle of the Pacific. Perhaps it was our ship, ROS that had a better Cell capability

[SugarNSpice8104]

I also have Verizon. If you call them they will tell you if each island has service and how much per minute. Its $2.50 per minute to call from the ship. San Juan is free. Just uses your minutes. St. Thomas I believe was 69 cents per minute and St. Martin was $1.29 per minute. Have not been to Aruba or Curacao yet so I'm not sure. I never had a problem getting service and the reception was perfect. Will be doing the same ship and itinerary in March. You'll have to write a review. Can't wait!!

[astrohip]

Thanks, I'll contact Verizon just to see what they say about the various islands.

 

Getting closer . . . :)

[satxdiver]

This Verizon webpage addresses using your CDMA Verizon phone outside the USA: http://b2b.vzw.com/international/Roaming/rates_coverage.html. Be sure to read the T&A at the bottom that requires you to add international dialing feature BEFORE leaving the USA. They are showing a charge for Puerto Rico and USVI (St Thomas).

 

When using your cell phone on the ship, you will be using Cellular at Sea, a service provided by Wireless Maritime Services (WMS). It uses satellite for the communication. Satellite communication can become disrupted due to many factors - ask any DishTV or DirectTV customers. This is compounded by a moving ship. WMS is a joint venture of AT&T and Maritime Communications Network and is not a retail outlet. They sell their services to the various cellular companies such as Verizon. The bill for using the service will come from your cell company (Verizon) with the charges determined by them.

 

AT&T and TMobil use GSM technology for their cell phones as well as most of the rest of the cellular companies in the world. Sprint and Verizon use CDMA technology almost exclusively used only in the USA and Canada. The two technologies are not compatible. World cell phones sold by many cellular companies including Verizon use GSM. Verizon users need to check the above cited webpage to see if their CDMA cell phones will work in foreign nations.

[Debde]

Somebody correct me if I am wrong but does it not depend on the plan you have? Specifically roaming/international plan??

I have a standard simple plan and was even told to turn my phone off as weather you use it or not-you may incur roaming fees!!!:eek: Once we left PR-I turned mine off.

My son has T-mobil with no roaming fee's and said his phone worked no problem. I kept telling him if I get a huge bill for this-I will cry. For once he was a good boy and was correct!!!;) I did notice he was not actually talking as much as texting and internet use so I'm not sure if there is a difference. I am very technology challenged-can ya tell!!!:D

We were on AOS and did the same route you are doing.

[want2seaitall]

When using your cell phone on the ship, you will be using Cellular at Sea, a service provided by Wireless Maritime Services (WMS).

 

I noticed when I opened my cellphone on board to check the time it said Cellular at Sea (we have At&t). I was afraid to use the phone due to the costs that may be associated. Does anyone know what the charge is to use this service?

[wrp96]

I noticed when I opened my cellphone on board to check the time it said Cellular at Sea (we have At&t). I was afraid to use the phone due to the costs that may be associated. Does anyone know what the charge is to use this service?

 

 

For AT&T it costs $2.49 per minute to use Cellular at Sea.

[want2seaitall]

For AT&T it costs $2.49 per minute to use Cellular at Sea.

 

Thank you much! I'm jotting that down. I really don't use my phone while on a cruise...but it would be nice to give out to the person who house/kitty sits for us...in case of emergency.

[Benita]

If you have an iphone and are in an area with free wifi access in the ports, you can used Truphone which is an free application you can download. It comes with $1.00 worth of free minutes and we added $5.00 on the website with our credit card, to be replenished automatically in $5.00 increments. It allows you to call the US through the wifi for only 6 cents a minute (and free if you call somebody else who has Truphone). We used it in the Philippines and it was great considering roaming charges would have made it about $2.00 a minute through ATT. We have not tried it on a cruise ship, but it will probably work if the ship allows you to log on with Wifi - you would still use up the Wifi minutes purchased from the ship during the time of use, but it is a lot cheaper than the $2.49 a minute for Cellular at Sea. To be on the safe side, when I use this, I go to airplane mode and then click on WIFI, so I don't incur roaming charges. This is similar to using SKYPE, but you do not have to use a laptop

[Alexis]

I have posted this many times on here.

I did the Deep Southern route, Western route and the Eastern route.

I have Verizon and it cost me $2.49 per minute outside of the US and San Juan. Free on my minutes until I left there. If not, I could still have used it in ports for the same price, and I often did. ;)

A flat $2.49 per minute for each call. On board or ashore in ports all over the Caribbean.

The ship would have cost $7.95 per minute to use their phones/service.

Verizon put me on International roaming and it would roam and pick up anywhere we went except Margarita Island, Venezuela. No phone or computer service there for the whole day.

It is definitely worth it to use your own by first checking with your own company.

Before you leave home and the US, call your company and have them put you on International Roaming right over the phone. It automatically switches over when you need it on the ship or off the ship. My connections for my whole 13 day Southern Caribbean trip, 7 day Eastern trip and 7 day Western trip, were always as clear as if the person were standing next to me. I never had a problem anywhere in the Caribbean.

I NEVER paid any more than the $2.49 on the ship, or ashore, when making a call on my Verizon cell phone.

[ccletzgo]

and while on the ship, phone is $2.49 and text message is only 50 cents a text (sending and receiving) with verizon. I was able to do alot of communicating with my work by text message. ;) When you are in port and the ships tower is shut off, this is where your own personal plan comes in.

[mo&fran]

Keep your phone turned off when on board ship unless you intend to use it. Anyone dials your number you will be charged for it, whether you talk or not.

[satxdiver]

I noticed when I opened my cellphone on board to check the time it said Cellular at Sea (we have At&t). I was afraid to use the phone due to the costs that may be associated. Does anyone know what the charge is to use this service?

 

The service is called "Cellular at Sea" and AT&T cell phones will display that phrase when used on the ship. WMS owns Cellular at Sea. The fee for AT&T (Cingular) cell phones is $2.49/minute. With AT&T you don't have to do anything ahead of time, just use it. Incidentally if you are in Puerto Rico or USVI (St Thomas), it is included in your nationwide minutes so no extra charge.

[SnowBird Cruzer]

I'll be on AOS in March and I was wondering too.

I have Alltel, so I went to their website.

Here's the 411 direct from their website:

(Go to Plans, Add-ons, Voice Services, International)

 

"Want to stay in touch while you are cruising at sea? Cruise Ship Roaming allows you to make and receive roaming calls on your Alltel phone while aboard select cruise ships at sea.

Convenient peace of mind

Cruise Ship Roaming allows you to stay available while on vacation, and provides peace of mind knowing that friends and family can reach you if you are needed.

In addition to the convenience of using your own wireless phone, Cruise Ship Roaming provides a more affordable alternative to ship-based satellite phones that can cost as much as $13 per minute.

Cruise Ship Roaming calls are $2.49 per minute plus toll. Toll charges to U.S.-based numbers are $.50 or less. Toll to phone numbers outside of the U.S. may exceed $.50 per minute.

How Cruise Ship Roaming works

Participating cruise ships have a cell site on board that is activated when the ship is at sea. As the ship approaches a port, the Cruise Ship Roaming service is turned off. If you wish to use your phone after that point, you are required to use the carrier serving the port you are visiting.

Who can use Cruise Ship Roaming?

Cruise Ship Roaming is available on Alltel phones and there is no extra software required. It is important, however, to make sure you have the latest roaming list on your wireless phone before you leave for your trip. To update your roaming list, dial *228 on your wireless phone from your home city.

Cruise Ship Roaming may not be available to Unlimited Rate Plan subscribers. The roaming list for these customers is automatically updated every two weeks.

Also, Cruise Ship Roaming covers voice usage only. Data usage (including BlackBerry and Office Sync), messaging (text/picture/video), and Touch2Talk are not available via Cruise Ship Roaming.

How to place a Cruise Ship Roaming call

For calls to the USA, Canada and the Caribbean, dial 1 + area code + number. For calls to other countries, dial 0 + country code + number."

 

I also went to see what they had for info while in port. For the stops (Aruba, Curacao, St. Thomas, St. Maarten) this is what they had to say:

 

" Alltel has roaming agreements with several international carriers that will allow you to take your Alltel phone and phone number to make and receive calls while roaming outside of the United States. Visit My Account or call 1-800-alltel1 to add International Dialing† for free in order to avoid technical issues while roaming. Also, be sure to dial *228 Send from your home market before departing for your trip to ensure that you have the most current roaming software for your phone. Alltel partners with carriers in the countries below to provide service on your normal Alltel phone:

Country

Roam Rate

Aruba3 [map]

$1.29

Barbados3 [map]

$1.29

Bermuda3

$1.29

British Virgin Islands

$1.29

Canada2 [map]

$0.79

Cayman Islands3 (Grand Cayman only) [map]

$1.29

Curacao

$1.29

Dominican Republic

$1.29

Jamaica3 [map]

$1.29

Netherlands Antilles3 (Bonaire)

$1.29

Mexico2 [map] [city list]

$0.79

Puerto Rico1 [map]

$1.29

St. Maarten3

$1.29

US Virgin Islands1 [map]

$1.29

 

For other areas where service is not available with your Alltel phone, please see the option below.

As an Alltel partner for international roaming, IMC World Cell offers a high-quality, convenient way to stay in touch around the world. WorldCell provides the most comprehensive international wireless telecommunications service available. From GSM Cellular phones to satellite phones, WorldCell is a one-stop global wireless provider that:

 

• Keeps you connected with family and friends while traveling
  
• Provides comfort, security and the convenience of a wireless phone
  
• Offers reliable and easy-to-use service
  
• Allows you to call or be reached anytime, anywhere
  
• Costs less than calling cards, hotel phones or payphones
  
• Gives you access to customer representatives 24/7
  

For additionalinformation on renting or buying a global wireless phone from TravelComm, >GO

Alltel Customers with a Blackberry 8830 World Edition Smartphone can purchase a SIM Card from Alltel for even better voice and data rates abroad, as well as the benefit of retaining the same phone number while traveling abroad. Click here for additional details on Alltel's global solution for the BlackBerry 8830.

†The International Dialing capability is free, but airtime and toll charges apply to any toll calls made.

1 Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands are included in the footprint of National Freedom, North American Freedom, and Smart Choice Plans. This roam rate applies to rate plans outside of those families.

2 Canada and Mexico are included in the footprint of North American Freedom. This roam rate applies to rate plans other than North American Freedom.

3 For Customers with a BlackBerry 8830 World Edition Smartphone, service may be available in these countries on a GSM network. You must ensure that your phone is set to CDMA Mode in order to obtain these lower rates in these countries. For GSM rates and instruction how to set your mode to CDMA, visit the International Roaming page."

 

 

And then Alltell had a link to RCCL, so it looks like it'll be okay.

Of course, I don't think I'll be using my phone. I'm on VACATION!