Watch those roaming charges - even while in a U.S. port!!

[MadManOfBethesda]

The poor cruiseship passenger in the linked article came home to a $28,000 bill for charges incurred while the ship was still docked at the Port of Miami!!

 

http://www.suntimes.com/news/zimmerm...ixer23.article

[RuthC]

But did the Bears win??? :confused:

[cruz chic]

Frankly I don't have any sympathy for the person. I wish more people would leave their cell phones at home (unless they are dealing with an emergency).

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for the link.

At least the man is lucky that he could prove everything and now doesn't have to pay the $27,788.88 bill since AT & T found out what the problem was.

[pms4104]

Frankly I don't have any sympathy for the person. I wish more people would leave their cell phones at home (unless they are dealing with an emergency).

If I understood correctly, the issue was not a cell phone but an internet connection that sent his bill thru the roof.

 

We do take one of our cell phones with us, as we have nationwide long distance with no roaming charges in the U.S. It's very handy for the couple of pre-cruise days we spend in FLL. As soon as we get ready for sailaway, we turn it off and put it in the safes ... and we turn it on again when we've arrived back at Port Everglades.

[jcrandle]

As I understood it, it was his cell phone connection that provided his internet service. All ships are supposed to turn off their on-board cell towers when they leave international waters, as required by the FCC. Sounds like someone on his ship (or perhaps an adjacent ship) neglected to do so.

 

All cellphone calls, including wireless internet over cellphone, record the information about which provider and tower were used to provide the service. ATT could have identified the miscreant, and forwarded that info to the FCC for investigation. Severe fines could be levied for operating an unlicensed (in the US) cellphone service.

[WriterOnDeck]

Frankly I don't have any sympathy for the person. I wish more people would leave their cell phones at home (unless they are dealing with an emergency).

 

This is a little extreme, IMHO. I take my cell phone and laptop on cruises frequently, because I need to work a couple of hours a day. For most people, a cruise is a vacation. For me, it is a means to provide my parents with a vacation, since it is about the only way they can comfortably travel and they need someone along to help at times.

 

I am blessed that I have a job that I can do from anywhere with an Internet connection, and clients who are flexible. If I couldn't travel with my parents, they would not get to travel as much as they want.

 

I do get tired of people "lecturing" me about working day in and day out on the ship.

 

Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now. But please, everyone, remember that all circumstances are not the same.

[pms4104]

I maintain it was not his cell phone. This, from the article linked above:

 

"I have this wonderful Slingbox connected to my cable box, that feeds into my modem. It sends my cable signal through the Internet to my computer."

 

He must have his internet thru AT&T, and the AT&T connection to his laptop is for WI-FI. So, the issue is with AT&T as a wireless provider rather than as a cell phone service.

 

I'm not a techno-geek, but that's what I surmise from the article.

[topspot]

But did the Bears win??? :confused:

 

Yes, 27 to 23

[cruz chic]

This is a little extreme, IMHO. I take my cell phone and laptop on cruises frequently, because I need to work a couple of hours a day. For most people, a cruise is a vacation. For me, it is a means to provide my parents with a vacation, since it is about the only way they can comfortably travel and they need someone along to help at times.

 

I am blessed that I have a job that I can do from anywhere with an Internet connection, and clients who are flexible. If I couldn't travel with my parents, they would not get to travel as much as they want.

 

I do get tired of people "lecturing" me about working day in and day out on the ship.

 

Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now. But please, everyone, remember that all circumstances are not the same.

Maybe it is a little extreme but it is extremely frustrating to be sitting on an outside deck relaxing and here comes buddy screaming into his/her cell phone. What do you need the phone for? They can hear you without it. Same thing on the bus coming from work....do I really need to hear that you are bankrupt...what you are making for dinner etc. This is why I get frustrated. On the news tonight another guy was complaining about a huge cellphone bill because he was surfing the net by the pool. Gee....that's to bad. I wish that people would just leave the technology at home for a week or two. Hey...I love the internet too but I can leave it alone for a while. I can never understand the attraction of being in touch 24/7. If you want to work on your vacation that is your business. I just get upset with the others that feel the need to break my eardrums with their "important" calls.

[cruz chic]

I maintain it was not his cell phone. This, from the article linked above:

 

"I have this wonderful Slingbox connected to my cable box, that feeds into my modem. It sends my cable signal through the Internet to my computer."

 

He must have his internet thru AT&T, and the AT&T connection to his laptop is for WI-FI. So, the issue is with AT&T as a wireless provider rather than as a cell phone service.

 

I'm not a techno-geek, but that's what I surmise from the article.

I'm not a techno-geek either but the fact remains...if the cell phone was at home....this wouldn't have happened.

[MadManOfBethesda]

I'm not a techno-geek either but the fact remains...if the cell phone was at home....this wouldn't have happened.

 

No, you're still wrong. This has nothing to do with a phone at all. It wouldn't have mattered if he left his cell phone at home. In fact, you don't even need to own a cell phone. He was using a wireless Internet card (EVDO) provided by his cellular carrier, AT&T. The wireless card connects to a lap top, not to a phone.

 

I have the same thing with Verizon and used my aircard for Internet access when we sailed through the Hawaiian Islands las month. It was a helluva lot cheaper than the ships 40 cents/minute charge. In fact, it was completely free!! Unlike the poor sole in the article however, I had my VZ Access Manager set to disable roaming, so I knew I wouldn't end up in his predicament.

[kryos]

I do get tired of people "lecturing" me about working day in and day out on the ship.

 

Sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now. But please, everyone, remember that all circumstances are not the same.

Don't feel bad. I'm with you. I too have to do some work while on a cruise. True, my regular job doesn't require me to check in, but if I want to keep up my standard of living, (i.e., be able to cruise) I need to keep up with the freelance writing ... even while onboard a ship.

 

As for the cell phone, I have to keep in touch with family members. When I cruise, I leave my 95 year old father back at home. I need to check in with him and with others who are keeping an eye on him ... just to make sure all is well. And, if it's not ... sadly, my cruise would be coming to an abrupt end. :(

 

My cell phone and laptop travel with me on cruises all the time now, and while I certainly don't walk around the ship with a cell phone glued to my ear (who could afford that?) ... I do use it on occasion, and use my laptop (in the privacy of my cabin) every single day.

 

That's just the way it is today.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

Maybe it is a little extreme but it is extremely frustrating to be sitting on an outside deck relaxing and here comes buddy screaming into his/her cell phone.

I have to honestly say ... I have yet to see such a thing on a HAL cruise. Yes, I have seen people out on deck while in port ... especially a U.S. port ... talking on their telephones, but I have never seen someone shouting or being intrusive about it.

 

I've just never seen cell phone usage on a ship ... or at least a HAL ship ... being a problem. But maybe that's just my experience.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

The poor cruiseship passenger in the linked article came home to a $28,000 bill for charges incurred while the ship was still docked at the Port of Miami!!

Even with a phone ... there's roaming charges as I sadly discovered on my last cruise. I had loads of free minutes and was sitting in the Ocean Bar calling friends early one evening while docked in Hawaii. I knew that since we were docked, the ship's cell system would be turned off and I would be using the port side systems.

 

As a sidenote, I know I wasn't bothering another soul since I was the only one in there at the time. Everyone else was off the ship since we were in port until very late that evening. So, I figured I would call some friends and make them jealous ... "guess where I am right now?" :)

 

Never thought about the roaming charges though and when I returned home I had a bill for about $60 additional from Verizon. I called them about it ... "What? Isn't Hawaii a part of my coverage area? I shouldn't be charged for this." "Well," the nice lady on the other end of the phone explained, "you weren't charged for the AIRTIME ... just the roaming." Ahhhhhhh ... :(

 

I'll know better next time and just use the phone for necessary calls ... even while in port.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[cruz chic]

I have to honestly say ... I have yet to see such a thing on a HAL cruise. Yes, I have seen people out on deck while in port ... especially a U.S. port ... talking on their telephones, but I have never seen someone shouting or being intrusive about it.

 

I've just never seen cell phone usage on a ship ... or at least a HAL ship ... being a problem. But maybe that's just my experience.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

You are VERY lucky. I have had this happen to me no less then a dozen times...and all on HAL ships.

[cruz chic]

Don't feel bad. I'm with you. I too have to do some work while on a cruise. True, my regular job doesn't require me to check in, but if I want to keep up my standard of living, (i.e., be able to cruise) I need to keep up with the freelance writing ... even while onboard a ship.

 

As for the cell phone, I have to keep in touch with family members. When I cruise, I leave my 95 year old father back at home. I need to check in with him and with others who are keeping an eye on him ... just to make sure all is well. And, if it's not ... sadly, my cruise would be coming to an abrupt end. :(

 

My cell phone and laptop travel with me on cruises all the time now, and while I certainly don't walk around the ship with a cell phone glued to my ear (who could afford that?) ... I do use it on occasion, and use my laptop (in the privacy of my cabin) every single day.

 

That's just the way it is today.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

It's your choice to do freelance work while on the ship. This is a second income from the way you describe it so I don't think it's a necessity just something you like to do to be able to realize your travel plans. I too worry about my parents and check in with them to make sure they are ok. I call from shore or I have also bought a HAL phone card to do that. It's a heck of a lot easier and I'm sure cheaper then dragging the cell phone. If something were to happen family can contact the ship. I'm not saying people shouldn't bring the cell but everyone has what they feel is a good reason to have the phone attached to their hip. I'm just asking that people be aware when they use their phone that you are not the only one in the universe and everyone doesn't need to know your business.