Cell phone question

I was wondering what everyone does with their cell phones. I need to be able to text primarily to my daughter who will be at home to check in. I have Sprint.....I know in years past on a cruise my provider added something to the phone so we could get text/calls. wondering whats the best way to go in todays world. thank you for any helpful info.

We have AT&T, this is what we do. Forward all incoming calls to home phone # or our daughters phone. Turn off data and wifi. That leaves phone open for texts, camera, alarm clock... free incoming text, 50 cents outgoing.

Safe sailing

Mine goes in airplane mode, then I turn on wifi and use the ship's internet if needed. If you both have iPhones then iMessage works over wifi. Same goes for when in port you can usually find places with wifi. Additionally newer phones have wifi calling which you can use to make voice calls over wifi. However I cannot speak to the quality of this onboard ship.

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I used the internet on my phone in Canada for less than 5 minutes and was charged $50. You can opt to add foreign counties to your plan, I think, but I didn't do that.

Google "sprint cruise plans" to see what your provider can offer you and for how much.

We use the I concierge ap on the ship. its 10.00 for each phone to text each other on the ship and calls home are only 79 cents per minute.

Put it in the safe

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Sprint has free roaming in a lot of Caribbean countries.

Check this out:

https://www.sprint.com/en/shop/services/global-roaming.html

You get free text and free 2G data. Just make sure to turn off LTE or it will cost you a fortune.

You can also sign up Google Voice, and use Google Hangout to send message to your daughter for free.

Check in when you are in port. You'll find wifi access at places, if you stand in front of hotels you should be able to pick up their signal as well. Ask crew members where you can find hot spots etc, they will know.

I just don't answer the phone and let it go to voicemail. Talk to your carrier about your ports too. Many US plans are valid as is in Puerto Rico and the USVI. And Mexico or for a fee. Then you get to international roaming. Ask if there are any roaming plans. AT&T has a deal for $10 a day in many countries and it kicks in only if you use it on any given day for that country. Covers data and voice according to your home plan (I have unlimited, so there is no reason I can't use the phone as much as I want for that port for just an extra $10 that day.)

Sprint has a plan that reduces costs while traveling for a monthly fee that can be applied, taken off, and pro-rated.

I just don't answer the phone and let it go to voicemail. Talk to your carrier about your ports too. Many US plans are valid as is in Puerto Rico and the USVI. And Mexico or for a fee. Then you get to international roaming. Ask if there are any roaming plans. AT&T has a deal for $10 a day in many countries and it kicks in only if you use it on any given day for that country. Covers data and voice according to your home plan (I have unlimited, so there is no reason I can't use the phone as much as I want for that port for just an extra $10 that day.)

 

Sprint has a plan that reduces costs while traveling for a monthly fee that can be applied, taken off, and pro-rated.

Caution. A lot of companies will charge you for an incoming international call, even if you don't pick up. As long as your phone is on and registered, you are charged.

Leave your phone in airplane mode.

Put it in the safe

 

 

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That is definitely my plan but leaving my oldest daughter in charge of my furry kids so just need to know they are ok and if she has any issues at home :cool: the rest of the world will wait till i get home!!

I was wondering what everyone does with their cell phones. I need to be able to text primarily to my daughter who will be at home to check in. I have Sprint.....I know in years past on a cruise my provider added something to the phone so we could get text/calls. wondering whats the best way to go in todays world. thank you for any helpful info.

Some pretty good answers. But - some things vary depending on which ship. And some of answers were for ship, and some for ashore.

#1 thing to do if nothing else. Turn off DATA ROAMING.

However I cannot speak to the quality of this onboard ship.

About the person that got charged $50 for calls made ashore. Most of the carriers now have plans that charge $10 a day for unlimited data and voice in most countries. T-Mobile is free on most of their plans. ATT and Verizon charge $10 a day, but you do have to activate it (free).

I usually put it in the safe. However, got T-Mobile phones last year and have been on 3 weekend Bahamas cruises since. Texting and internet are free and calls 99 cents a minute. Therefore, I left it on those cruises.

Note, internet is capped at 3G but was so supper slow in Nassau. It worked on Great Stirrup Key and was a little faster. My wife left her NOOK onboard so I downloaded the app and she got I the Barnes and noble website and was able to download her book and read on my phone.

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