Satellite phone and cell in a PV cabin.

When I see that this is a “perk” in a PV cabin...does that mean I can use my personal cell phone to make calls? I know I can text n FaceTime with the free WiFi on the ship....

reality check ..... (just off SKY last week)

The phone in your room has access to the satellite system for making calls off the ship - this is $$ but the service is available.

Viking ships will connect your cell to the satellite system but unless you know what you are doing (and being charged) I do NOT recommend doing this.

Viking Ocean ships have free WiFi ... but the service it a wee bit less than what you might experience at home. I never tried to make a 'wifi phonecall' (which is actually in the technical world VoIP or Voice over IP). We had issues just getting e-mail reliably at times.

I could go into the technical reasons for this which I understand (when I worked I bought satellite internet service for ships) but bottom line is no, you probably do not want to simply pick up your phone and dial ......

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for the most part we were able to send/rcv e-mails via the ship wifi/satellite at no charge

I have verizon cell phone service and added one month of international access with 100 minutes and 100GB, 100 outgoing msgs and unlimited incoming for $40. We made several calls and used the data connection for maps in towns and did not exceed our limits being 'over there' for nearly 4 weeks total ....

I have verizon cell phone service and added one month of international access with 100 minutes and 100GB, 100 outgoing msgs and unlimited incoming for $40. We made several calls and used the data connection for maps in towns and did not exceed our limits being 'over there' for nearly 4 weeks total ....

Not trying to nitpick but before anyone picks up and leaves their current plan for the bigV, that should read 100MB of data, not GB.

We don't make phone calls while abroad but at the same time, my parents are in their 90s, so we use the pay by the day Travel Pass that Verizon offers and only pay for the days on which we use the plan. If it turns out that we need to used it more than 4 days on a trip, then we have made the wrong choice but at the same time, it is better for us than $40 every time we travel for service that we might not use.

reality check ..... (just off SKY last week)

 

The phone in your room has access to the satellite system for making calls off the ship - this is $$ but the service is available.

 

Viking ships will connect your cell to the satellite system but unless you know what you are doing (and being charged) I do NOT recommend doing this.

 

Viking Ocean ships have free WiFi ... but the service it a wee bit less than what you might experience at home. I never tried to make a 'wifi phonecall' (which is actually in the technical world VoIP or Voice over IP). We had issues just getting e-mail reliably at times.

 

I could go into the technical reasons for this which I understand (when I worked I bought satellite internet service for ships) but bottom line is no, you probably do not want to simply pick up your phone and dial ......

 

***************

for the most part we were able to send/rcv e-mails via the ship wifi/satellite at no charge

 

I have verizon cell phone service and added one month of international access with 100 minutes and 100GB, 100 outgoing msgs and unlimited incoming for $40. We made several calls and used the data connection for maps in towns and did not exceed our limits being 'over there' for nearly 4 weeks total ....

When traveling on the TA San Juan to Barcelona I was able to FaceTime my husband at home using the provided internet. It was very clear. Good to touch base with home.

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While the wifi was spotty and slow on the Midnight Sun, I was able to make a pretty clear VoIP call via my Comcast app to deal with fraudulent CC purchases. (Just a reminder to *always* have a backup cc while traveling!!)

Same , we utilized FT several times, TA this past March. Worked every time. Pleased with the coverage and speed.

technical points

1. yes my GB reference was wrong wrt Verizon ... I should have typed MB but comments are accurate

2. where the ship is cruising can have a significant impact on your internet access via the ship system. In layman term ... look around your neighborhood, or maybe just your house .... Do you see a home 'satellite dish'? Is it pointed UP at a 45 degree angle? This is because of the position of the satellite 22,000 miles above the equator. If a ship is in similar latitudes the angle needed to 'see' the satellite is also similar. Now let's talk about a cruise NORTH .... while in the ports of our 'midnight sun' trip I observed home dish systems almost horizontal ..... this is the angle you need "up north" to see the bird (satellite)

What happens when the ship is in a deep fiord???? When the 'line of sight' to the satellite is into the face of a mountain????? (hint: no connection)

In other words ..... the service seen in the Med may have no relation to the service seen in the fiords for no reason controllable by the vessel . ..

Well,,, my recollection is my TA,, Caribbean was well WOW,,, Mid Atlantic again a WOW,, into the Med.. Service was again WOW. This is my real example. Did you have issues in a Fjord, if so which one? So, when you were in those Fjords, as in When she left that place you were in ,,,,what was the service level? Id be surprise you had bad service. I thought its Line of sight,, I guess not?

technical points

 

...

2. where the ship is cruising can have a significant impact on your internet access via the ship system. In layman term ... look around your neighborhood, or maybe just your house .... Do you see a home 'satellite dish'? Is it pointed UP at a 45 degree angle? This is because of the position of the satellite 22,000 miles above the equator. If a ship is in similar latitudes the angle needed to 'see' the satellite is also similar. Now let's talk about a cruise NORTH .... while in the ports of our 'midnight sun' trip I observed home dish systems almost horizontal ..... this is the angle you need "up north" to see the bird (satellite)

 

What happens when the ship is in a deep fiord???? When the 'line of sight' to the satellite is into the face of a mountain????? (hint: no connection)

 

In other words ..... the service seen in the Med may have no relation to the service seen in the fiords for no reason controllable by the vessel . ..

At last, a clear explanation. Thank you.

technical points

 

2. where the ship is cruising can have a significant impact on your internet access via the ship system. In layman term ... look around your neighborhood, or maybe just your house .... Do you see a home 'satellite dish'? Is it pointed UP at a 45 degree angle? This is because of the position of the satellite 22,000 miles above the equator. If a ship is in similar latitudes the angle needed to 'see' the satellite is also similar. Now let's talk about a cruise NORTH .... while in the ports of our 'midnight sun' trip I observed home dish systems almost horizontal ..... this is the angle you need "up north" to see the bird (satellite)

 

What happens when the ship is in a deep fiord???? When the 'line of sight' to the satellite is into the face of a mountain????? (hint: no connection)

..

Exactly! We were not surprised at the lack of connectivity in fjords and far north...more surprised at hearing others complain about it. It's fairly common sense... I live in PA and lose XM radio service like clockwork when I drive behind certain "mountains."

I was happily surprised that my VoIP went through so easily...though I think we were south of the Circle by that point.

Just to clarify -those $10 a day plans offered by ATT/VZ are for in port - not on the ship.