Beware using your net card in the Bahamas, $3700 bill

[elcorrido]

FYI-

 

Just received my Verizon bill and we use our phones for business when cruising so I know to expect a large bill but was I shocked when my bill came in at over $4000. We used our net card for the1st time aboard Imagination and we used in for about 2-3 hours total, it was only a 3 day cruise and they charged us $3700. Sure makes the internet on the ship seem cheap. The charges are broke up into 2 categories, cruise ship time and Bahamas time.I believe they charged by the KB and we used somewhere around 150,000KB. I pay $60 a month for the net card unlimited. My average bill is only $300 so I can't even imagine Verizon letting the bill rack up like that. We're working to get it resolved/reduced settled but no luck yet. Just wanted to pass on the warning. Did anyone else ever have this problem?

 

Im going to try to figure out how to send you a private message with some info that I hope helps.

[elcorrido]

FYI-

 

Just received my Verizon bill and we use our phones for business when cruising so I know to expect a large bill but was I shocked when my bill came in at over $4000. We used our net card for the1st time aboard Imagination and we used in for about 2-3 hours total, it was only a 3 day cruise and they charged us $3700. Sure makes the internet on the ship seem cheap. The charges are broke up into 2 categories, cruise ship time and Bahamas time.I believe they charged by the KB and we used somewhere around 150,000KB. I pay $60 a month for the net card unlimited. My average bill is only $300 so I can't even imagine Verizon letting the bill rack up like that. We're working to get it resolved/reduced settled but no luck yet. Just wanted to pass on the warning. Did anyone else ever have this problem?

 

ok I guess that feature is not available to send u a message. Is the high rates only for you aircard?? call vz and ask if they have an international plan for your card, if so ask if you can bk dte to that bill to at least lower the rates while u were using it in the bahamas. While on the cruise ship there is nothing that lowers rates so there won't be much help there. Every person you talk to is different so on one call they might offer a credit while another they will say No right away. Im trying to give you suggestions without giving all the info out as I used to work for vz.

[EmmaJean]

Will you be charged if your phone is turned on? We always use ours to tell time. Maybe we should buy a watch.

[choclitsnda]

Will you be charged if your phone is turned on? We always use ours to tell time. Maybe we should buy a watch.

 

If your phone rings & you Don't answer it & your voice mail picks it up...You WILL be CHARGED the Same ($2.99/min) as if you did answer.

 

Bottom line....Get a Watch to tell time.

 

http://cellularatsea.com/

[GlendaleCruiser]

YUK! Good luck to you but thanks for the warning. I have Centennial Wireless and never used it out of the country. I am in the process of looking for a new cell phone provider and thanks to your post I can cross Verizon off my list as a possibilty.

 

Don't blame Verizon. They have a great international plan. They are happy to provide access for a Global plan for 30-days for around $5.99. I didn't have a phone that would work in Europe and they loaned me one for free for 30-days while I was there. While on the phone activating it, they brought my attention to the booklet sent that told what each country charges for air time, plus the ship rates. I was able to manage my bill because of that up front research. Also, was able to use my own phone number.

[NCTribeFan]

You don't want to use your phone for a clock or alarm anyway. At least I don't.

 

Ended up going down for immigrations in St Thomas an hour early (thought I'd gotten up at 6 am and it turned out it was 5) because the phone automatically switches to local time. That is NOT what you want when you're supposed to stay on ship time!

 

I'm one of those who turns off the phone when I board, then make sure it's charged that last evening so I can use it when we arrive in port. If I need to make a call.

 

I don't take a laptop. I don't buy the ship internet service. I don't spend my time in port hunting for an internet cafe.

 

I don't call home! But then, I sail with the only family I have, my DD.

 

And I cruise to get away from it all, not to stay in touch with people and especially not the office! ;)

 

Anyway, folks, the OP is NOT talking about cell phone service and billing.

[GlendaleCruiser]

There was a thread on here a few months ago about someone going to Canada and their I-phone browsed the internet the whole time. Ended up with an $11k bill. I seem to recall it was one of the Mythbuster guys and someone had read an article reminding people to turn off that mode when in other countries due to high access charges.

[RMLERL]

I read through the posts for cell coverage on the ship and found out this: cell coverage is provided by a company called Seacellular. They charge a flat useage fee irregardless of your package with Verizon, AT&T or whoever. The fee is somewhere around $2.50 per min for voice and .002/kb for data useage. I also confirmed that with my cell carrier. So no matter your home plan you must pay their rates as well. Oh yeah, on Cozumel Sprint is $1.49 per min. WOW

 

Thanks so much. I will use this rate with Verizon and see how it goes. We used 160,000 kb of data and the math turns out to be $320 for Seacellular. What a mark up for Verizon. Again, thanks so much.

[canner2u]

FYI-

 

Just received my Verizon bill and we use our phones for business when cruising so I know to expect a large bill but was I shocked when my bill came in at over $4000. We used our net card for the1st time aboard Imagination and we used in for about 2-3 hours total, it was only a 3 day cruise and they charged us $3700. Sure makes the internet on the ship seem cheap. The charges are broke up into 2 categories, cruise ship time and Bahamas time.I believe they charged by the KB and we used somewhere around 150,000KB. I pay $60 a month for the net card unlimited. My average bill is only $300 so I can't even imagine Verizon letting the bill rack up like that. We're working to get it resolved/reduced settled but no luck yet. Just wanted to pass on the warning. Did anyone else ever have this problem?

 

Originally Posted by JLHB

Our car that broke down is not sold in the US, so we had to make a few calls to make sure the parts could be shipped from Canada -- and that our car would be ready to drive home when we got back to port.

 

Just wanted to give you a warning about using pay phones in port. We made 3 calls from a pay phone in Cozumel in August. We couldn't find anywhere at the port the sold phone cards, so we used our credit card. Each call was less than a minute, but cost $49.00 for each call! Lesson learned....

 

For $3,700 you could have bought a really good used car! Or just think how many weeks of a rental car that money could have bought. Or a plane ticket home. I guess maybe next time it would be better to fly than drive a long way.

 

I think you have the two posters mixed up, the one with the broken down car is not the one with the $3700 cell bill.

[mumsyo]

Thank you for the information. Although I do have international calling on my cell phone--I am a Sr. citizen and would use it only in case of an emergency--I don't use my cell at all once I get on the ship or on foreign soil. I turn it off completely. And, I am like one of the former posters, I just make sure it is fully charged before I leave the ship on the last day just in case I should have to use it before I get home.

 

The charges for using your phone or your lap top on the ship could really mount up.

 

Marilyn

[clackey]

I feel sorry for you because you took a 3 day cruise and managed to conduct enough "Business" to rack up a $3,700 bill.

 

I'm not sorry about the money... I am sorry you stepped foot upon a ship while needing to conduct so much "business" in 3 days!

At least they got a good write off.;)

[itzkelly]

So, for those with Verizon, maybe you can help point me the way to figure out how to set up my Blackberry while on my cruise. If I wasn't leaving my husband home with our 2yr old and 4yr old while I went on a 7-day cruise with friends, I wouldn't be worrying about using my cell phone whatsoever; alas, there is simply no way I can go without touching base with my family and making sure all is well (this is the longest by far I've been away from my kiddos). Do I call verizon and ask for an international plan for the week I am gone? Will I need to turn off my internet access on my blackberry? My texts and emails all go to one inbox so if I turn off the internet access, will any texts continue to go to that inbox on my blackberry? May be a silly question, I know, but I rarely text and therefore have never done it while the internet access has been shut off my blackberry. Is there anything specific I need to mention to verizon in order to get the best deal possible and to make sure I won't get any "surprise" charges while out at sea and at the ports? Also, I know my husband likes to send me pictures of the boys whenever he is with them and I'm not...if I open these pics up, will this be expensive? (I can totally go without opening them up, but just curious).

 

Thanks for your advice!

 

Kelly :)

[cruisegirl29]

So, for those with Verizon, maybe you can help point me the way to figure out how to set up my Blackberry while on my cruise. If I wasn't leaving my husband home with our 2yr old and 4yr old while I went on a 7-day cruise with friends, I wouldn't be worrying about using my cell phone whatsoever; alas, there is simply no way I can go without touching base with my family and making sure all is well (this is the longest by far I've been away from my kiddos). Do I call verizon and ask for an international plan for the week I am gone? Will I need to turn off my internet access on my blackberry? My texts and emails all go to one inbox so if I turn off the internet access, will any texts continue to go to that inbox on my blackberry? May be a silly question, I know, but I rarely text and therefore have never done it while the internet access has been shut off my blackberry. Is there anything specific I need to mention to verizon in order to get the best deal possible and to make sure I won't get any "surprise" charges while out at sea and at the ports? Also, I know my husband likes to send me pictures of the boys whenever he is with them and I'm not...if I open these pics up, will this be expensive? (I can totally go without opening them up, but just curious).

 

Thanks for your advice!

 

Kelly :)

 

 

Hi Kelly,

 

I just called Verizon yesterday & added the Global data plan to my blackberry. They had to change my normal plan but it only went up by about 20 dollars. They will prorate the time that I will be on the Global plan-10 days once I call them when I return.

 

Here is what they told me:

Phone: I can keep it on, just do not answer it if it rings. There will be no charge.

Text: Any text received I will be charged 5 cents. That means even if I don't open the text. 50 cents to send.

Internet & Email: I am fully covered for unlimited data plan even when out to sea. There will be no additional charges.

 

 

Call Verizon & ask to talk to the Global Customer Service.

 

Let me know if I'm completely wrong or was given some wrong info!!

 

Sue

[Smithkids5521]

So, for those with Verizon, maybe you can help point me the way to figure out how to set up my Blackberry while on my cruise. If I wasn't leaving my husband home with our 2yr old and 4yr old while I went on a 7-day cruise with friends, I wouldn't be worrying about using my cell phone whatsoever; alas, there is simply no way I can go without touching base with my family and making sure all is well (this is the longest by far I've been away from my kiddos). Do I call verizon and ask for an international plan for the week I am gone? Will I need to turn off my internet access on my blackberry? My texts and emails all go to one inbox so if I turn off the internet access, will any texts continue to go to that inbox on my blackberry? May be a silly question, I know, but I rarely text and therefore have never done it while the internet access has been shut off my blackberry. Is there anything specific I need to mention to verizon in order to get the best deal possible and to make sure I won't get any "surprise" charges while out at sea and at the ports? Also, I know my husband likes to send me pictures of the boys whenever he is with them and I'm not...if I open these pics up, will this be expensive? (I can totally go without opening them up, but just curious).

 

Thanks for your advice!

Kelly :)

 

Hi Kelly,

 

I can completely understand that you'll want to keep in touch! I would have to check in on my hubby and 2 kids also (I have visions of them going days without baths and eating candy for breakfast!;)). What fun though to have a girls week long cruise!!! I am sooo jealous!!!:D

 

Do you have a lap top? Maybe it would be good for you to purchase the internet package on the ship- then you can email/ check in with home whenever you want. Also- if you have webcam and skype you can chat with the kids before bed and you can see each other... just a suggestion.

 

I would double check on what the rep told you- another poster mentioned that the global plan covered the phone calls/ texts, but internet had to be turned off in order to not be chrged the crazy fees!!!

 

Take care,

Diana:)

[crusinpsychRN]

I am impressed you are still taking in enough oxygen to post this...I would have passed out and not regained consciousness.

 

LOL!! Me too!

[itzkelly]

Sue and Diana ~ thanks for your advice! I will call Verizon today and get myself set up...I will be sure to let you know if I receive any different information! I do have a laptop I can bring, but would prefer to stay connected via the blackberry if possible. Of course, if there is a huge $$ discrepancy between the two, making the laptop more affordable, then I will lug that thing around, lol.

 

Sue, with unlimited internet/email thru verizon on the blackberry, does that mean I don't have to pay Carnival for internet access? Does verizon's system bypass them somehow??

[cruisegirl29]

 

Sue, with unlimited internet/email thru verizon on the blackberry, does that mean I don't have to pay Carnival for internet access? Does verizon's system bypass them somehow??

 

The Verizon Global Customer Service Rep told me that you would just use your blackberry like normal. I think it does pick up the Cellular at sea but that I wouldn't be charged because I have the Global Monthly plan for Data....that Verizon wouldn't charge any extra for it. Now when I called them, they did add in my cruise ship name & all the ports of calls to see what the global plan vs. pay per min plan prices would be. Well duh...the global plan is cheaper!! LOL...

 

Let me know if they give you different info!!

Sue

[tbrown]

I would check on the no fees for use of Cellular Seas that isn't part of Verizon it is just billed to your acct as a 3rd party. I do believe you will find you still have to pay the ships Cellular Sea the net rate.

[cruisegirl29]

I would check on the no fees for use of Cellular Seas that isn't part of Verizon it is just billed to your acct as a 3rd party. I do believe you will find you still have to pay the ships Cellular Sea the net rate.

 

For the using the telephone then yes.

 

I was told no fee for the data since I was on a blackberry global monthly plan. If that was the case, then I would just turn my phone off when we boarded the ship. Then each day when we got off on the island I would just turn it back on.

 

Guess I'll need to make another call the Verizon. I want to be sure!!

 

Sue