internet on my phone using it on the cruise

[texasnana]

I also have internet on my phone. Does it work out in the sea and also is it expensive?

[redhead621]

I have AT & T service for my cellphone. I just asked this very same question of them. I was told that I would incur roaming charges for any emails that I rec'd. I was advised to shut off the internet to my cell unless I was within my calling area.

If you have your phone on and someone sends you and email, you will be charges even if you don't open it.

You should call your service provider and have them give you the rules for them.

[texasnana]

Thanks..just thought husband has company cellphone with company internet with company email address and personal. If he does not open personal just company there is not charge to company?

[cruizinmimi]

Thanks..just thought husband has company cellphone with company internet with company email address and personal. If he does not open personal just company there is not charge to company?

 

You better check with your carrier. I think you will be charged roaming charges.

[bajathree]

Data roaming is VERY expensive....like in $20 per meg expensive with AT&T....what does that mean....send a 1 meg pix in an e-mail (or receive one) and thats a $20 e-mail. You do not want to use the internet on your phone while sailing.....charges will be crazy.

[xxoocruiser]

Thanks..just thought husband has company cellphone with company internet with company email address and personal. If he does not open personal just company there is not charge to company?

 

Doesn't make a difference if it's personal or company. You will still incurr roaming charges depending on the plan . You might ever incurr additional charges from the Cruise line if it goes through the ship's satelite. You definitely have to check with the company's carrier. You don't want your husband to return to the office find out that he owes the company mucho $ for using the company phone for personal business while on vacation.

[Kaboochi]

Cell phone charges once out of the US area are expensive. I made the mistake of calling home from all ports I was able to get reception and boy did I pay - I believe the charge was ove $2/per min. Plus, when I called I heard about all of the squabbling problems from home - yuck:mad:. On our cruise on 2/7, I will call home when we board and when we arrive back in port - there will be no calls inbetween. It will be hard to do but we ARE on vacation. I will leave the RCCI number for them to call if there is an emergency.

[sandgrand]

I plan on using "text" messages @ .50 per text - I have unlimited texting and added the "MEXICO PLAN" for $4.99 per month for this one month so I can talk for .59 / per minute. Of course this is only good for Western Caribbean.

 

AT&T® Mexico(SM)

$4.99/month

 

With AT&T Mexico, get competitive rates that allow you to stay in touch, no matter where in Mexico you call or go.*

 

59¢ per minute while roaming in Mexico

9¢ per minute when calling from the U.S. to a Mexican wireline

25¢ per minute when calling from the U.S. to a Mexican wireless device

* Outside this destination, pay-per-use roaming rates and pay-per-use International dialing rates apply.

[Donray]

I plan on using "text" messages @ .50 per text - I have unlimited texting and added the "MEXICO PLAN" for $4.99 per month for this one month so I can talk for .59 / per minute. Of course this is only good for Western Caribbean.

 

AT&T® Mexico(SM)

$4.99/month

 

With AT&T Mexico, get competitive rates that allow you to stay in touch, no matter where in Mexico you call or go.*

 

59¢ per minute while roaming in Mexico

9¢ per minute when calling from the U.S. to a Mexican wireline

25¢ per minute when calling from the U.S. to a Mexican wireless device

* Outside this destination, pay-per-use roaming rates and pay-per-use International dialing rates apply.

 

Keep in mind these are for Mexico not on the cruise ship even if off the coast of Mexico. The ships have there own cells and charges,

[loudbmw]

This was posted 1/2 - not by me thank goodness:

 

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 the 1st time on our Thanksgiving cruise 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.

[seaofwonder]

Be prepared to pay through the nose for cell service. If you really need internet, then just use the internet on the ship and pay the .55 per minute fee.

 

Nothing like going on vacation and racking up a 2-3K PHONE bill....yikes! Imagine a phone bill costing as much as your vacation??

[bajathree]

Keep in mind these are for Mexico not on the cruise ship even if off the coast of Mexico. The ships have there own cells and charges,

 

EXACTLY correct;):)

[DanJ]

I took my blackberry on our cruise this past summer, and I had turned it off while on the ship because of the charges I've read about. Turned it on in Freeport, took a picture of my daughter getting her hair braided, and emailed it to my mother. Got my bill a month later, and the 2 and a half hours my phone was on racked up $80 in roaming and data charges.

 

I often see people laying around by the pool or wherever, and they have their phone on listening to music or playing games, and hope they have their mobile connection disabled.

[sandgrand]

WOW! :eek: Thanks for the heads up about Mexico - I never really thought it through. I guess I'll call home on Thursday & Friday (Mexico port days) Thanks again!!

[kjkrmk]

I have an iPhone and take it with me on cruises. The iPhone has a feature to easily disable data roaming and to turn the phone into airplane mode where it does not use the cell system for any connections. It also has wifi connectivity and can be used only in this mode. For the past 2 years on the mariner, freedom and monarch, I have used it in airplane mode, wifi on, signed up for wifi internet at the cafe, then read/sent emails to and from the ship, surfed the web a bit, etc. on the iPhone with no charges from ATT, only the internet costs on the ship as if I had used a computer.

[madforcruising]

WOW! :eek: Thanks for the heads up about Mexico - I never really thought it through. I guess I'll call home on Thursday & Friday (Mexico port days) Thanks again!!

 

 

Depending on where you are when making those calls, make sure what provider you are connected to. Even in port, when being close to the ship you could connect to the ship towers and pay their charges instead of using your added charge plan.

[kicker]

Depending on where you are when making those calls, make sure what provider you are connected to. Even in port, when being close to the ship you could connect to the ship towers and pay their charges instead of using your added charge plan.

 

 

Several years ago we cruised back into Miami - after docking I made two calls checking messages. Next month our bill showed those two short calls at $80 each! (Verizon in case anyone wonders). When I called to dispute it they told me my phone picked up the "wrong tower". They did remove the charges, but also told me I should always check with them before leaving the US to make sure my phone is up to date for tower reception.

[bguy101]

GEEEEZ!!! thats crazy --