Cell Phones On board

[lilipad2]

Hi All!

 

I thought I read on HAL's website that passengers could use their cell phones while on board. Is this true? We'll be sailing on the Rotterdam at the end of July. I have T-Mobile and my Mom has ATT or Sprint or something (lol). Would we be able to communicate onboard via cell phone? I assume our carriers are charged or is it a different deal. Sorry, I am clueless on this one apparently. :P

 

Thanks in advance!!

 

L

[PitCritter]

Your cell phones will work fine. The problem will arise when you get your next bill! Check with your cell phone company about rates at sea. You might want to invest in some walkie-talkies instead.

[catl331]

Oh, sure you can use them while on the ship. It is encouraged!! $2.95 a min plus what your carrier will charge. There are no cell phone towers at sea for your companies! HAL is supposed to turn off its cell phone "tower" while in port. There may be dead zones also.

[schoolinmy3]

Hi All!

 

I thought I read on HAL's website that passengers could use their cell phones while on board. Is this true? We'll be sailing on the Rotterdam at the end of July. I have T-Mobile and my Mom has ATT or Sprint or something (lol). Would we be able to communicate onboard via cell phone? I assume our carriers are charged or is it a different deal. Sorry, I am clueless on this one apparently. :P

 

Thanks in advance!!

 

L

 

I wouldn't take a chance using your cell phone while at sea. In port you will be able to use your phone, but it would be very expensive to use off the ship's satellite while at sea. We were on a cruise with our kids and we left post it notes for each other on our stateroom doors. They were on the main deck and we were on the upper promenade deck. Also, you can call room to room for free with the phones in the room.

diane

[TahoeTraveler]

Please, unless you have lots of money to blow, don't even turn your cell phone on when you're on the ship. I had mine on the first night of our last cruise on the Zuiderdam, and my daughter tried to call me from home. She tried 3 times to call me, but was never connected. Apparently that didn't matter, as we had an extra $20something of charges on our cell phone bill when we got home. I explained to ATT that I had never even received any calls...they said the charge came from HAL and there was nothing they could do about it.

 

Do yourself a favor...use the house phones to call cabins if you're out and about, use walkee talkees, or other forms of communication (I like the Post it notes idea!). But don't even turn those cell phones on while at sea!

[DSLibrarian]

While we don't use our smartphone (Verizon) for calls when abroad or on ships - except in emergencies, we add the global email option just before we leave home. The plan allows unlimited email - prorated at $64.99/mo - so comes to less than $35 for two weeks. This works both on the ship & in most countries. We cancel the plan as soon as we return home.

 

Our smartphone syncs up with with our personal and work emails (& our calendars) just fine. We can also receive text messages if we choose to (this is how our grown kids prefer to "call" us anyway) at only $0.05 each. So very little cost there, as well. Since we'd mostly use the ship's internet for emails anyway we don't even purchase that anymore.

 

The phone also has wifi so we can use it to access full internet - if we want to - in ports. Can sometimes find free access points in port cities.

[bplazo]

My sister had a $1,000 phone bill when she got back from her cruise.

[luvtwotrvl]

My sister had a $1,000 phone bill when she got back from her cruise.

 

 

WOW!!! That was an expensive cruise!!!!

 

David

[KirkNC]

Interesting, I have never had service while on a cruise ship (except when very close to the US). I use my phone only as a time piece and an alarm clock. I have Alltel as a service provider.

 

Kirk

[lilipad2]

Looks like I'll be stealing my son's walkie talkies and bringing post its. This was really good info. I appreciate your help!!

[westlab]

If I put iphone in airplane mode, will it not allow phone/txt/email/bluetooth, so I can still read a book on phone or play a game?

[jtl513]

Looks like I'll be stealing my son's walkie talkies ...

Cheap (kids' toy) ones may not work well due to all of the steel around you.

[Randyk47]

If I put iphone in airplane mode, will it not allow phone/txt/email/bluetooth, so I can still read a book on phone or play a game?

 

Yes.

[Parrot57]

They will work but can be expensive, depending on your carrier. I sometimes see teens walking around the ship with the phone seemingly glued to their ear or constantly texting. I often wonder what kind of bill awaits Mom and Dad once they get home.

[iriemon]

Has anyone had any luck using Skype on the cruise ships?

[jtl513]

Has anyone had any luck using Skype on the cruise ships?

It's usually blocked.

[iriemon]

It's usually blocked.

 

Should have known, all the "freebees" are gone and more disappearing every day.

[fayruz]

Please, unless you have lots of money to blow, don't even turn your cell phone on when you're on the ship. I had mine on the first night of our last cruise on the Zuiderdam, and my daughter tried to call me from home. She tried 3 times to call me, but was never connected. Apparently that didn't matter, as we had an extra $20something of charges on our cell phone bill when we got home. I explained to ATT that I had never even received any calls...they said the charge came from HAL and there was nothing they could do about it.

 

Do yourself a favor...use the house phones to call cabins if you're out and about, use walkee talkees, or other forms of communication (I like the Post it notes idea!). But don't even turn those cell phones on while at sea!

 

how can HAL bill your cell phone number for incoming calls?

 

Please explain :)

[maxout]

how can HAL bill your cell phone number for incoming calls?

 

Please explain :)

 

If the call is routed to your phone through the seatel satellite connection on board then you will be billed by your provider as seatel will bill them. Your phone like all others has a unique digital ID which is how any system finds you and routes your calls.

 

In port the system is disabled.

[fayruz]

If the call is routed to your phone through the seatel satellite connection on board then you will be billed by your provider as seatel will bill them. Your phone like all others has a unique digital ID which is how any system finds you and routes your calls.

 

In port the system is disabled.

 

Clear :) : I use http://www.vodafone.com.mt/maritime-roaming-bus

I will check if I can use it in the pacific area, thank you

 

http://www.cellularatsea.com/guest_services.htm

[Himself]

Unless I am in American port, I just don't use them. I am a bit nervous about Alaska because it is an extened nework with Verizon. I have been to Hawaii twice in the last five years and called Illinois from Lahina and incurred no extra charges. At Sea, I would be careful.

[fayruz]

At Sea, I would be careful.

I have used mine only in mediterranean area, have had no problems, except for the cost... but I had to hear how my cat was doing, back at home :)

[sfels]

DSLibrarian has the right idea. I did the same thing with my Verizon Blackberry and was able to stay in touch via text and e-mail for very little money. There's nobody I want to talk to at $2.49 per minute while I'm at sea.

[Love the beach]

Unless I am in American port, I just don't use them. I am a bit nervous about Alaska because it is an extened nework with Verizon. I have been to Hawaii twice in the last five years and called Illinois from Lahina and incurred no extra charges. At Sea, I would be careful.

I used my phone (Verizon) a lot in Alaska and did not incur any extra charges.

[fayruz]

I think I am going to buy a sim card as soon as I get in Honolulu, does anybody know if they work on european phones?