Do you text while cruising?

[jaybird from SC]

Just heard a commercial about texting while driving. It has me wondering, do you text while cruising? How many can't leave their phones at home anymore? Do they charge more for the text rather than the regular phone call to check in with the parents?

No calls. No texting. Why would you even want to? It's a vacation!

[mommyto2girls]

The only time I won't stay in touch with my 89 year old father and my kids is when I die and even then who knows! At&t wireless on all our cruises is as said 50 cents per text outgoing free incoming. I love when we cruise US ports like San Juan and St. Thomas calls are included in your home plan since they are U.S. territories. The other islands are heavily discounted with At&t world connect. Our last cruise in May we texted with our family quite often and loved knowing everything was okay. As long as I am not "driving" I will text I did take the "no texting while driving pledge"

[mypleasure]

I can barely muster the enthusiasm to text when at home so there is no way I will do it on a ship. I do not feel the need for others to know the minutieae of my life nor do I need to know theirs. If it is serious like someone died they all know how to best contact me.

 

 

Clarify something here for me. In the UK being caught driving whilst using a cell phone unless it is hands free is an offence and will get you a fine and points on your licence. 12 points equals a one year ban. Crash while using a phone and a whole new situation opens up and it won't be pretty. What is the situation in the USA because from reading these posts I don't think it is the same.

[bplazo]

I can barely muster the enthusiasm to text when at home so there is no way I will do it on a ship. I do not feel the need for others to know the minutieae of my life nor do I need to know theirs. If it is serious like someone died they all know how to best contact me.

 

 

Clarify something here for me. In the UK being caught driving whilst using a cell phone unless it is hands free is an offence and will get you a fine and points on your licence. 12 points equals a one year ban. Crash while using a phone and a whole new situation opens up and it won't be pretty. What is the situation in the USA because from reading these posts I don't think it is the same.

 

I think every place should fine big time for texting and driving.

[NJGeorge]

I can barely muster the enthusiasm to text when at home so there is no way I will do it on a ship. I do not feel the need for others to know the minutieae of my life nor do I need to know theirs. If it is serious like someone died they all know how to best contact me.

 

 

Clarify something here for me. In the UK being caught driving whilst using a cell phone unless it is hands free is an offence and will get you a fine and points on your licence. 12 points equals a one year ban. Crash while using a phone and a whole new situation opens up and it won't be pretty. What is the situation in the USA because from reading these posts I don't think it is the same.

Last thing I want to do on vacation is yak on the phone.

Bad news at home will still be there when I return, and it won't ruin my time at hand. Like the time my cat sitter called the ship to shore thing to tell me my cat had a stroke and died. There wasn't enough scotch on that ship to make it better...and it didn't.

I don't believe there is federal law concerning texting or hand held cell phone use while driving. At the state level at least in NJ talking on your cell phone while driving and getting caught results in a $136.00 fine and no points for few that get caught, many do not.

[cruizinwithkids]

 

Clarify something here for me. In the UK being caught driving whilst using a cell phone unless it is hands free is an offence and will get you a fine and points on your licence. 12 points equals a one year ban. Crash while using a phone and a whole new situation opens up and it won't be pretty. What is the situation in the USA because from reading these posts I don't think it is the same.

 

I both drink and text while cruising. I do neither while driving. I do text a lot for someone my age. I'm not even close to my teenage kids. I live in Massachusetts and a new law is being passed or has just passed regarding texting and drivng - so sad that laws have to be passed when common sense should reign. Wonder if there are laws on the books about having to drive with your eyes open as well.

[Micchi]

My phone is another appendage for me when I'm at home. I think I text with it more than I talk with it.

 

When I'm cruising, it goes into the safe. I'm on vacation, and for me, that involves being all but unreachable :p

[Elationismyship]

I am utterly amazed at all the principled people.

No cell phone, no computer. Threw it out (overboard?), put it in the safe, left it at home.

Just because I am at sea, I should stop all communications with family and friends?

We actually enjoy hearing from our kids and grandchildren, no matter where we are. Wish they'd 'bother' us more often. Carrier pigeons are useless for long distance, so we take advantage of the latest that technology has to offer.

To all Luddites out there, I don't want to start a flame war.

I just do not understand.

Happy cruising to all.

 

I'm with you Ask4Jay . . . . a vacation to me is not "just cut me off from all communication"

 

I love my family and friends and having a good vacation doesn't require me to be cut off from from them.

 

But that's just me . . . . other's might need to be "cut off from all communication" for them to have a nice vacation.

 

I think it is just a person preference. But I see where you are coming from, some of the posters seem to imply that if you do text or communicate with others while on the ship then your not having a good vacation like they are. . . . to each his own I say.

[Barb Nahoumi]

No, I don't text on cruises but I do send e-mails. Can't stay disconnected from loved ones.

[fin]

No calls. No texting. Why would you even want to? It's a vacation!

 

Did you even bother to read the response two or three above yours?

[flowerchild]

I understand about wanting to be a bit "incommunicado" during vacation, but there are exceptions...

 

We have to speak to our 10 yo daughter whom we share custody of. We speak to her every day and can't stop just because we are away; what kind of message would that be sending her? Dad and step mom can't talk to you now, we're having too much fun?

 

We also call my MIL who takes care of our 4 cats. We took a trip earlier this year to Cancun and one of our cats got sick and she needed advice and info from us. If we would have been out of touch, our pet would very likely have died. Thank goodness we were NOT on a cruise, our phone bill was an xtra $100 with roaming at .99 a minute, can you imagine what it would have been at $2.50 a minute?

 

I don't call anyone just to "chat" but I do have to use the phone while on vacation, like it or not.

[TEXAS LADY]

I've taken my cellphone onboard, but haven't used it. I turn it off once I board the ship. I don't take my laptop either, that's too much of a hassle going through security at the airports now. I have the cellphone with me to touch base with family once I return from the cruise. There's too much to do on a cruise & I'm on vacation to relax!!!!!

[fin]

I both drink and text while cruising. I do neither while driving. I do text a lot for someone my age. I'm not even close to my teenage kids. I live in Massachusetts and a new law is being passed or has just passed regarding texting and drivng - so sad that laws have to be passed when common sense should reign. Wonder if there are laws on the books about having to drive with your eyes open as well.

 

Doubtful, as two eyes are not required for driving a car, or even for some recreational flying.

[mousey]

Nope, no phone, no laptop, no computer! I enjoy the piece and quiet and leave everything home. I make sure no one can find me unless its an emergency..

 

 

I agree 100%! I'm on vacation and I want to be in the moment with my DH and DS. The only people I contact on a cruise are my elderly parents. I check on them when I get off the plane to let them know weve arrived okay, I check with them once during the week to make sure alls well with them, and I check in with them again when our plane touches ground back at home to let them know we've made it safely back. That's the only calls I make while I'm on vacation.:D Texting is for kids!:D Our DS is always having such a great time, he doesn't even think of using his phone on vacation.:)

[UandMe4Ever]

With Verizon .50 cents for sending a text, .05 to receive. Just off the Jewel 2 weeks ago, had to call my boss (who was in Italy) from my cell phone while at sea on the ship. 13 minute call was $33.00.

When we were on our 14 night Southern Carib. cruise in November '09, we texted while in the ports we could! It was fast and easy and much cheaper than calling our children. They responded pretty quickly. I don't think it added up to more than abut $10+ for the 2 weeks of texting. If it was general, we put all the names in and sent 1 message.

 

Much cheaper than our verizon phone bill the year before on RCCI....about $75 worth on calls. didn't text.... We learned.

 

Just want to check in with our family to make sure all is well.

[Don Haynes]

How will you ever contact emergency services if your house is on fire or you need a police officer when someone is breaking into your house?

 

I live next to two policemen on both sides of my house. I live across the street from a firemen. Another fireman lives behind me. There is a very nice police dog living next door, the most trained animal I have ever seen, never a bark... The fire station is two blocks away. The hospital is two blocks away in the other direction.

 

I feel safe in my neighborhood. In an emergency walk next door or across the street. With my computer video camera I can reach thousands of people in my town within seconds...

 

When I am away shopping, almost everyone has a cell phone. Why do I need a phone? I rather see and talk to my grandchildren with the computer video cam...

 

Simply put, the telephone is OBSOLETE!

[DeltaOne]

Simply put, the telephone is OBSOLETE!

It doesn't matter who you live next to, there's one important reason to have a landline telephone -- 911 service. If you or someone in your home suffers a medical or other emergency and dials 911 -- they'll send help. Even if the person never gets to speak to the dispatch center -- they'll send help.

 

Dial 911 on your cell phone and they'll never find you -- at least not in a timely manner.

 

We've dumbed our landline service down to a minimum monthly rate but keep it for 911 service.

[iheartbda]

Simply put, the telephone is OBSOLETE!

How do you make Doctor's appointments, get TIMELY answers to questions about problems with any services like cable,or power or failures. Not everyone else communicates by a computer video camera like you do.

 

What do you do when you have a plumbing problem? What if family has an emergency in the middle of the night and needs to contact you? Do you sit at your computer constantly waiting and watching for emails? Does the fireman across the street have a fire truck in his driveway? If you run across to him, what do ya' think he's gonna' do? My bet would be he calls 911.:p

 

Fine if you would rather "see" your your grandchildren than talk to them on the phone but to say the telephone is OBSOLETE is incredulous. Maybe it is for YOU but the telephone, at present, is still a viable means of communication for personal and professional purposes, as well as conducting business worldwide.

 

Pity the poor person on death row waiting for the last minute email from the governor stopping his execution, he could care less about seeing the governor's face.:D

[spacewoman]

I have Verizon, and texts were 50 cents to send, 5 cents to receive, and calls were $2.49 a minute on the ship, and $1.99 off the ship (in Bermuda). Yes, I am a texter every day to multiple people and did A LITTLE on the ship, but most people I text were with me so there was not much need! (I did leave the internet at home......)

 

Did you have international roaming in order to get that cheap price for Bermuda????

[tammy531]

Did you have international roaming in order to get that cheap price for Bermuda????

 

No, I did not have any special plans added. We have the standard $99.99 family plan they offer.

[cruiznagainandagain]

no, i do not text on the ship and very rarely at home. I just don't understand the obsession with the phone.

 

 

ditto!!

[themaxydog]

I have learned the hard way that texting is cheap, normal roaming charges, but sending photo's is a whole new ball game. Stay off the data network unless you are very very sure of the costs.