cell phone service?

[5MNtravelbugs]

Is there any cell phone service at the southern cartibbean ports? (Aruba, Bonaire, Dominica, Grenada, St. Thomas) If so how expensive? In an emergency do they work on the ship? Or are we better to place call thru ship? Just wondering!

[SuiteTraveler]

Cellphones will work while you are in port. Once you are out to sea, the phones do not work due to a lack of cell tower coverage at sea. Cellphones are cheaper to use than the ships phones which can cost as much as $15 per minute. Check with your cell provider to make sure your phone can roam internationally. If not, you may want to add that to your plan for the cruise. Free internet is also available in many cruise ports that have a Starbucks. Check Starbucks website for availability in ports you are visiting.

[Betsy's Mom]

AT&T will work without roaming in St Thomas and St Croix as they are US territories. Other Islands you will need international roaming and some may not have decent service. Many people turn off their phones, put them on airplane mode etc. to avoid large charges for data download, texts etc. As the previous poster said, check with your provider.

B.

[cello56]

AT&T works on the ships while at sea or in port at a charge of $2.49 per minute. Not sure about other phone carriers. St. Thomas is at your normal rate with AT&T as it is a US territory.

 

http://www.cellularatsea.com/press/pr06152006-wirlessheadsouttosea.htm

[kitty9]

Cellphones will work while you are in port. Once you are out to sea, the phones do not work due to a lack of cell tower coverage at sea. Cellphones are cheaper to use than the ships phones which can cost as much as $15 per minute. Check with your cell provider to make sure your phone can roam internationally. If not, you may want to add that to your plan for the cruise. Free internet is also available in many cruise ports that have a Starbucks. Check Starbucks website for availability in ports you are visiting.

 

Cell phones certainly DO work on a ship. Cruise ships now have cell phone capability when at sea. You need a phone with international calling capabilities, and you get that by just going to your cell phone store and adding that feature while you're on vacation (you remove it once you get home). The cost using a cell phone on the ship is generally $2.49 a minute compared to $7.50 using the phone in your cabin. If you stop in places like San Juan, St Thomas and St Croix, there are no roaming charges as these are US territories.

[ShellyV]

Be sure to call your cell phone provider first. We have verizon and had to set our location once on board. We were able to call home all but one night.