Smartphone (android in my case) at sea question

[aeonix01]

Should I bring my phone? Maybe bring it and leave it off?

 

My phone seems to like to open applications on it's own (pandora, google maps, ...etc) at random. I'm afraid that if I have the phone at sea, it's going to start to dload data in a roaming state. I have unlimited data, so that's no issue. From what I understand, phones in roaming state internationally cost a fortune, and people get hit with massive bills.

 

What should I do? Is there a solution, or a mode to stop it from getting downloads or text messages? Should I just leave the phone at home?

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

[bilyclub]

Shut off the data roaming and you should be fine. Verizon used to have a cheap unlimited data international plan that worked on ships, but they dropped it.

[aeonix01]

Shut off the data roaming and you should be fine. Verizon used to have a cheap unlimited data international plan that worked on ships, but they dropped it.

 

Thanks! I found that section, and it's off by default. So, hopefully I'll be ok to bring the phone then. Has anyone experienced getting large bills with data roaming turned off (or what they thought was off)?

[Bosjoe]

Thanks! I found that section, and it's off by default. So, hopefully I'll be ok to bring the phone then. Has anyone experienced getting large bills with data roaming turned off (or what they thought was off)?

 

You should have no problems as long as data roaming is off. I have an EVO and had no problems. Besides data, you could run up the bill texting, 50 cents to send, so dont go crazy, Sprint received txt jumped up to .15 cents as verizon is .05 cents.

[jackretired]

Airplane mode.

[rummenroman]

I bring my phone all the time, however it gets turned off during our lunch in windjammer, and doesn't get turned back on until we are getting evicted from the ship.

[travelpeon]

Airplane mode for sure

 

You can still turn on the wifi after turning on airplane mode. Then you can check e-mail while on land if you like or use the maps with wifi.

 

My evo picked up signal several miles away from Miami so I'd just turn on airplane mode or turn off the phone.

[read52]

Call your company to find out their rates and info. Our last cruise in April we used android phones for the first time. We did not have any trouble because we checked out everything with our carrier.

[Wilda]

As other posters have said, bring it with you but either turn it off or put it in airplane mode. That way you can check messages/stay in touch when in port. Don't forget to bring your charger: my EVO batttery runs down quickly!

[kuLik]

Should I bring my phone? Maybe bring it and leave it off?

 

My phone seems to like to open applications on it's own (pandora, google maps, ...etc) at random. I'm afraid that if I have the phone at sea, it's going to start to dload data in a roaming state. I have unlimited data, so that's no issue. From what I understand, phones in roaming state internationally cost a fortune, and people get hit with massive bills.

 

What should I do? Is there a solution, or a mode to stop it from getting downloads or text messages? Should I just leave the phone at home?

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

i would make sure you are in airplane mode or off. we took our first cruise this past January and weren't really thinking about our blackabbery's. Well we were surprised with a rather large phone bill when we got back! AT&T worked with us so we ended up not having to pay the whole bill which was great.

 

Needless to say we learned our lesson.

[FreshOffTheBoat]

Someone I know came home after a Celebrity cruise and didn't turn off there data and there monthly bill for that month was just over $1000. Yes data is very expensive when your outside of your phone providers zone.

[MrsFixitCT]

I would definitely, if nothing else, take the phone to either the service provider or similar store and have it checked out. If it's doing funky things like opening apps on it's own or similar, I'd be afraid that it could turn other features (wifi, airplane mode, etc) on at whim also... Would hate to see you do "everything" to stop it, but then have it decide on it's own to turn it on and then get surprised by a bill you weren't expecting.... :o

[time4u2go]

I bring my phone all the time, however it gets turned off during our lunch in windjammer, and doesn't get turned back on until we are getting evicted from the ship.

Agreed!:D We turn ours off as soon as we get into the room the first day and put them into the safe, where they stay until the last day.

[emtb12]

Depending on your carrier airplane mode may not be enough. My DH and I have android phones. When I called verizon, they walked me thru how to turn then wifi off. I also was able to use my phone to call and text in San Juan and the St Croix as they are covered in our nation wide plan. It was great to check in with the kids and house sitter. Call the tech support people for your carrier, they will tell you how to turn it off the right way. Better to be safe than end up with a huge surprise at the end ;).

[sherilyn70]

I would definitely, if nothing else, take the phone to either the service provider or similar store and have it checked out. If it's doing funky things like opening apps on it's own or similar, I'd be afraid that it could turn other features (wifi, airplane mode, etc) on at whim also... Would hate to see you do "everything" to stop it, but then have it decide on it's own to turn it on and then get surprised by a bill you weren't expecting.... :o

 

Obviously not an android owner. :D This is what they normally do as they are updating and synching with servers on a semi regular basis.

 

Putting the phone into airplane mode works great. I turned on wifi to get internet access from the ships plan and then turned it back off after I was done.

[maxs mom]

My husband hadn't had his Droid X long when we went on a cruise. He had it out charging it one day and somehow, it turned itself on....downloaded all kinds of stuff and he got an $800 bill when we got back. So be careful. I shut mine down as soon as we walk on the ship and lock it in the safe. I don't take it out again until we are ready to leave. And believe me.....my husband does the same thing now. He learned his lesson.

[rncruiser]

Definitely bring your phone, but leave it turned off and in your safe. I say to bring it because if you have an emergency and need to make calls it will be much easier and less expensive than using the ship's phone. But other than for real emergencies, I wouldn't use it.

[MOSusan]

We've got iphones, we put them in airplane mode while on the ship this enabled us to use them as ipods at the pool.

[SpeedGeek]

I bring my iPhone on ship, but after sailaway, it sits locked in the safe powered off until we're back in port. I'm immersed in my phone all the time due to work, so being able to put it away and enjoy my vacation is one of those nice things I like about cruising. :D But I also bring the phone in case anything comes up and I need it for an emergency.

[mommabean]

We've got iphones, we put them in airplane mode while on the ship this enabled us to use them as ipods at the pool.

 

Gotta love it. And using it as a clock/night light is a great use, too. The iphone speaker is really good for just listening to music in the room.

 

Gina

[mommabean]

The thing you must be careful about with an iphone - I don't know how the droid menu is set up - when turning on wifi, the button is directly below the airplane mode button. It's not always easy to hit the right "button" if you know what I mean.

 

Be especially careful when drinking.

 

I accidentally turned my phone off of airplane mode in Cabo San Lucas. Fortunately ATT sent an immediate free text message as a warning that any use of the phone while in a foreign country will incur roaming/data fees.

 

Gina

[papakaiser]

Will placing the phone in airplane mode allow access to any text messages or missed calls ?

[bilyclub]

No, no incoming stuff in airplane mode.

[aeonix01]

Thanks for all the great advice!!

 

After reading all of your posts, I think the best thing to do would be to bring it for emergencies at the least.

 

I'm going to call AT&T (my provider), and ask them about putting the phone in airplane mode, and finding out if anything else should be turned off. I would like to use the phone as an alarm clock. I oversleep.

 

In the worst case scenario, I'll do as others have suggested, turn it off at the pier on the embarkation, put it in the safe, and then turn it back on when we get home, or if we are on land and in a location covered by my provider.

 

All this insight is great. I really do appreciate it!

[01Sweetpea]

I always bring my phone. It gets turned off as soon as we pull away from port and it stays off and in the safeuntil we are back in the homeport.