Cell Phones in St. Martin do they work???

[Linda2433]

Will cell phones work in St. Martin. ? Actually trying to reach someone else in St. Martin on a different cruise ship when we dock. Thanks

[WeatherGeek]

I have a Verizon phone and it was at full signal strength while in port at St. Maarten, but when I tried to make a call, it would not connect....it just said "connecting" on the screen and eventually timed out. I attempted to make the call several times.

[Kim]

we have cingular and had no service the entire day! We also made sure we were set up (prior to leaving home) for international calling capability.

[GCBCKat57]

Most cell phones will not work. For this reason, many folks vacationing there will rent phones for their stay...a very common practice for land vacations there.

 

Kathy

[Linda2433]

I went to the Cingular store yesterday and they told me it should work??? I said St. Martin not St. Thomas, the guy was like yeah you will just have to pay $2.00 a min. where on the brochure i picked up from Cing. it said 69cents a min.

 

I think he was just trying to get rid of me to wait on someone else. Last year when I asked if my phone would work in the Bahammas's they said definitely not. I took it anyways and it was clearer than it is around home. I don't think they know. I also posted this question on the Princess Cruise boards and had others answer that they had no problem, one person also had Cingular?? I don't know quess i will find out on the 20th!

[kal]

Do you really need a cell phone on vacation? I just take my old security blanket and wear it like a poncho.

 

Wonder what people did 10 years ago? It must have been a freightening experience without a cell phone!

[m steve]

We tried using US cell phones three years ago from Marigot area and kept getting no service info from Anguilla. Maybe there are more cells now.

[davelly1]

If my DH even tries to sneak his cell phone on the cruise I will throw it overboard. Vacation is just that .... a vacation. Even when we cruise w/o our kids we leave the emergency contact. If there is no emergency we won't hear from them. Besides, when you are half way around the world it doesn't do any good to call and check on them because there is nothing you can do about it. Just go and enjoy being away from all the stress of life, including the leash we are all attached too (cell Phones).

[WeatherGeek]

Wonder what people did 10 years ago? It must have been a freightening experience without a cell phone!

Nah. You don't miss what you didn't have.

[WeatherGeek]

I went to the Cingular store yesterday and they told me it should work??? I said St. Martin not St. Thomas, the guy was like yeah you will just have to pay $2.00 a min. where on the brochure i picked up from Cing. it said 69cents a min.

Roaming is $.69/minute on a Verizon phone too, but I also had to pay an additional $.30/minute connection fee (I think that's what it was called) for being out of the country, so I ended up paying $.99/minute. Again, that's with Verizon, Cingular may tack on other charges.

[FlKittyKat]

Anybody have information about Spint? My sister jokes that Sprint won't work if you stand behind a tree, but what about on a beautiful, tropical island across a large body of water? It worked just fine last August in St. Thomas, but I have an important business call (hopefully a short one) the day we will be in St. Martin. I am hoping that is the only time I have to the the cell phone out of the safe to use. (Have to keep it there so new hubby won't be tempted to call his work.:p )

[A & G 2 Cruise Lovers]

Saint Thomas is apart of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

So, Sprint will generate a regular signal (non roaming).

Now, once you walk away from the pier, you are on your own because sprint signals are sporadic!:eek:

Sprint or any other carrier has its problems.

Sprint’s signal fades at the most in opportune time!:confused: :eek:

By the way, I have sprint also:D

[Linda2433]

you know all i asked is whether cell phones will work.. Why I need to use one is my business, I didn't ask if it was ok with anyone. I personally hate cell phones but when you need to check on elderly parent or other things they do come in handy.. What did I do 10 years ago used a pay phone, the cell phone just makes it easier if it will work. I wish I could just go away and forget about everthing back home but unfortunately that doesn't work for me. Lucky those of you who can!

[gtaylor]

you know all i asked is whether cell phones will work.. Why I need to use one is my business, I didn't ask if it was ok with anyone. I personally hate cell phones but when you need to check on elderly parent or other things they do come in handy.. What did I do 10 years ago used a pay phone, the cell phone just makes it easier if it will work. I wish I could just go away and forget about everthing back home but unfortunately that doesn't work for me. Lucky those of you who can!

As a long time St. Maarten visitor, I can tell you that there are MANY cell phone stories of both success and failure, usually involving someone that's going to be on the island for a week or more actually taking their phone to one of the local cell services to have their SIM chip replaced or reprogrammed or something, and even then meet with limited success.

 

If this is VERY important to you, and you need it to connect with someone on another cruise the day you are in St. Maarten, as you said earlier, and not to 'check on an elderly parent' or something else 'back home' as you mention now, here is my absolutely straight, absolutely workable solution.

 

Go to COSTCO, or Sam's, or Best Buy, or WalMart, and buy a pair of 'walkie talkies' for around $20 to $60.

 

Set them to the same channel and then get one of them to the other party with explicit instructions about what time to turn it on and you're in business. Make sure to specify island and/or ship's time as appropriate.

 

If you have to call back to the states, be very careful with those blue payphones around the island. Some of them charge as much as $25 for the first minute and $3.50/minute after that.

 

There are several CyberCafe's on or adjacent to Front Street that offer calls at about 35 cents/minute if you buy a $10 card. Just ask in any of the shops/jewelry stores for directions, or try the alley directly across from Little Switzerland (towards the water) for CyberLink -- I used it last October.

 

In the past we have used Sam's Club AT&T cards at specific phones (we found them at Bobby's Marina) but most were disconnected on our last visit.

 

gary

 

p.s. You're very welcome.

[Linda2433]

thanks so much your right my original question was regarding other people on a different ship but evidently people don't read that and just have an opinion on cell phones. They wouldn't want my real opinion on cell phones. Both things are my concern but i will work it out whether it's a walkie talkie or a pay phone or yes my cell phone! Thanks again to the last post.

[rjack22]

I have a CMDA Verizon cell phone. I had full signal strength in St. Maarten also but as a previous poster said, no connection. It eventually timed out.

 

I was able to use it in St. John (and I assume St. Thomas as well).

[Ephraim]

There are TWO different cell phone systems on this island.

 

In Sint-Maarten (Netherlands Antilles)

GSM 900/1800. You will need a world phone that supports this. On most Motorola phones, you have to manually change to this. Calls are on the TelCell NV network. Their partner is Cingular, which usually uses GSM 850/1900. Many phones support three or all four GSM ranges, but most regular American telephones are just 850/1900.

 

In Saint-Martin (Guadaloupe Region - France)

Orange (Caraibe) GSM 900. They partner with Cingular and with T-Mobile USA. T-Mobile is GSM 1900.

 

Information on GSM roaming is available at gsmworld.com

 

As far as I can see, there is no CDMA deployment on St-Martin. I think they have TDMA, but that's again going to be Cingular AT&T in the US, since AT&T originally had TDMA.

 

I hope this helps people.

[FlaJam]

I was in St. Maarten a week ago & had my digital phone with me (Motorola V180)... I have Worldwide Cingular Digital Service... I could not get a signal... I keep receiving a msg that my phone was not registered... I was able to call from San Juan a few days earlier... I was unsuccessful in St. Thomas as well... I called Cingular when I got back & they advised me that my phone should of worked & didn't understand why it didn't... Go figure...

[Ephraim]

I was in St. Maarten a week ago & had my digital phone with me (Motorola V180)... I have Worldwide Cingular Digital Service... I could not get a signal... I keep receiving a msg that my phone was not registered... I was able to call from San Juan a few days earlier... I was unsuccessful in St. Thomas as well... I called Cingular when I got back & they advised me that my phone should of worked & didn't understand why it didn't... Go figure...

 

On Motorola phones that are world equipped, you still need to manually change the frequencies. It is not automatic. (That's why most people have trouble)

 

From your Motorola v180

1. Press the Menu button.
   
2. Scroll to Settings and press Select
   
3. Scroll to Other Settings and press Select.
   
4. Scroll to Network and press Select.
   
5. Scroll to Network Setup and press Select.
   
6. Press Change .
   
7. Scroll to 900/1800 and press Select.
   
8. Press Done
   

Hope this helps.

[Cruising89143]

we have cingular and had no service the entire day! We also made sure we were set up (prior to leaving home) for international calling capability.

 

I have the same carrier and it did not work for me either.Worked find in San Juan and St. Thomas though.

[pjbrock]

Just try it - if you need it. They work a lot of places but there are big roaming -foreign use fees. My son had a emergency in Beijing, China- worked but expensive. Under the circumstances - worth it but just be prepared!!!

[Linda2433]

Was in St. Martin last wed. 4/20 and my Cingular cell phone did work. I think when i tried in the Am it didn't but later that afternoon while back on the ship still docked I was able to call home to check on my mother and my daughters friend also used my phone with a prepaid calling card and she was able to get thru. So Cingular did work. No Special phone, called before i left to get long Distance out of country but that was the only thing i did. Didn't cost anything extra to add this feature.

[Kissimmee_family]

Sprint...

 

I use Sprint and a Sanyo 4900. I had a strong signal as we passed several Islands. Worked well in St Thomas including digital and even a solid internet connection for my PC. Didn't try it in St Maarten so I can't say if it worked there. As we left St Thomas I chatted with my daughter for about 2 hours before the signal faded.