Cell phone on RCI

[215girl]

Just curious would I need to upgrade my plan if I wanted to check email and texts. I get unlimited texts and data. I wont be doing it a lot, maybe once a day to see if I received any. The phone will mainly be turned off but I do want the option of answering my family and friends if they need to reach me while im in the port. I know you cant get reception while you are out at sea . Thanks in advance. Oh, I have AT&T.

[R_i_c_h]

That's dependent upon your itinerary and your cell carrier. You should be able to find the area of free coverage from your carrier. Compare it to your ports of call. I find that, in most cases, cell phones are not worth using (for voice or data) if it's not part of the regular free coverage.

 

Rich

[reallyitsmema]

Just curious would I need to upgrade my plan if I wanted to check email and texts. I get unlimited texts and data. I wont be doing it a lot, maybe once a day to see if I received any. The phone will mainly be turned off but I do want the option of answering my family and friends if they need to reach me while im in the port. I know you cant get reception while you are out at sea . Thanks in advance. Oh, I have AT&T.

You need to check with your carrier. You will have reception on the ship since they have a cell tower but it will be at $2.49/min. It is usually cheaper in port. I have verizon and my texts are 50 cents to send and 5 cents to receive when I am roaming. Not sure of ATT rates. Check with these links.

 

http://www.cellularatsea.com/

 

http://www.wireless.att.com/travelguide/coverage/cruise_ships_rates.jsp?PIDL=IRSD|IRWT

 

Edit to add: Data is a whole different story and very expensive. Make sure you check into that in detail before you end up with a huge bill. You will not have free data.

[aeonix01]

Just curious would I need to upgrade my plan if I wanted to check email and texts. I get unlimited texts and data. I wont be doing it a lot, maybe once a day to see if I received any. The phone will mainly be turned off but I do want the option of answering my family and friends if they need to reach me while im in the port. I know you cant get reception while you are out at sea . Thanks in advance. Oh, I have AT&T.

 

You're good to go in Puerto Rico. Just make sure that your phone registers that it's on AT&T and not Roaming. If it shows roaming, you're going to be charged international rates (all other ports, and on the ship).

 

Outside of that, just use this to figure out what it'll cost you:

http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/international/roaming/international-roaming.jsp

[215girl]

ok thanks I just visited AT& T website and saw the price for the texting. The phone will mostly be turned off however when I am in the Bahamas I will turn it on in the port. I will not be using it on the ship, I wil be to busy laying by the pool and drinking Miami Vices :D.

[R_i_c_h]

ok thanks I just visited AT& T website and saw the price for the texting. The phone will mostly be turned off however when I am in the Bahamas I will turn it on in the port. I will not be using it on the ship, I wil be to busy laying by the pool and drinking Miami Vices :D.

 

haha... there you go. don't be one of those people who are too busy fb'ing every moment of their vacation that they forget to enjoy it. :)

 

rich

[aeonix01]

haha... there you go. don't be one of those people who are too busy fb'ing every moment of their vacation that they forget to enjoy it. :)

 

rich

 

Agreed, if you're away... be away! :D

[waterbug123]

ok thanks I just visited AT& T website and saw the price for the texting. The phone will mostly be turned off however when I am in the Bahamas I will turn it on in the port. I will not be using it on the ship, I wil be to busy laying by the pool and drinking Miami Vices :D.

 

My advice: Turn off data roaming. Your unlimited data plan (probably) does not include international data roaming. If you don't turn off data roaming, and you arrive in the Bahamas and turn on your phone, it's going to start downloading your email etc. which means it is using international data roaming and you are going to be in for a surprise when you get your bill! The phone will still work for phone calls and texts if data roaming is turned off.

 

You can get reception on the ship, most of the time, but you will be paying a roaming charge for phone calls of 2.49/minute. Roaming charges in other countries will vary. Texting is .50/text I think, which is a relatively inexpensive way to communicate while on a cruise, provided you limit yourself to just a once-in-a-while text to check in and make sure all is ok back home.

 

Lastly, with AT&T San Juan and St. Thomas are considered local, so if your cruise stops in either of those ports, you can turn your phone one and call and text to your heart's content, as well as check email and other things that use data. Just don't forget to turn data roaming and/or your entire phone off before the ship sails again.

[215girl]

My advice: Turn off data roaming. Your unlimited data plan (probably) does not include international data roaming. If you don't turn off data roaming, and you arrive in the Bahamas and turn on your phone, it's going to start downloading your email etc. which means it is using international data roaming and you are going to be in for a surprise when you get your bill! The phone will still work for phone calls and texts if data roaming is turned off.

 

You can get reception on the ship, most of the time, but you will be paying a roaming charge for phone calls of 2.49/minute. Roaming charges in other countries will vary. Texting is .50/text I think, which is a relatively inexpensive way to communicate while on a cruise, provided you limit yourself to just a once-in-a-while text to check in and make sure all is ok back home.

 

Lastly, with AT&T San Juan and St. Thomas are considered local, so if your cruise stops in either of those ports, you can turn your phone one and call and text to your heart's content, as well as check email and other things that use data. Just don't forget to turn data roaming and/or your entire phone off before the ship sails again.

 

 

ok thanks I know I should no this but can I turn the roaming off from my phone or do I have to call At &T and have them do it? Thanks for your help.

[bouhunter]

When the ship pulls out of San Juan we turn the phones off and they stay in the safe for the next week. Relatives have the RCCL # if they have to call in an emergency, and for one week it's nice to be away from phone calls and texts:)

[Cruiselover7279]

We always bring at least one phone with us. I like to have just in case there is an emergency and I need it.

 

I actually disable all of the data options so that if I have to use it I wont be charged for any data coming through. Mine comes automatically and I wont pay the $$$$$ for it.

 

This is our time with no contact to the real world and we LOVE it!!!

 

We have Verizon and last year I used it in St Thomas a couple of times and never paid anything extra :D

[R_i_c_h]

Just for shoots and giggles, I checked out the Sprint coverage map. It looks like it covers St. Thomas, both for voice and data. Can anyone on the Sprint network confirm that there is in-network coverage there?

 

Rich

[alexkrn46]

Just for shoots and giggles, I checked out the Sprint coverage map. It looks like it covers St. Thomas, both for voice and data. Can anyone on the Sprint network confirm that there is in-network coverage there?

 

Rich

 

Used Sprint phones for internet, texting and phone in San Juan and St Thomas many time, never charged extra.