Beginner Question: Cell Phones?

[duncmelsmom]

Sorry about this novice question, but...

 

I have a 4G phone with unlimited data. I'm reading horror stories about the cost of getting online. I'm reading that phones should be placed on airplane mode immediately while on the cruise.

 

Am I reading this about wi-fi, which doesn't apply to me because I have 4g? Or...is my phone totally worthless on the cruise unless I want to hook to wi-fi (no way with the costs).

 

Can my hubby and I call each other on our cells throughout the cruise or will there be other charges for this?

 

I'm reading that cheap walkie-talkies are the way to go, but I'm hoping we can get the same cell service as always and there's no need for the walkies.

 

If it helps, I'm with Verizon and am cruising on Elation from New Orleans.

 

Thanks so much for your help!!! (in advance!)

[not-enough-cruising]

unless you have an international calling plan you will be greeted by a VERY hefty phone bill upon your return, complete with outrageous roaming charges and satellite access fees incurred anytime the ship is out of range of a land based cell tower (which is most of the time). Put the phone in airplane mode. Call your provider and inquire about the ports you will be stopping at, some US territories are included in domestic calling plans, and you can use your phone there with no additional fees; San Juan, and St. Thomas come to mind.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Sorry about this novice question, but...

 

I have a 4G phone with unlimited data. I'm reading horror stories about the cost of getting online. I'm reading that phones should be placed on airplane mode immediately while on the cruise.

 

Am I reading this about wi-fi, which doesn't apply to me because I have 4g? Or...is my phone totally worthless on the cruise unless I want to hook to wi-fi (no way with the costs).

 

Can my hubby and I call each other on our cells throughout the cruise or will there be other charges for this?

 

I'm reading that cheap walkie-talkies are the way to go, but I'm hoping we can get the same cell service as always and there's no need for the walkies.

 

If it helps, I'm with Verizon and am cruising on Elation from New Orleans.

 

Thanks so much for your help!!! (in advance!)

 

There are no cell towers in the middle of the ocean so no 4G unless you connect through the ships cell tower which is usually about $2.49 per minute.

 

Contact your carrier for other charges. I think you also need to have international roaming added to your plan.

 

I get on the ship, turn off my phone and lock it in the safe for the week.

 

Bill

[RTRMom]

 

I get on the ship, turn off my phone and lock it in the safe for the week.

 

Bill

 

 

I even take the battery out. We didn't one time and the phone turned back on, Don't ask me how it just did.

[BeccaBecca1713]

After you leave port, as you get out into the ocean, you'll see the "4G" or "3G" or the wifi symbol eventually get replaced with "Cellular at Sea." If you still have your phone turned on at that point, you'll start accumulating crazy data and roaming charges, especially if you have numerous apps that "push" data to you constantly throughout the day. You can do as others said and buy the international roaming plan just for that particular week you're cruising. I'd still at least go to the settings feature and disable data pushing on all your apps and email.

 

Hubs and I always turn ours to airplane mode, just using it for the games, etc... (aka ipod). We just verbally in person tell each other our plans for the day and agree to meet back at the cabin or wherever at a set time. Surprisingly, we've had no miscommunications and all turns out well.

[vivavegas]

I agree, you should contact your carrier and discuss your travel plans. Otherwise, you may be in for a big $$$$ surprise when you get home. The best alternative is to turn your phone off when you board the ship:).

[mondello]

Pretty sure I've read here where the ship has had its cell tower ON even while in port and unsuspecting PAX were hit with charges.

[RRLLAL]

Turning data and the phone off ia correct but we've still used it to text each other on the ship. It is 55 cents per text.

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[big_duck]

The killer is international data roaming, it is crazy expensive even in ports.

 

Make sure data roaming on your phone is turned off for the entire trip.

 

Even if you turn off airplane mode to make a quick call or text, you cou gt hammered.

[cio541]

Sorry about this novice question, but...

 

I have a 4G phone with unlimited data. I'm reading horror stories about the cost of getting online. I'm reading that phones should be placed on airplane mode immediately while on the cruise.

 

Am I reading this about wi-fi, which doesn't apply to me because I have 4g? Or...is my phone totally worthless on the cruise unless I want to hook to wi-fi (no way with the costs).

 

Can my hubby and I call each other on our cells throughout the cruise or will there be other charges for this?

 

I'm reading that cheap walkie-talkies are the way to go, but I'm hoping we can get the same cell service as always and there's no need for the walkies.

 

If it helps, I'm with Verizon and am cruising on Elation from New Orleans.

 

Thanks so much for your help!!! (in advance!)

 

Your 4 g will be roaming and will be charged through cellular at sea. Check with your phone company to see about when in port, some have international plans. However when you are on the ship (and it is out of port) you are on cellular at sea. Carnival web site has some information on it if you search.

 

Any use of the cell phone (even if to eachother) will be via cellular at sea.

 

I put mine on airplane mode and forget it lol cept to take an occasion photo

[OceanDreamin]

My brother WORKS for Verizon, and the first thing he does on a cruise is turn his phone off and put it in the safe, because of the exhorbitant charges for using it at sea.

[Ours91]

I will be cruising to Saint John. I have a Samsung galaxy 4g. I don't want to be hit with crazy charges. Have tmobile. Just want to make one call per day for a few min. Don't care if I get like a $20 bill just nothing too outrageous. According to everyone , it's best to put phone on airplane mode?

[INTERLINER13]

You do not need to put your phone on airplane mode. Just make sure the data feature is turned off. That was you will not receive any emails, or push notifications.

I have an iPhone 4, and leave it on throughout the cruise. I use it as an iPod when laying in the sun, and it doubles as my camera. I just make sure I shut the data off, so I do not get my emails or anything else that requires the internet.

I do text when I am on the ship, or in ports. I have Verizon, and just call before I go. I tell them where I will be, and they tell me what the rates are. In most cases texts are only 50 cents to send, and 5 cents to receive even when on the ship. I can get a lot of info home in just 1 text, and they can send a few back for only 5 cents each. Texting is a great way to stay in touch. Just keep in mind that even if your phone allows more then 160 characters to a text, your texts will be charged per characters. So 161 will be sent as 2 text messages, and so on.

Also, leaving it on calls come through but if you do not answer you are not charged. Making it great in the event of a major emergency people can get a hold of you directly. If your phone rings a lot then I would not leave it on, but my phone hardly ever rings.

I definitely recommend calling your service provider to find out what fees you might incur.

[BeccaBecca1713]

I will be cruising to Saint John. I have a Samsung galaxy 4g. I don't want to be hit with crazy charges. Have tmobile. Just want to make one call per day for a few min. Don't care if I get like a $20 bill just nothing too outrageous. According to everyone , it's best to put phone on airplane mode?

 

When in airplane mode, you can't make calls. Once you get to your cabin, check the info book and/or Fun Times. It will list the price of using your cabin phone to call home. Lately, the ships have been varying between 99 cents to $2.99 a minute. That might be your best bet.

 

 

Big Duck made an excellent point to remember. Even if you put your phone in airplane mode, if you take it out of airplane mode to make a call, all the data that was blocked from being pushed suddenly rushes to your phone and you'll get hit with international data roaming for all of it. So if you'd still rather make a daily call from your cell, don't just put it in airplane mode. Go to settings and manually disable all data from being pushed from apps (i.e. - facebook, twitter, CNN, Weather channel, etc...) as well and change your mail feature to manual.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I will be cruising to Saint John. I have a Samsung galaxy 4g. I don't want to be hit with crazy charges. Have tmobile. Just want to make one call per day for a few min. Don't care if I get like a $20 bill just nothing too outrageous. According to everyone , it's best to put phone on airplane mode?

 

Probably cheaper to use the ships phone. I believe it's $1.99 per minute fleetwide now but I'd verify with CCL first.

 

Bill

[duncmelsmom]

Y'all are awesome. These were not the answers I was looking for, but I'm so glad that I asked. It scares me to try to turn all of the data off, so I might turn off the phone, take out the battery and put it in the safe for the week. I've got an ipod to listen to instead of relying on my phone.

 

Pics on FB would be nice (and great advertisement for Carnival), but I'll wait until on land again!

 

Hubby and I will just have to figure out meeting places. I just hope he doesn't disappear on me like he always does in Home Depot!! ;)

[rferr]

Verizon you can call in San Juan that's it on the plan. I checked the website the other day and St. Thomas was not on there. You can also call Verizon and ask them to turn on international calling on your phone.

[Runaway Parent]

Walkie-Talkies...

 

Have a set I'll sell you cheap because they were a waste! Don't bother. We took them on one cruise so we could keep track of the kids. They've stayed home ever since.

[big_duck]

I will be cruising to Saint John. I have a Samsung galaxy 4g. I don't want to be hit with crazy charges. Have tmobile. Just want to make one call per day for a few min. Don't care if I get like a $20 bill just nothing too outrageous. According to everyone , it's best to put phone on airplane mode?

 

Just be sure data roaming if off, no need to mess around with airplane mode.

[Ours91]

Just be sure data roaming if off, no need to mess around with airplane mode.

 

How do I shut off data roaming? Thanks for all your help :)

 

EDIT- Just saw how to shut it off on an online video-if I shut off data roaming , can I still make calls(and not get hit with all types of other charges-dont care about using internet or texting during cruise)? Never did this before. Thank you.

[big_duck]

How do I shut off data roaming? Thanks for all your help :)

 

Depends on the phone of course. For the iPhone it's:

 

Settings->General->Network make sure the Data Roaming slider is set to off, which is the default.

[Ours91]

Depends on the phone of course. For the iPhone it's:

 

Settings->General->Network make sure the Data Roaming slider is set to off, which is the default.

 

Thanks for all your help :)

[donaldsc]

 

Am I reading this about wi-fi, which doesn't apply to me because I have 4g? Or...is my phone totally worthless on the cruise unless I want to hook to wi-fi (no way with the costs).

 

/QUOTE]

 

If you are thinking of cell speed, think 1/4g instead of 4g. Anything wireless at sea is very very very slow.

 

DON

[Ours91]

What comes up on caller I'd on other person's phone , when you call from the cruises phone? And as long as I shut off data I should be able to make calls with no other charges? Also does tmobile have a temp international phone plan I could buy for the week? Thanks so much!

[<3 2 Cruise]

Push data got me for $175 on my last cruise. i had no idea. And Verizon was sorry I was not smart enough to know in advance, or read these boards! Put on airplane mode AND be sure your data roaming is turned off. I carried mine to use as a camera, but for the $175, I'll just take a small camera!