TracFone questions

[photogineer]

Hey all, I have a few quick questions,

 

My 2 friends and myself are departing on Carnival Ecstasy next Thursday 3/21 for a 4 day jaunt around the Bahamas, first time for all 3 of us. We expect to be separated at various times and wanted a way to keep in touch. It is my (hopefully not incorrect) understanding that Carnival ships are equipped with cellular towers for Verizon phones, but that the roaming fees are akin to an organ per second. As such, we were wondering if it would be worth it to bring along some disposable TracFones and load them up with units before hand.

 

My questions are:

1) Is this worth doing?

2) Do TracFones even work on this ship?

3) Does anyone have thoughts on many units would be recommended? We will be using the phone for short calls and text messages to other phones on the ship, maybe one or longer calls back home (not a priority)

4) What silly thing have I not thought of?

 

Thanks,

Matt

[serene56]

are you asking if you can use Trac phones while onboard?

 

I doubt that. As soon as you leave your home port it will lose service

 

Ship is not that large where a member of your party will get lost.

You will have a daily activity sheet that you go over-- hightlight where you all will be heading.

 

Cabin phones are equipped with voice mail and its free to call cabin to cabin and by using any house phone-- which you can find by any elevator.

[luv2trvlnow]

Our tracfone did not work on the ship. It works when it picks up a US signal. By that I mean a signal from a US state or territory, not from the ship. So while at sea you will have no signal. It worked for us in St Thomas because it is a US territory.

 

You can make international calls but they must be placed from the US. So it is not the choice when traveling out of the country.

 

Sharon

[Megan_Strick]

I think the OP meant using them while in port not on the ship.

 

 

never mind...I see they want to use it on the ship

 

OP perhaps walkie talkies??

[luv2trvlnow]

I think the OP meant using them while in port not on the ship.

And like I said it will only work if you are in a US Territory such as St Thomas or Puerto Rico. Only US ports. So it will not work on the ship if you are out at sea and will not work in a foreign port.

 

Sharon

[maldenmusic]

My Tracfone actually did show service once in Cozumel but everything on the phone was in Spanish! I didn't try using it. I don't think you'll have to worry about keeping up with each other on the ship.

[Maraprince]

Better to get some cheap walkie talkies for on board the ship.

 

Tracfone, as stated, will work when the ship is docked in a US port but not once the ship leaves port...no signal. That is why you see everyone out on their balconies once the ship docks in a US port on their cell phones.

 

If all you want to do is keep in touch on the ship, walkie talkies are the way to go. If you want to use your phone in different non-US ports, you can rent a phone in the port. If you have another carrier for your cell phone, you will need to activate a SIM card that will allow you to place calls on an international basis. Best to check with your carrier.

 

MARAPRINCE

[cruisegrammy49]

Walkie talkies would be your best bet but don't get the really cheap ones. You need ones that can get through all the metal, etc on the ship and from one end to the other. Also get ones with a charger or you'll go through lots and lots of batteries.

[blindrid]

Hey all, I have a few quick questions,

 

My 2 friends and myself are departing on Carnival Ecstasy next Thursday 3/21 for a 4 day jaunt around the Bahamas, first time for all 3 of us. We expect to be separated at various times and wanted a way to keep in touch. It is my (hopefully not incorrect) understanding that Carnival ships are equipped with cellular towers for Verizon phones, but that the roaming fees are akin to an organ per second. As such, we were wondering if it would be worth it to bring along some disposable TracFones and load them up with units before hand.

 

My questions are:

1) Is this worth doing?

2) Do TracFones even work on this ship?

3) Does anyone have thoughts on many units would be recommended? We will be using the phone for short calls and text messages to other phones on the ship, maybe one or longer calls back home (not a priority)

4) What silly thing have I not thought of?

 

Thanks,

Matt

 

Don't bother as it's easy to keep track of each other. What you'll find it you will know everybody's habits and hangouts. For example, my DW knows I am by the pool with my bucket in the afternoon.

 

Don't invent a problem.

[ISurfTooMuch]

My Tracfone actually did show service once in Cozumel but everything on the phone was in Spanish! I didn't try using it. I don't think you'll have to worry about keeping up with each other on the ship.

TracFone is owned by America Movil, which also owns Telcel, the biggest cell provider in Mexico, so it wouldn't surprise me if that's why you had service there.

 

But to get back to the OP's question, I haven't heard of any prepaid service that works aboard ship. I do know that AT&T GoPhone will work in Mexico, albeit at 99 cents a minute. As for the postpaid carriers, all the national carriers will work, provided you've activated international roaming, but I believe the going rate is $2.49/minute. And, just for clarity, Virgin Mobile and Straight Talk are prepaid carriers, so I wouldn't expect them to work.

[photogineer]

The idea was to use them on the ships cell towers, but I see that isn't going to fly. Ah well, I'll look in to walkies, does anyone have any recommendations on which work well?

 

The problem is we all tend to be terrible at planning, so we won't easily know where the others have gone, and having to constantly run back to the cabin to sync up is problematic to say the least.

 

Thanks,

Matt

[Jasonmom]

People will "flame" the walkie talkie idea, so watch out. I have used them before though:o.

 

One good thing to do is bring a bunch of post-it notes. Have everyone write a note before they leave. It shouldn't be too hard to have everyone check every once in awhile. Just don't get upset when someone puts they are exploring ship.

[qlz19]

We always go as a group of about 4-5 couples

Each couple has a set of walkies

Just make sure they are all the same brand so the security codes work

Don't have to be the same model but at least all te same maker

 

Works great for us

[firespud]

TracFone is owned by America Movil, which also owns Telcel, the biggest cell provider in Mexico, so it wouldn't surprise me if that's why you had service there.

 

But to get back to the OP's question, I haven't heard of any prepaid service that works aboard ship. I do know that AT&T GoPhone will work in Mexico, albeit at 99 cents a minute. As for the postpaid carriers, all the national carriers will work, provided you've activated international roaming, but I believe the going rate is $2.49/minute. And, just for clarity, Virgin Mobile and Straight Talk are prepaid carriers, so I wouldn't expect them to work.

 

We have used our AT&T GoPhone in Cozumel, St. Thomas, St. Marteen, San Juan, and Grand Cayman. Can't remember if we used it in any other ports. It worked everytime and only cost us 10 cents per minute. We do have the international calling activated, but have never paid more than 10 cents per minute. I now have a TracFone, but husband still has the AT&T so in April we'll take them both and see which one works best.

[bbohbbneedacruise]

Pre-paid cell phones will not work on the ship.

Cellular at Sea must be able to bill your carrier for your calls and such.

If there is no bill generated by your cell phone is will not work.