Keep daughters from texting?

[pbmsmile]

i am the parent of two teens, now 17 and 19 years old. When they are with us and it will be roaming, their phones are off. They have no need of them on the ship once it pulls away from home port, and i refuse to pay the international roaming charges for teens.

 

When we pull into port, if it is a us port where the phone won't cost anything, everyone turns on their phone, checks and responds to messages. If it is not a us port, the phones stay off. I take mine ashore in case of emergency.

 

I would speak to your phone company about the charges and i would probably block international calling and data on the teen phones.

 

This thread reminds me of conversations i sometimes have with parents of teens who don't do their homework. I advise the parents to take away the car keys and enforce study hours at home. The response from the parents has often been, "but i can't take their car away, then i would have to drive them everywhere!" well, yeah, you might, unless you tell them they aren't going "everywhere" until they show some responsibility and pass their classes - even those they don't like.

 

Honestly, if taking away the phones will ruin their vacation they have bigger problems.

touche!!

[MMastell]

With Verizon I use the International Data Plan with my phone. It allows 100MB of data for $25. If you exceed 100MB of data then an additional $25 charge is allocated along with an additional 100MB allowance.

 

It is a good way for the kids to Facebook or Twitter and not completely break the bank. It still may cost you $100 but it's better than the hundreds it could cost if they are "girls gone wild". If they have Smart Phones and go online without an International Data you will be in BIG trouble.

 

I'm sorry but if you are worried and want to keep the costs down. Take the phones and lock them away or leave the kids at home.

 

Take care,

Mike

[retiredgram]

Everyone has answered your question, with very good information, so after your cruise, please come back and let us know how it turned out.

[twinzzz]

I think its safe to say that the OP has stopped reading the responses after the first 10 or so posts, since they did not get the response they might have been looking for.

 

However, as a parent (and cell phone owner/user) i always check into international roaming/data rates prior to travelling and decide whether it is truly necessary to have my phone on (it will still work in the case of an emergency although it will cost more).

 

Our twin DSs (15yo) pay for their own phones and make the decision to turn their phones off as soon as we cross the border (if they even bring them on the trip) so as not to incur an outrageous bill. They know if they want to keep in touch with friends they can use the wifi and their tablets.

 

Teaching the daughters some responsibility and making them accountable now will only help them once mommy and daddy arent there to pay their way. Thats just my opinion and seems to be working for our boys.

[Gamecock_Cruiser]

If they have smart phone, make sure they turn the data OFF. If not then it will be a insane bill. Try calling the phone company and see if they could block their phones from roaming. They will not be able to pick up service at all once they leave land.

[Mizzouaholic]

Tell them not to text

[CheckersMidwest]

Our last cruise, my kids were 15 & 20. They used their phones while still in the Tampa port. Right before sail away, they turned them off & put them in their own safe. In fact, I leave mine at home altogether.

 

None of us use our phones while on any vacation. It's nice to get away and have the break. We don't use computers either while on vacation. Family has important phone numbers if there is an emergency.

 

The kids don't complain, because it's the way we've always done it and they also appreciate the 'quiet' time without them. When we pull into port at the end, they turn them on & catch up while we're waiting to disembark or while we're sitting at the airport.

[Havingfun2010]

I have a 16 year old. I recently went with him and his class to Paris and London for a school trip. Parents were told to remind kids of international roaming charges, texting charges, and data charges. I told my own son to turn off his phone and only turn it on if he was seperated from the group. He brought his iPad to use in the hotel at night with the free WiFi. So each night he could upload a few photos, give a few highlights and message with friends for free. IT DID NOT KILL HIM.

 

We recently received a normal phone bill. However, several members of the group have received bills in the range of $650 to $1200. These kids felt the need to text, tweet, and FB everything. Parents are upset, and guess what they blame the teacher for not taking the phones. Really.... the teacher and I constantly told the kids they were being charged.

 

On cruises we let our son keep his phone in the home port. He can take pictures of the room, lunch and a little pre-trip fun. He can message, text, FB and tweet all he wants until we start to leave the port. We buy an internet package for the week and tell him when its gone its gone. He is good about dividing the minutes up and using only a few each night to give an update of his day and respond to FB and Tweets he received from friends.

 

If you let the girls keep the phones really make sure they are aware of DATA charges those will kill you. I think the best thing to do is to just put the phones away.

 

I'm going on one of those trips also this summer. My son has the option of paying for an international data package with the understanding, that he will also pay for all overages. We also talked about texting (in this case incoming is free, but outgoing is expensive, and his options). Also about free WiFi is possible in some areas. His repsonse was, I don't use my phone on a ship, and survive, I'm sure I can survive in Europe!

 

Since the beginning of the cell phone age, parents have to deal with this. As a parent, do you use your phone on a ship? I don't. If I don't, than why does it seem so hard to teach our kids to be responsible? If they want to travel, and be on that ship, than they must learn to give up things. It's not the end of the world. They will survive, and if they can't, next vacation, leave the kids home!!!!!!

[Gayle V]

Hello Wahooslayer, I was just talking to son, a long time employee of Verizon, and he offered this advice:

 

Whether you turn the phones off, and stash them in the safe or not, if you intend to use them at all while you are gone (on land or sea), be sure to make a pre-cruise call to your cellular provider, to discuss all your phone needs and options. While you are worried that the phones will be used too much, they also may not be able to do all you need. If you tell your cellular rep, what you want to do, they can help make sure your equipment is set up the way you want, AND make sure you know all you need to know about using them and not going broke in the bargain.

 

He said the most important thing you can do is to make that call at least 7 to ten days before you leave home, to allow time for delivery and implementation of any needed changes of equipment or services.

 

Forewarned is forearmed.

[mikenhe]

or let them have the phones - just keep the sim cards :D

[pe4all]

Yea they will hate you and grumble and curse your very existence ...........Until the next time they want something and then they will be sweet as pie *LOL*

LOL - how true!! Or just wait till they see their friends having a spontaneous party that they will be missing because of being on the cruise. We had this scenario once or twice!! DD21 actually likes being "out of touch" for a week - she says that sometimes there is too much drama, and enjoys the break in the action.

I know AT&T has some international plans where you get X amount of minutes and X amount of texts. I also know it was cheaper using the cabin phone to call the U.S. ($1.99 per min.) vs using my cell phone. ($2.49 per min) Do your homework - have a real sit-down discussion with your kids, come up with some rules that all can live with, and enjoy your cruise!

[Georgia Peach 4]

Our first cruise, I learned the hard way...our phones were OFF, but we had a sick friend at home and when we were in port I would turn it on and call home to check (we had purchased an international plan through AT&T) so the rates would be a little lower for calling home.

 

I forgot to turn my phone back off when boarding the ship to come home.

 

Our friend passed away on our way home. My phone was in the safe, but not turned off as I thought. When we were at our home port, I discovered abut 5 missed calls and a few voice mails.

 

Although I didn't even answer the phone, I was charged for "receiving" the calls. Our bill was about $150 more than usual for the MISSED calls. It was my fault, not the cruiseline or AT&T...so I learned a lesson and paid my bill.

 

If they have a tablet or laptop, try to encourage them to use wifi, buy an internet package and facebook or email friends at home without texting. It will save you a lot in the long run!

 

Imagine -- dinner without phones in their face -- I am looking forward to that!

[babyher]

LOL - how true!! Or just wait till they see their friends having a spontaneous party that they will be missing because of being on the cruise. We had this scenario once or twice!! DD21 actually likes being "out of touch" for a week - she says that sometimes there is too much drama, and enjoys the break in the action.

I know AT&T has some international plans where you get X amount of minutes and X amount of texts. I also know it was cheaper using the cabin phone to call the U.S. ($1.99 per min.) vs using my cell phone. ($2.49 per min) Do your homework - have a real sit-down discussion with your kids, come up with some rules that all can live with, and enjoy your cruise!

 

My DD 21 recently went to Las Vegas with her mom (my EX) for a couple of days to celebrate her birthday . She texted me when she got there , otherwise the only thing she used her phone for was to take pictures. She told everyone she would see them when she got back .

 

She told me she would rather spend her money (and time)on booze, gambling and shopping *LOL*

[Algebralovr]

or let them have the phones - just keep the sim cards :D

 

I thought of the same thing after I posted. If the phones are GSM, take out the SIM cards.

 

If the phones are CDMA, however, we are back to blocking international calls/texts/data or turning them off.

[somesong12]

I think the originator of this board has left the message board!!! LOL

:);););););)

 

On our cruise I used our phone for 15 minutes in the bahamas and it was a few hundred dollars more. I had to call my daughter and speak with her back in the states.

 

I didn't think it would add up so fast! EEEEK!

 

Verizone texts were 50 cents for sent and 15 cents received. I actually bought the internet/wifi minutes/package for teh cruise and FORGET to double check that I signed off and my bill went up a LOT! whoops! Lesson learned. We now turn ours off. Check it once a day in the morning and that's about it.

 

Turn them off, lock them up, and tell the kids to just handle it. What is the worst they could do...pout? I'm sure it won't ruin the vacation. If they get an attitude they can go in their stateroom and hang out alone since they have their own room. THen you won't have to listen to them whine or complain. If they are that addicted to their phones, they need a life outside of technological communication and use some one on one personal skills. It'll help them in the real world when they don't have their parents around.

[ShanteS]

When I read the title of the thread and then the first few posts I was confused for a minute because the answer is really simple. You can either do as others have suggested here and simply take the phones away and explain why (that it's not a means of punishment but would cost way too much to keep them on) OR turn the data and roaming off and allow them to keep the phones for time/pictures.

 

I went on cruises when I was 16 and 18 and guess what I willingly turned my cell phone off because I didnt want to come home to a sky high cell bill as I was responsible for my own bill at 18. I was not allowed to get a cellphone until I was old enough to pay for it. ;)

 

Whatever my mother said was accepted and NEVER questioned by me! And I knew better than to throw a tantrum like a toddler or to even talk back. God help me if I ever had the audacity to do that. I'm not sure why taking the cellphones would cause the cruise to start off on the wrong foot but they'd just have to get over it. You are the parent! You set the boundaries and rules!

 

Besides I take a vacation to get away from everyday life and the drama/stressors that come with it. I can't WAIT to finally turn my cell off as we're leaving port and happily knowing I dont have to turn it back on for an entire week!! It's the best feeling ever!! Enjoy your cruise OP if you ever come back to read the thread. :)

[PSkinner]

Our oldest son was 19 in college on our first cruise. We simply told him our rules. We were paying for the cruise and he would turn his phone over to us until the end. I have heard of such outrages bills from cruise ships and didn't want any surprises. We figured if we were paying if he wanted to travel with us it's our rules! Not even an issue with him; he was glad to take the cruise.

[DirtyDawg]

I think its safe to say that the OP has stopped reading the responses after the first 10 or so posts, ....

 

Yes, Elvis has left the building.

 

When I first read the thread I remembered this news story.

 

"Dad gets $22,000 data roaming 'shock' from Fido"

 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2013/03/01/bc-rogers-roaming.html

[VA_Gym_Guy]

Travelling with our teenage daughters on Victory in June, one of which would think nothing of amassing 5,000 texts while at sea, regardless of cost. they are staying in their own stateroom. How is texting paid for? I was planning to attach a credit card to our S/S cards, but I'm not interested in an "oh, by the way" at the end of my cruise. I suppose the same problem exists with wifi usage. How do I protect myself?

 

You need to check with the carrier on how it is handled. It can get extremely expensive very quickly. For our family, cell phones are collected and turned off after sail away. Some of the older Nieces and Nephews buy some internet time for Facebook/Twitter/Email updates. They get the phones back after breakfast before heading off the ship and it works out great to reduce stress while we wait to get off

[awhcruiser]

Buy an unlimited internet package so they can email their friends. Much cheaper than $1000 phone bill. And lock up their cell phones for the week.

[big_duck]

Buy an unlimited internet package so they can email their friends. Much cheaper than $1000 phone bill. And lock up their cell phones for the week.

 

Assuming one is available on that particular ship.

 

I would say if you aren't willing to take the phones then show them what the costs are and tell them they will be personally responsible for those costs in perpetuity.

 

I'm always amazed at how frugal my daughters become when it is their money, not mine.

[Rottweiler Puppy]

"OK, Honey, you can spend 'x' for texts this trip, so govern yourself accordingly." Is this feasible?

 

No its not really feasible in your situation. You said the one child does not really care.

 

I don't intend to sound mean but you stated one child has no care about what you say in the matter so they will do as they please and rack up the texts costs be damned. Your cell provider and Cellular at sea wont be policing their text usage. They will just be billing.

[Rottweiler Puppy]

IMO, dont take their phones away. Let them keep it, tell them how the situation works and why the phone shouldnt be used while at sea and give them ways to still use the phone (i.e., play games, take pictures, etc. by keeping the phone on Airplane Mode if using an iphone/smart phone), and explain the ramifications for going outside those parameters.

 

I would agree in a case with my kids but the OP stated about one of their daughters ---- "one of which would think nothing of amassing 5,000 texts while at sea, regardless of cost."

 

They will just turn airplane mode off and text away. The OP said their kid cannot be trusted so the best advice for such a situation is to confiscate. The OP doesn't want any of that for some reason.

 

Some kids you can trust some you cant. I wont fault the parent as some kids just turn out the way they do no matter how you try to raise them.

 

I got lucky. Heck my kids are trustworthy to the point of them actually wanting me to lock up their phones as they fear they will incur roaming and data charges just for them being accidentally turned on. So in the safe they go.

[zebstriped]

Confiscate their phones. Turn them off and put in the safe.

 

Totally agree with this. What part of NO is hard to understand?

[Hstergo]

I hope you understood that just having the phone on, sitting in your safe never being used, can run up a bill (with your phone provider, not Carnival) in excess of $1000. I recall a recent thread where the bill was $1,200. And the phone company will not reduce the bill even when you explain you were sure the phone was off. IT ROAMS on its own. You need to put it in airplane mode or a "secure" off.

 

No one in their right mind leaves their phones on during a cruise, and most simply do not use them. This has nothing to do with restricting your daughters. It is just common sense.

 

Although I fully understand your being insulted by the growing a backbone comment - anyone would be - I am afraid your letter gives the impression of this really being true.

I sure would love to have a phone that can stay on an entire week with out recharging lol