Cell phone on cruise & ports?

[cigloo]

We are sailing on Holland America to Alaska and wanted to know how good cell service is in ports? Also, does anyone know if you are charged roaming while in the ports?

 

Thank you!

[Keith1010]

Most USA based carriers do not charge roaming costs for calls originating from Alaska. The quality of the cell will depend on your carrier and not from HAL if you are in port.

 

Keith

[Kamloops50]

Don't use your cellphone on board the ship when away from port . Ship cell service is expensive. They charge your carrier international roaming even when cruising in Alaska waters. You'll need an international roaming plan to use your cellphone when not in port .Cost on board varies from $1.50 to $5 per minute plus what other charger your provider chargers.

[Arusha]

AT&T cell phone service was excellent in Juneau - all bars all the time, better than I get here in southern New Hampshire near the MA border.

 

If your cruise includes Canadian ports such as Victoria and Vancouver, don't forget that calls/data usage in them will incur international charges. Very expensive!

[steveinoregon]

if you have a texting plan we found that we could text all we wanted while on the ship and it did not cost us nothing but when in port we then called and did not get roaming charges, the only place we was charged roaming was in victoia canada.

[LuvinDisCruiser]

Called Verizon today, and we should have service in the Alaskan ports.

 

But, we may get some Canadian cell towers, and then our phone would say roaming, that's when we would be charged.

 

They said if our phone says extended network, that is ok.

 

And,to make sure our phones are on airplane mode on board !!!

[travelgalnyc]

Just back from Alaska. No problems with cell phone service in Juneau and Ketchikan with Verizon. Not good service in Skagway though although my friends who had AT&T got great reception there.