Cell phones

[2preschoolers]

I have AT&T with my iphone. Can anyone tell me if I will be able to text or use the phone on my cruise? It's on the Pride from Baltimore to the Bahamas, if that matters. I've heard it's best to turn the phone completely off so it's not roaming. :cool:

 

But once in the ports, does AT&T have coverage there so I can contact my kiddos at home?

 

Alternately, the ship has WiFi - can I send them texts or emails from the ship?

[Samm116]

AT&T has this info on their website, about the charges while at sea and what the charges are in each port.

 

I turn data completely off, and on airplane mode unless I need to use it. Most ports have someplace that you can use wifi for free.

[dougandmo]

I have AT&T with my iphone. Can anyone tell me if I will be able to text or use the phone on my cruise? It's on the Pride from Baltimore to the Bahamas, if that matters. I've heard it's best to turn the phone completely off so it's not roaming. :cool:

 

But once in the ports, does AT&T have coverage there so I can contact my kiddos at home?

 

Alternately, the ship has WiFi - can I send them texts or emails from the ship?

 

You can use your phone on the cruise to either text or call, but it's not cheap. You can also use your phone in the Bahamas, but again it won't be cheap. The ship's wifi is not free, but you can use it to send and check email. To maximize your minutes you can download your mail to your iphone, turn off your wifi, draft responses, and turn the wifi back on to send them.

 

The costs are all relative and everyone has their own definition of what's expensive. But any means of communication from ship to home will cost you basically.

[Ms. T]

I have AT&T with my iphone. Can anyone tell me if I will be able to text or use the phone on my cruise? It's on the Pride from Baltimore to the Bahamas, if that matters. I've heard it's best to turn the phone completely off so it's not roaming. :cool:

 

But once in the ports, does AT&T have coverage there so I can contact my kiddos at home?

 

Alternately, the ship has WiFi - can I send them texts or emails from the ship?

 

Same ship last year and my daughte this year

We purchased the 200 text message package from ATT

we were able to receive text message as if we were home but could send out up to 200 text for $30 or you could go for the 50 text mgs for $10

we were also told to turn off the data and roaming on our phone because if we received calls whether answered or not it would incur charges. I plan to purchase this plan again for my upcoming cruise

Hope this is helpful

Edited November 5, 2013 by Ms. T

[aggie_gal]

If you have access to free wifi in a port, you can FaceTime or iMessage for free with another apple device. For instance, my husband had to go to Ethiopia for work. He had a layover in Germany, but because of flights, I actually went to Germany 2 days earlier to meet up with him. Our son stayed home with grandparents. I was able to use wifi to FaceTime with my husband (iPhone to iPhone) in Ethiopia and to my parents in Texas. It can be done with iPhone, iPad, or computer. Just need access to wifi on both ends.

 

So, if your kids have an apple device, this is the way to go. Otherwise, check with AT&T. Before my mom had an iPhone, we got a service with AT&T that was $10 for 50 texts. It worked out for what we needed.

[pamrose228]

Viber is a free phone and message app. Make sure you download the app and whoever you want to speak to does also. When on the trip turn your phone to airplane mode and when you get wifi (whether paid on the ship or free at ports.) make your calls and texts thru Viber. My son was in Israel this summer for 5 weeks and he used Viber the entire time to call home. Didn't cost a penny.

 

Remember all parties involved must have the app.

[Colorado Kat]

While on the ship, all calls/texts have to go thru the ship's services. That is expensive.

 

Many ports have free wifi areas. Just watch where the crew sets up with phones/computers.

[lilmizz]

Ive never heard of Viper from a previous post. But to be on the safe side. Disconnect all data and roaming. Also don't answer Voice Messages ( They charge you for just listening while On the ship, I have sprint and I get the international plan for the time on the cruise. Its 5 bucks a month and I can make calls while in port for penny's.. along with txt msgs. I also have all my calls forwarded to a land-line at home (JUST IN CASE) The cheapest way to go is find free wifi on the port for staying connected to love ones in case of emergency's. use a dedicated site like facebook for msgs. Just remember your on a cruise a vacation and you want to be disconnected from the outside world anyway!! Have a great time!

[asalligo]

Normally I just turn my phone off within an hour of leaving port, but circumstances may be different on the pride.

For the first 14 hours of the cruise you will be sailing down the Chesapeake Bay. I cannot imagine there is not cell service along this route, then you will work your way down the coast to Port Canaveral where you will once again have cell service. Then the final 14 hours of the cruise you will be back in the Chesapeake Bay. So the Pride may be the best itinerary for cell service.

Does anyone have firsthand experience with this on the Pride? I am also sailing the Pride in February and have been wondering about this.

[Bibble]

AT&T texting on ships is free to receive and $.50 to send.

Same in Bahamas, but I don't recall other countries too well.

I always expect about $20 in phone charges for a week long cruise. (of course, the time mother in law called to wish me happy birthday, I'd hoped that "I'm on a ship" would have been a signal to keep it short... NOT. $22 for one phone call! but that was only because I didn't want to cut her off and hurt her feelings).

 

If you turn DATA ROAMING OFF, you won't get any big charges for email, facebook, etc. Nothinig but phone and texting will work.

If you put it into airplace mode, phone and texting will not work.

 

and yes, typically in the places in the caribbean that the ships go, there is coverage.

San Juan and St. Thomas are just like being at home

You will even have coverage on Half Moon Cay.

[matondo]

I would call AT&T to verify all of the information. I have Verizon and they did some type of upgrade so I could text and send pictures I think it cost 25 cents per text and 50 cents per pic but that was 3 years ago.

 

Leave Saturday on my first Carnival cruise, thank you for the reminder to call my cell phone provider.

[ShellLoves2cruise]

I just returned from a 7 day eastern Caribbean cruise and was nervous about a huge phone charge, it was first time cruising with my smart phone and I've heard some horror stories about bills after cruising. I turned off Data Roaming and kept the phone in Airplane Mode. I called Verizon yesterday and I was only charged $3.96 for incoming/outgoing texts. The funny thing is I made two calls from Mexico and those haven't shown up on my bill as of yet.

[erby2283]

I just returned from a 7 day eastern Caribbean cruise and was nervous about a huge phone charge, it was first time cruising with my smart phone and I've heard some horror stories about bills after cruising. I turned off Data Roaming and kept the phone in Airplane Mode. I called Verizon yesterday and I was only charged $3.96 for incoming/outgoing texts. The funny thing is I made two calls from Mexico and those haven't shown up on my bill as of yet.

 

I'm cruising on the 17th and called Verizon to make sure I don't get charged a huge bill b/c I just want to send/receive texts. They said to make sure the data roaming is off and to change the wi-fi to "on" so it will pick up on wi-fi connections. They said as long as "3G" was not showing on my screen, I was not on their network. Therefore I could even make a phone call if I was connected to someone else's wifi and still not get charged (again, as long as "3G" was not being used). Still weary of what they told me so I am going to call back and talk to someone else to double check!

[FlyingCruiserNJ]

I have AT&T with my iphone. Can anyone tell me if I will be able to text or use the phone on my cruise? It's on the Pride from Baltimore to the Bahamas, if that matters. I've heard it's best to turn the phone completely off so it's not roaming. :cool:

 

But once in the ports, does AT&T have coverage there so I can contact my kiddos at home?

 

Alternately, the ship has WiFi - can I send them texts or emails from the ship?

 

You CAN use them, I would not though unless it is a complete emergency because they charge like an arm and a leg per minute plus international roaming. I turn my phone off completely as soon as we are out of sight of land on the first day of the trip and turn it back on when we are parked and ready to debark on the last day. Sometimes I will take the battery out also. I know people who did not know about this and had a cell bill higher than the actual cruise bill.

[cblount]

Ok so here is the deal. I've done this a few times already. I also have AT&T.

 

First, the cruise line does NOT charge on top of what your carrier charges. The international rate for AT&T for phone calls I believe is $2.50 per minute (might be $1.99 but I can't remember for sure).

 

When I'm on the ship, I leave my phone turned on the entire time so someone can get a hold of me in an emergency. That doesn't cost a thing. THE MAJOR THING IS TO MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT YOU HAVE CELLULAR DATA TURNED OFF!!! Otherwise you will rack up some serious data charges.

 

As said before, incoming text messages are free. Outgoing are 50 cents without pictures. When you add pictures the price goes up.

 

I use wifi on the ship. I just sailed the Carnival Magic and they have an unlimited data plan for the entire cruise for $50 per device. For higher speed wifi, the price jumps to $130 for as many devices as you want to use (one at a time).

 

Basically, you can leave your phone turned on, just turn off roaming and turn off cellular data and use wifi for surfing.

 

On the last cruise, I was updating Facebook and doing my usual stuff without missing a beat. (... and please no lectures on how I shouldn't be on the internet while on a cruise. That's my business and not yours).

[tafische]

I have never had any problem with using my ATT iPhone on the ship...and no unexpected charges.

 

Keep Cell data turned off....and as a must - forward your calls to your house or somewhere else BEFORE you board the ship. Cant stress this enough - or you risk being charged even for unanswered calls. If you have a text plan with att - Incoming are at no charge...Verizon does charge a small fee. Outgoing are .50.

 

I am trying to put together a personal tech blog on these kinds of things while cruising. It is in my sig...feel free to check it out and give me your constructive feedback or other questions.

 

Headed out next week on the Sunshine and I will have my phone with me if you need me ;)

[QTPieRye]

Anyone had good experience with their smartphone and ship's Wifi? We took our laptop a few cruises ago to use CCL funville for free and the connection was horrible. I ended up going down to the internet cafe to use theirs.

 

If CCL is offering unlimited Wifi for $50.00 for the entire week, then couldn't you just use the Wifi while out at sea and Skype or Facetime? Or just IM through facebook or another social network?

[pamrose228]

Anyone had good experience with their smartphone and ship's Wifi? We took our laptop a few cruises ago to use CCL funville for free and the connection was horrible. I ended up going down to the internet cafe to use theirs.

 

If CCL is offering unlimited Wifi for $50.00 for the entire week, then couldn't you just use the Wifi while out at sea and Skype or Facetime? Or just IM through facebook or another social network?

 

 

Oh my...the olden days were so much easier...only way to communicate with the outside world when on the sea was ship to shore phone call.

[tafische]

On the current (old) system, you will not get any faster speed. Skype and Facetime will not work...

 

They have just partnered with a new company and will be rolling out faster Wifi (already on some ships), but at around $100 for the week. My guess is you will also find that Skype and Facetime will not work well because of the latency of the connection (time to travel back and forth).

 

I am a true geek, but I would avoid the WiFi unless you have to have it for work or some other significant requirement. It is just too expensive and slow to be enjoyable in my opinion.

 

Remember, you can communicate for free with family on Funville and sending/receiving txt messages in a pinch is much cheaper than an internet plan.

 

 

 

 

Anyone had good experience with their smartphone and ship's Wifi? We took our laptop a few cruises ago to use CCL funville for free and the connection was horrible. I ended up going down to the internet cafe to use theirs.

 

If CCL is offering unlimited Wifi for $50.00 for the entire week, then couldn't you just use the Wifi while out at sea and Skype or Facetime? Or just IM through facebook or another social network?

[504ever]

Very interested to find out how to "stay in touch with family using Funville." Tried searching Carnival website, but no luck. How does this work?

[treasurespast]

Normally I just turn my phone off within an hour of leaving port, but circumstances may be different on the pride.

 

For the first 14 hours of the cruise you will be sailing down the Chesapeake Bay. I cannot imagine there is not cell service along this route, then you will work your way down the coast to Port Canaveral where you will once again have cell service. Then the final 14 hours of the cruise you will be back in the Chesapeake Bay. So the Pride may be the best itinerary for cell service.

 

Does anyone have firsthand experience with this on the Pride? I am also sailing the Pride in February and have been wondering about this.

 

I am also wondering about the Baltimore Pride route and using a cell phone. When we dock in Port Canaveral do I need to get off the ship to use my cell phone without any unusual charges?

[tafische]

Very interested to find out how to "stay in touch with family using Funville." Tried searching Carnival website, but no luck. How does this work?

 

Check out my personal blog (in my signature)....basically you start a thread in the Currently Onboard area of Funville and then just post messages back and forth. It is public so you can't really talk private stuff, but good to ask how things are back home and tell folks what you are up to.

 

It is kinda slow on the ship, but I just write a bit on my iPhone when I am just lounging around...where to I have to be anyway ;)

[504ever]

Thanks for all the great info! Sounds like you may be on the Sunshine on the 18th--that's where we'll be too. Can't wait!

[tafische]

I am also wondering about the Baltimore Pride route and using a cell phone. When we dock in Port Canaveral do I need to get off the ship to use my cell phone without any unusual charges?

 

The ships cell system should be turned off when they are within about 8 to 10 miles of the port. Personally I would not try to use cell or data when not in port even if it says ATT or Verizon. I don't know about in your area as I generally sail in the gulf - but there are some sea based cell services that cover the outlying areas that are actually roaming. When you are actually docked in a US port you should have no problem at all.

[tafische]

Thanks for all the great info! Sounds like you may be on the Sunshine on the 18th--that's where we'll be too. Can't wait!

 

Hey! Yep...less than a week to go! Will be a lot of fun....sure wish we were one of the lucky folks getting to stay Saturday night....