Texting at Sea

[Nightowl11]

Has anyone had any experience with the apps, Connect@Sea or OceanPhone Mobile? Does it work well and does it save you money to text other passengers? I am trying to find a way to text on board to my family members that are also on board without incurring a lot of fees. We all have iPhones and we all have AT&T service.

Edited May 18, 2014 by Nightowl11

[Bonnie J.]

If you text on board you will be charged for using the ship's system and its more than when you text at home plus your carrier's charges. The person you are texting would probably also be charged. I don't text so can't tell you the charges, maybe someone else can. You can text off the ship in a port as that's not using the ship's system. To stay in touch on a ship tell each other where you'll be and when. When we cruise with friends we know where to find each other. You can also put post its on their cabin door.

[paul929207]

I believe the cost is 50 cents to send a text and 5 cents to receive one.

 

Just plan ahead or leave a note in the mail slot.

[dsrdsrdsr]

And if you and your family are compulsive texters, you'll also be paying a fortune for all the texts you receive from home as well.

[TinCan782]

Check with your carrier...Sprint, while international roaming on cruise ship, is: "Sent: $0.50/recipient; Received: $0.15/message".

EDIT: Apparently, AT&T has "packages" for certain cruise ships for voice, messaging and data:

http://www.att.com/att/global/affordable-world-packages/?cruise

Edited May 18, 2014 by TinCan782
added additional info

[Bonnie J.]

Don't know if anyone has said this but the walls on the ship are steel. I can't get voicemail or make a call from my cabin no mater what deck I am on. I always go to an open deck to make a call.