Communicating while on board

[kimberlym4]

I have trouble understanding cell phone capabilities on board. If i want to communicate on board with someone in my party am I able to text them? I have Verizon and realize they have an international package - would I need that? Do you guys have other ways to check in with your party?

[Clarea]

I have trouble understanding cell phone capabilities on board. If i want to communicate on board with someone in my party am I able to text them? I have Verizon and realize they have an international package - would I need that? Do you guys have other ways to check in with your party?

I believe texting using Verizon would be $0.50 per text sent, and something like $0.05 per text received on the ship. This is with no plan beyond your normal domestic plan.

[kimberlym4]

I believe texting using Verizon would be $0.50 per text sent, and something like $0.05 per text received on the ship. This is with no plan beyond your normal domestic plan.

 

Thanks Bob. And is there consistent service while at sea?

[Clarea]

Thanks Bob. And is there consistent service while at sea?

Yes, the ship has a cell tower on board.

[matj2000]

Don't waste your money on expensive cell/text service.

Just use common sense and you will find that its not that hard to stay in touch.

We never have issues finding each other throughout the day.

[cb at sea]

Making plans for the next day (usually at dinner and in person!) is the best way to know where abouts everyone else will be. Your cabin phone can take a message...or a note left on or under a door is a good option, too!

 

It's not a big deal or difficult to "keep in touch" on a relatively small ship...even the HUGE ships are mostly cabin space...no need to search those areas! Public areas aren't that big!

[Cardinal Cruiser]

Don't mean to offend anyone, but we're old school. We use post-it notes and actual conversation.

[goodycruising]

There are phones on walls around the ship and you can ring your room or friends' rooms.

[roguebandit]

Do walkie talkies work? I have some with a 26 mile range.

[Clarea]

Do walkie talkies work? I have some with a 26 mile range.

It varies. If the walkie-talkies are separated by several decks, then not so good.

[akcruz]

Don't mean to offend anyone, but we're old school. We use post-it notes and actual conversation.

 

I normally communicate with my kids electronically while on land, however at sea we put them away and do speak with each other to make plans. If anyone changes plans we us post its or messages on the xabin phones. It really is not that hard to do on a ship. Besides electronics and water (not to mention the extra cost) do not go well in my mind.

[Eng23]

Do walkie talkies work? I have some with a 26 mile range.

With all the steel in a ship walkie talkies are hit or miss. I've seen a person try to talk to someone that was 50 ft. away with a walkie talkie, the other person only responded when the first person was yelling into the walkie talkie. The other person heard the yelling across the Promenade and not through the walkie talkie. As you can imagine everyone else on the Promenade heard him too.

[impatientlywaiting]

Our last cruise we used magnetic write on-wipe off boards we put on our cabin door in the hall. We would leave each other messages and after a few days other people would write us notes too! It was quite fun and they only cost a dollar at the Dollar Store! Several people told us they couldn't wait to see what we wrote each day. We even had our cabin steward writing on them! :D

[Mickeyc5]

By using text messaging you don't have to go to a cabin or a phone. Very convenient especially if there's a last minute change of plans.

 

"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that it's hard to tell what is authentic." - Abraham Lincoln

[Adayatatime]

Post it notes and messages left on cabin phones. Set meeting up times and calling the cabin at particular times. It worked fine most of the time.

 

My husband did keep wandering off though not sure where he was going :D.

[MandyMooToo]

Don't mean to offend anyone, but we're old school. We use post-it notes and actual conversation.

 

^^ This

 

I took two 17 year old boys on Oasis last year and was concerned about how we would stay in touch on board (no way am I going to pay ridiculous cell charges). I grabbed a couple packs of post-its and some pens for each cabin. We left notes on the doors so everyone had a general idea of where we would all be and met up around meal times to check in also. Worked very well for us.

[jalpert]

If you are going to go the walkie talkie route, I would recommend these:

 

http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-65-108-Dual-Band-Radio/dp/B008IYCQSO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1403533201&sr=8-2&keywords=baofeng+uv-5r

 

$33/ea so $66 for two. Plus, you can buy as many as you want and keep them on the same frequencies. These are not walkie talkies, these are actual HAM radios and have a lot stronger signal.

[Adayatatime]

Walkie talkiers - ok if teens are happy with someone saying "mummy here, just checking you are ok" lol.

Edited June 23, 2014 by Adayatatime

[paul929207]

Don't mean to offend anyone, but we're old school. We use post-it notes and actual conversation.

Is that still legal? LOL

[donaldsc]

Do walkie talkies work? I have some with a 26 mile range.

 

Lets not start another walkie talkie thread. Please!! There ought to be a way of automatically deleting or blocking any thread that has specific keywords in them - walkie talkie, tip, pool hogs, etc.

 

DON

[akcruz]

Our last cruise we used magnetic write on-wipe off boards we put on our cabin door in the hall. We would leave each other messages and after a few days other people would write us notes too! It was quite fun and they only cost a dollar at the Dollar Store! Several people told us they couldn't wait to see what we wrote each day. We even had our cabin steward writing on them! :D

 

This is fine if you are all adults and don't put too much information on them. However, if you have kids I personally would not want to have a board on my door letting others know where my kids are or when they are due back.

 

Yes, a ship is normally a safe place but why advertise when your kids will alone, meeting someone else, etc. I have seen it too many times to count and question it myself every time I see it.

 

Post it notes INSIDE the cabin or calls to the cabin phone. That way you and your travel companions know your and your families whereabouts not everyone on the ship.

[Ehpride]

I use the old fashioned method of making plans in advance. I don't like texting at home so it goes away on vacation.

 

 

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[navybankerteacher]

Don't mean to offend anyone, but we're old school. We use post-it notes and actual conversation.

 

Conversation!!!! --- yes, I remember that.

[Jane2357]

We also use the stick on white boards. :D They are the best way we've found - if traveling alone we stick it up inside the cabin, if traveling with others it is on our door. We also leave messages there for the room steward or butler. For those thinking of bring a walkie talkie - PLEASE DO NOT - it is considered bad cruise etiquette as they are noise pollution to other guests - NOBODY wants to hear you say "can you hear me". ;)

 

Our last cruise we used magnetic write on-wipe off boards we put on our cabin door in the hall. We would leave each other messages and after a few days other people would write us notes too! It was quite fun and they only cost a dollar at the Dollar Store! Several people told us they couldn't wait to see what we wrote each day. We even had our cabin steward writing on them! :D

Edited June 23, 2014 by Jane2357

[newgrange]

Walkie talkies can also interfere with emergency frequencies which are different in different countries.

I mean real emergencies, not 'Can you bring my shorts from the cabin?'