Cell phone on cruise

[I want to cruise]

Will be on CB in one week with stops at Princess Cays, Puerto Rico, St thomas and Grand Turk. Daughter has a iphone 5 and AT & T is her service. I told her to call provider and have them explain her options while using her cell phone on a cruise. She would be using it for cell phone calls and texting. Can someone with experience tell me what they did to prepare for using cell phone at sea. Hoping to hear from Pam in CA. You know everything Pam. Thanks to anyone with info and input.

[Thrak]

Will be on CB in one week with stops at Princess Cays, Puerto Rico, St thomas and Grand Turk. Daughter has a iphone 5 and AT & T is her service. I told her to call provider and have them explain her options while using her cell phone on a cruise. She would be using it for cell phone calls and texting. Can someone with experience tell me what they did to prepare for using cell phone at sea. Hoping to hear from Pam in CA. You know everything Pam. Thanks to anyone with info and input.

 

At sea you will be connected to the ship's service and it is expensive. People have returned home to discover they had huge phone bills. By all means get an international plan for the time you will be out of the country but please understand that, while at sea, it is wisest to simply NOT use your phone.

 

Someone (perhaps Pam as requested :)) will be able to post the actual rates for calls and data usage at sea.

[Colo Cruiser]

Will be on CB in one week with stops at Princess Cays, Puerto Rico, St thomas and Grand Turk. Daughter has a iphone 5 and AT & T is her service. I told her to call provider and have them explain her options while using her cell phone on a cruise. She would be using it for cell phone calls and texting. Can someone with experience tell me what they did to prepare for using cell phone at sea. Hoping to hear from Pam in CA. You know everything Pam. Thanks to anyone with info and input.

 

 

I have AT&T and an Iphone 4s......

 

She will have AT&T in San Juan and St Thomas, turn the cell data off the entie time of your cruise except these ports or you could incur lots of extra fees.

 

With cell data off you can still recieve text 24/7 for free. To send would be .50 each. You can also make/recieve calls if necessary with cell data off. (Outside the 2 ports I listed)

 

Other then purchasing a text plan (200 for $30/month) I don't do anything else with AT&T. I usually only do this in Europe.

Edited July 26, 2014 by Colo Cruiser

[Colo Cruiser]

Will be on CB in one week with stops at Princess Cays, Puerto Rico, St thomas and Grand Turk. Daughter has a iphone 5 and AT & T is her service. I told her to call provider and have them explain her options while using her cell phone on a cruise. She would be using it for cell phone calls and texting. Can someone with experience tell me what they did to prepare for using cell phone at sea. Hoping to hear from Pam in CA. You know everything Pam. Thanks to anyone with info and input.

 

 

If you put "cell phone" in the search box at the right top of the main Princess forum page there are many threads on this same question....

[Pam in CA]

For Princess Cays, Grand Turk, and on the ship, I would not recommend using her cell phone to make calls. On Princess Cays and Grand Turk, she'll be charged international roaming plus international per minute rates. On the ship, she'll be charged $2.49/minute to make a call plus international roaming.

 

What I would recommend is turning off data and not using the cell for calls except in St. Thomas and Puerto Rico where her national AT&T plan would apply. And, I would add Global Messaging 50 for $10 temporarily to her plan. She can then send and receive texts on Princess Cays and Grand Turk. If she buys an Internet package on the ship, she can use the WiFi to send/receive texts. If the person she's texting with also has an iPhone, the two phones will use iMessage which is free.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Cell service on Princess Cays is sketchy. It's the far southern end of Eleuthera, and the service is poor down there. Just south of Princess Cays the service is non-existent.

 

For calls from the ship, download the Vonage app and use the ship's wifi. Calls back to the US are free, and though there's charge for the wifi, it's a lot cheaper than the per minute call charge on MCP.

 

As has been noted, San Juan and St. Thomas are part of the AT&T plan. There will be no charge for internet or calls there, but be sure to return your phone to Airplane Mode when you sail away.

[I want to cruise]

Daughter read all the helpful comments and suggestions. Thanks to everyone for your help. I love Cruise Critic and new this was the place to search for input and suggestions. See you on the CB in one week!!!

[meembeeb]

We were on the CB’s July 12 sailing, and hadn’t planned to use our smartphones at all during the trip except for photos. DH went to the shopping talk before we reached San Juan, and heard that PR and USVI are included in national cell phone plans. (I just happened to be walking past the Explorer’s Lounge when it was mentioned, so I heard it as well.) Yay! We could call home and check emails. So we did…:D

 

 

Unfortunately, when we got home, I checked the coverage map for our carrier (US Cellular, a big player in the Midwest). Seems it’s NOT one of the carriers that include these US territories in its national plan.:eek:

 

 

 

I immediately called the customer service number for USCC and worked with a wonderful rep. who said she’d waive the international roaming charges for us for those 2 days. I have to wait till my bill is generated around the first of the month, but I’ll be sure to immediately call and reference our conversation so the bill can be adjusted.

 

 

The primary purpose of our trip was to scatter our sister-in-law’s ashes at sea (thank you, Princess, for your kind assistance in making that possible), so the calls home were to let other family members know how that had gone. I didn’t mention that to the USCC rep until after she graciously offered to waive the charges, but I may have used it for ammunition if they wouldn’t make any adjustment to our bill. We’ve been loyal longtime customers of USCC, and I’m very happy that they are willing to forgive our serious mistake (never trust something you hear…always verify!)

[furb]

My personal recommendation would be to turn the phone off and lock it in your safe. Why are you bothering to get on a ship if you're going to spend the whole time with your face buried in a phone?

[Thrak]

My personal recommendation would be to turn the phone off and lock it in your safe. Why are you bothering to get on a ship if you're going to spend the whole time with your face buried in a phone?

 

Hey! That's what we do! :)

[Calgon1]

Cellular service at sea is offered as an amenity on most of the cruise ships. Many people may think that their cell phone works as usual at sea, but this is not the case. Some really good friends of ours took a 7-day with their two teenaged daughters. About 5 weeks after the cruise their cell bill came in . . . $3,700.00 :eek:

 

No matter what provider you have signed up with, or what data plans are available to you, cell phone usage at sea is an additional fee (satellite service fee). You need to factor into your budget if you decide you just have to have your cell phone with you on your cruise. Even plans that offer limitless long distance and data plans will not be accessible at sea.

 

The way it works, is that your cell call is first, picked up by the ships cell tower (one of those big, "golf-ball" shaped things on the upper deck). Then, it goes through the satellite equipment and is beamed up to a satellite. It is bounced through the satellite network and sent down to a ground based cellular network. You are charged extra for that service no matter what plan you have with your provider. In addition, the bill does not show up on your ships invoices of billing, it shows up later on your own bill from your cellular service provider. The charge for satellite service is approximately $9.75 per minute, or portion thereof!

 

TAKE NOTICE OF YOUR SMARTPHONE

 

Don’t forget that the new smartphones of today all have automatic connect and you will also be charged international roaming charges if you forget to turn your phone off. In other words, if the phone is on, you are charged . . . BIG TIME.

 

If it says "MARITIME" your call will be billed as a satellite call.

 

Therefore, you must keep your phone off so that it won’t pick up services as you travel from port to port. If you want to change your settings prior to the cruise, you can call your service provider and find out how to do it.

 

The cost of the service varies depending on your home carrier, but for AT&T users it is about $0.79 per minute. You will have to decide if the cost warrants the usage. In an emergency, of course, there wouldn’t be a question but to use the ships network at any cost.

 

Most cruise lines also provide Wi-Fi based onboard Internet service. Rates for these services usually range from $0.75 per minute down to $0.30 per minute. The more time you prepay, the lower the rate is. The Internet up-/down-load speed is abysmal on the ship. You are (most likely) using "broadband" service now. you speed is somewhere between 6-30 Mb/sec. On the ship, it's usually closer to 512 Kb/sec. Think back a few years to your old "dial-up" service. Really s - l - o - w.

 

 

For more info, go to: http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=45

Edited July 28, 2014 by Calgon1

[PescadoAmarillo]

In other words, if the phone is on, you are charged . . . BIG TIME.

Not true, and it's really unfortunate that people get scared into turning their phones OFF and then miss out on so much of their phone's functionality. In 5 months at sea, I never once turned my phone off and never incurred a penny in extra charges. Far more helpful, I think, is to learn how to use your smartphone correctly and wisely.

 

As for the advice to not have your face buried in a phone....really? I don't tell others how they should spend their time on a ship and don't appreciate others telling me.

[Colo Cruiser]

I agree, all thats necessary is turning off cell data, thats it.

Just don't make or answer your phone unless you really have too.

[pompeii]

We just put ours in airplane mode when on board and so far we've incurred no extra charges. That way it's on and I can continue to use it to tell time, since I don't wear a watch.

[Sailaway617]

Thanks to the recent posters on this thread that said you don't have to turn off your smartphone. I am looking for some clarification. I have an AT&T smartphone and plan to turn off data usage and roaming during an upcoming Alaska cruise. I believe I can still receive texts for free and send them for 50 cents each. Has anyone done this with an AT&T smartphone on a Princess ship?

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks to the recent posters on this thread that said you don't have to turn off your smartphone. I am looking for some clarification. I have an AT&T smartphone and plan to turn off data usage and roaming during an upcoming Alaska cruise. I believe I can still receive texts for free and send them for 50 cents each. Has anyone done this with an AT&T smartphone on a Princess ship?

 

I can, on my Iphone, no problem.

I just turn off cell data, it still roams, just don't make calls or answer it.

I like to have mine on in case of an emergency.

[Treven]

I, too, have an iPhone with AT&T. My process is that in getting settled in my cabin and unpacking etc., I take my phone out of my jeans pocket, turn it off,and toss it in my carry-on bag. It stays there until my process is reversed that last afternoon of my cruise. That's what works for me as I don't need to contact anyone while I'm gone, and no one needs to contact me.

[Sailaway617]

Oh OK so leaving the roaming on is OK as long as you just don't make or answer any calls? I was confused about how texts get through. AT&T said that received texts are free. I want to make sure I could be reached by my college aged kids, if needed.

[FritzG]

On an iPhone if you turn off cellular and data you will be fine. If you need to use the phone you can turn these back on very easily.

 

I use my phone for the timer, for the clock, as a flashlight, to take pictures; in other words, I DON'T put it away as soon as I board.

 

And, contrary to the comments of another poster, I also find it necessary to make calls while at sea.

Edited July 29, 2014 by FritzG

[atdahop]

Can you do the same thing with a Samsung Galaxy? How do you shut off the data? Or do you just put it in airplane mode?

Thanks

[Sailaway617]

I don't have an iphone or a Galaxy but I do have a Nokia smartphone. I believe there should be a way to turn on/off data and roaming on any smartphone in the menu or settings. I believe airplane mode will not allow you to receive texts or calls but will let you use alarms, games or calculator, etc. I'd love to hear from someone with more skill in smartphones. I would just like to send and receive a few texts as well as use the alarms and maps I have downloaded on my phone. There are a lot of factors to consider in using them on Cruise Ships but you shouldn't have to just turn it off, if you have a use for it.

[kjets]

Not true, and it's really unfortunate that people get scared into turning their phones OFF and then miss out on so much of their phone's functionality. In 5 months at sea, I never once turned my phone off and never incurred a penny in extra charges. Far more helpful, I think, is to learn how to use your smartphone correctly and wisely.

 

We totally agree! We use our smartphone for so many things and never turn it off. When we are connected to wifi we can call family members for free as we ALL have the app "Viber" which allows us free calls and messaging. We always use this when on holiday and it works it a treat, but only when you can get free or low cost wifi. We have a Samsung Note and S4 and as we get on the plane we change to airplane mode and have never ever paid extra. Have a great cruise with your family :)

Edited July 29, 2014 by kjets
missed out a word

[Colo Cruiser]

Can you do the same thing with a Samsung Galaxy? How do you shut off the data? Or do you just put it in airplane mode?

Thanks

 

I don't have an iphone or a Galaxy but I do have a Nokia smartphone. I believe there should be a way to turn on/off data and roaming on any smartphone in the menu or settings. I believe airplane mode will not allow you to receive texts or calls but will let you use alarms, games or calculator, etc. I'd love to hear from someone with more skill in smartphones. I would just like to send and receive a few texts as well as use the alarms and maps I have downloaded on my phone. There are a lot of factors to consider in using them on Cruise Ships but you shouldn't have to just turn it off, if you have a use for it.

 

I never use airplane mode because I still want to send and recieve text.

In airplane mode you may as well turn your phone off.

Just figure out how to turn off cell data and you will be fine.

[FritzG]

Can you do the same thing with a Samsung Galaxy? How do you shut off the data? Or do you just put it in airplane mode?

Thanks

 

I just called my carrier, Verizon, and they walked me through the procedure. It's very easy on on iPhone.