Do Walkie-Talkies really work onboard?

[Ravenscroft]

I never usually comment on these threads due to no experience with the topic but after our last cruise I got my experience.

 

Please picture Seabourn square (a coffee shop reception area) around mid morning and a gentleman in his late 60's/early 70's walking around with walkie talkie in hand. "What, say again I can't hear"...."wait, say again, I will try another spot". Repeat this many times as he walks around the area talking loudly trying to hear until eventually he walks out to the stairwell area. I left so never found out if he ever did manage to hear the other person.

 

I have never seen this before and hope never to see this again, as every time he moved you could see his loud voice was interrupting what other people were saying to others.

 

The ship isn't that big and there are many ways of calling the room, spa area, gym and pool area without resorting to a walkie-talkie.

 

That's crazy, and especially in Seabourn Square where most people are quietly going about their business, dealing with Guest Services, reading, using the computers or catching up with friends.

I can't image why anyone would need a walkie talkie on a Seabourn ship. . Wonder if there'll be a walkie talkie influx on Encore due to its larger size? ;)

Seriously, Hoping this isn't something that we ever see on SB

Edited August 14, 2015 by Ravenscroft

[Shorex]

But the passengers who start drinking at the crack of dawn and become belligerent and boisterous all day long aren't rude?

 

I marvel at the brilliance of this response in a thread that has been dormant for a year. It combines the concepts of "red herring" and "non sequitur" to achieve a synergistic effect of total irrelevance.

[iheartbda]

I don't agree. Even the crew, who have licensed, high powered, industrial grade two way radios, require the use of integrated repeaters built into the ship at strategic areas to work well.

 

I can't see how a consumer grade radio, no matter how much you got suckered into paying for it, will work through steel walls, floors, ceilings, etc. Physics doesn't disappear by throwing money at it.

 

Someone who really knows most things about ships has explained the whole walkie talkie work/doesn't work any number of times that agrees with your post.;):)

[kameres]

I'm a ham and have to agree. Unless you're in the same hallway or use the ships repeater network you will be disappointed.

 

Norwegian has an iPhone android app called iconcierge that should work on wifi. Should work with iPods and tablets too. Other lines might have something similar

[slidergirl]

What I want to know is:

 

What did families on cruises BEFORE the advent of commercial walkies do to keep track of their children????? Did they not cruise? Did they walk together everywhere for every activity in one herd? Did they never separate?

 

Just askin';)

[kameres]

Message boards. Notes. Stayed with the little ones. Arranged meeting times. Free range parenting. Back in the 70s we went out at lunch and didn't come home til dinner.

[legaljen1969]

This sentence alone says you think your vacation is more important than theirs.

 

You say you won't 'stoop' to their level, but how do you think the OP is taking these comments? Do you think they aren't reading the thread? How are you not affecting their vacation/vacation planning?

 

Why is expressing one's opinion on a matter imposing one's rights upon another and stating that one is more important or more entitled than another? We all have a lot of opinions about a lot of things.

 

The OP asked a question on a public forum. I would have to believe that they were looking for feedback from other folks on the forum. So, yes it is reasonable to expect that the feedback they are receiving may (and likely IS) affecting their vacation planning. Whether they are seeing the feedback as confirmation that walkie-talkies are a good idea or a bad idea, that is what they came to the message boards to find out?

 

Granted some folks on these boards do get rather vicious and sometimes opinions are stated as facts, rules, or laws.

 

To the OP, I have taken "cheapie" walkie talkies and more expensive/well-rated walkie talkies. I did not find that either worked particularly well. I found them to be just one more thing to carry around and keep up with. I also found they were somewhat aggravating in some people do shout on them. Many people use the same signal. They are not worth it to me. I want to be as free as possible not to have to keep up with things as I walk around the ship. I find that dry erase markers and a white board OR post it notes are quite effective for communication with your fellow travelers. You will see them around from time to time.

 

If it's important to have a check-in from time to time- make a rally point somewhere, whether at the cabin or some other mutually convenient location and discuss plans.

 

Other passengers don't particularly annoy me with their walkie-talkies unless they are being obnoxious. But the obnoxious attitude would be there with or without the walkie talkies.

 

If it makes you feel better to have a means of verbal communication for check in- invest in some good ones. If you think you can find another means of communication, there are certainly less expensive alternatives.

 

Stating an opinion is NOT infringing your rights on others. It is merely stating "in my opinion, in my experience....."

[angelwinks_ca]

We have a teen that has special needs that requires our occasional assistance. She can't just leave us a note on post it or walk around the ship to find us or wait until our meet up time.

She's completely independent and is capable of being on her own BUT for this one issue where she needs one of us immediately.

 

We found a walkie-talkie that has a vibrate option. My husband would wear it and my daughter would activate it and my husband would go to a quiet place to answer her. They would plan where to meet, usually back at the room and that's it. She understood it was only for a NEED basis. We were respectful of fellow cruisers but in our case, it was a necessity to be able to communicate immediately.

 

We got two schedules for her activities so we had a copy and she had a copy. We knew where she was at all times. We planned when and where to meet up so the walkie-talkie was never needed but a few times over the week. Careful planning and discussions about the activities your kid will be involved in will help plan WHEN and WHERE to meet up. Bring a highlighter and outline clear expectations of where your child can hang out. Found my kid mostly in the teen club, the lido deck, and the food area! Cabin rooms were forbidden right off the bat!

 

BUT for her special needs, I wouldn't think a walkie-talkie is necessary and would gladly leave it at home!

[Putterdude]

Angelwinks, there are always exceptions and obviously your needs are one of them. However, far to many people abuse them and spoil the peace and solitude many seek while on a cruise vacation. In many cases the things don't work between deck and when the do they are noisy at best. So often a conversation goes something like this "squawk, where are you...squawk squawk, we are in the buffet....squawk, squawk, try the strawberry shortcake, it was so good I went back 3 time....squawk, squawk....where are you.....squawk, squawk, I am at the pizza bar, can't make up my mind if I want the cheese, the peperoni, or the Hawaiian .... squawk, squawk .....try a piece of each, I had it before I came to the buffet...squawk, squawk.....might as well, I paid for it....squawk, squawk....me and Bubba and Junior are thinking we will go for bingo, squawk, squawk..... cant hear, what are you 'al going to do....squawk, squawk.:eek:

[SteveH2508]

Google Faraday cages - a cruise ship is basically a big pile of metal boxes AKA Faraday cages. If you are on the same deck or outside they might work - several decks separation between WTs - they are unlikely to work without repeater stations.