Smartphone Data Verizon

[handy4u]

Verizon has a $25 per 100Mb roaming package that's claims to be compatible with the system(s) on all Celebrity ships. I am a commission salesman and keep track of my emails whilst on vacation. I want the almost instant notification of an email which is possible via data. This uses very little data if one sets up their phone right and it's connected all the time. We get two 90 minute WiFi packages with our elite status and do use it. However, I was on the Eclipse in 2/2014 and could not get my phone to connect to the on ship cellular system for data. My phone DID work for data on every island. I was able to get texts and make and receive calls whilst on the the ship. Verizon had no idea why i couldn't connect as my phone and plan were correctly set up for it. I tried many times during our 2 week cruise and asked countless employees on the ship about this to no avail.

 

My question is this: Have you been able to use a Verizon smartphone for data on a Celebrity Cruises ship since 2/2014?

 

I will be on the Eclipse watching the Super Bowl in 3 weeks! Nice!

 

Thanks!

[CruzeBoozer]

Verizon has a $25 per 100Mb roaming package that's claims to be compatible with the system(s) on all Celebrity ships. I am a commission salesman and keep track of my emails whilst on vacation. I want the almost instant notification of an email which is possible via data. This uses very little data if one sets up their phone right and it's connected all the time. We get two 90 minute WiFi packages with our elite status and do use it. However, I was on the Eclipse in 2/2014 and could not get my phone to connect to the on ship cellular system for data. My phone DID work for data on every island. I was able to get texts and make and receive calls whilst on the the ship. Verizon had no idea why i couldn't connect as my phone and plan were correctly set up for it. I tried many times during our 2 week cruise and asked countless employees on the ship about this to no avail.

 

My question is this: Have you been able to use a Verizon smartphone for data on a Celebrity Cruises ship since 2/2014?

 

I will be on the Eclipse watching the Super Bowl in 3 weeks! Nice!

 

Thanks!

 

Can you describe how you set the phone up to use very little data etc. I also use Verizon and am interested in being able to access email etc. for my upcoming sailing.

[ghstudio]

Make sure that automatic updates of all kinds are turned off....the last thing you want is some application to update. Turn off all push applications...do want news etc pushed to you? Set mail update to as long an interval as you can tolerate...best is manual when you ask for new mail.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Edited January 12, 2015 by ghstudio

[CruzeBoozer]

Make sure that automatic updates of all kinds are turned off....the last thing you want is some application to update. Turn off all push applications...do want news etc pushed to you? Set mail update to as long an interval as you can tolerate...best is manual when you ask for new mail.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Thanks would this be using Verizon roaming data or the ships wireless?

[handy4u]

Thanks would this be using Verizon roaming data or the ships wireless?

 

My phone is a Samsung Galaxy Note 4. How to minimize your device usage, depends on your phones operating system. Do a Google on "how to minimize data usage with (your operating system here)" to get specific on how to do it. You can also have Verizon tech support help you too. I set up the email to check hourly and NOT to automatically download embedded images. I also turn off most apps and MMS.

 

This is using Verizon roaming data over the ships cellular system. I use the data to mainly monitor my email. While on shore, I may use maps to locate something or make sure the taxi driver isn't taking me out of the way. I'll use the wifi if the email can wait. I get all my faxes via email and I can use email to fax. I also use google voice for my voice mail which I then can listen to using wifi or data. My phone rings on vacation but I never answer it. I let it go to VM; I then can listen to it and respond accordingly via email or text. Email is much cheaper as texting costs $0.50 to send and $0.05 to recieve.

 

However, all the data part is worthless if I can't connect like last year. I used the wifi more often. Using the cellular system lets me relax more and not have to think about how often I check my email. Every order is money to me and many of my customers don't even know I'm on vacation -- which is the way Ilike it!

[handy4u]

Bumping this question in hopes I get an answer.

 

Thanks!

[az_tchr]

Of course it is using the ships wireless. There are obviously no towers in the ocean. Thus for every time you connect you use a minute, even if it is just a second or two. Great idea but I have never seen it work. In ports you can connect to WifFi which is almost always free and make calls, text or emails, but on the ship?

[CruzeBoozer]

Of course it is using the ships wireless. There are obviously no towers in the ocean. Thus for every time you connect you use a minute, even if it is just a second or two. Great idea but I have never seen it work. In ports you can connect to WifFi which is almost always free and make calls, text or emails, but on the ship?

 

Of course there are no towers in the ocean. Why would we need those for Internet connectivity when the ship has a really long Ethernet cord attached to it from the original port. I guess I didn't totally think that through when I posted the question but thanks for making me realize this. If a phone is roaming isn't it roaming through the ships communication system hence data roaming? Isn't it acting as a tower?

[handy4u]

Of course there are no towers in the ocean. Why would we need those for Internet connectivity when the ship has a really long Ethernet cord attached to it from the original port. I guess I didn't totally think that through when I posted the question but thanks for making me realize this. If a phone is roaming isn't it roaming through the ships communication system hence data roaming? Isn't it acting as a tower?

 

The answer is yes the phone is roaming and data roaming. I assume the cellular system piggy backs off the the ships wifi somehow. Not much unlike putting a mini cell phone transceiver from a specific provider in your house. One with a much bigger capacity, of course. Whoever owns that the rights to the said transceiver then contacts with providers globally to specify rates.

 

The nice think about this system is you can be connected all the time. You only pay when you use it. My wife needs me she texts me. The communication cost 55 cents total and this works well for us. It's probably cheaper to rent the PH than be connected to the wifi on the ship for a complete cruise!

 

The cruise ship wifi connection is changing though. Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas get high speed internet upgrade. The system is broadband speed with reasonable cost. I'm looking forward to using it next year and wish the Eclipse had it now.

[handy4u]

Just finished a cruise with celebrity so here's what I found out:

 

I could never get the data to work properly whilst on the Eclipse. Nothing would download. So for my piece of mind I bought the unlimited internet package offered at the beginning of the cruise for $349. Kind of expensive but worth it for how I make a living. The speed wasn't fast but was sufficient for what I needed.

 

The ship goes into dry dock in April so I hope the communication and internet control systems are upgraded.

[Jimbo59]

We were never able to connect to Verizon e-mail on Celebrity Equinox (February 2015). The Celebrity tech guy told us that Celebrity usus a satellite down link to a ground station in Scotland. Verizon has no access to that station. Even Verizon webmail did not work.

 

On a Holland America cruise we had no problem connecting to Verizon email.

[Jimbo59]

Verizon has a $25 per 100Mb roaming package that's claims to be compatible with the system(s) on all Celebrity ships. I am a commission salesman and keep track of my emails whilst on vacation. I want the almost instant notification of an email which is possible via data. This uses very little data if one sets up their phone right and it's connected all the time. We get two 90 minute WiFi packages with our elite status and do use it. However, I was on the Eclipse in 2/2014 and could not get my phone to connect to the on ship cellular system for data. My phone DID work for data on every island. I was able to get texts and make and receive calls whilst on the the ship. Verizon had no idea why i couldn't connect as my phone and plan were correctly set up for it. I tried many times during our 2 week cruise and asked countless employees on the ship about this to no avail.

 

My question is this: Have you been able to use a Verizon smartphone for data on a Celebrity Cruises ship since 2/2014?

 

 

I will be on the Eclipse watching the Super Bowl in 3 weeks! Nice!

 

Thanks!

 

Be careful using the Verizon data plan on cruise ships. You may think you are accessing the satellite from the ship, but if the ship is anywere near a land tower, your data will go through that tower. Many countries are part of the Verizon data plan ($25.00 for 100 MB), but some are not. We were hit with very high data charges when the ship was near Panama. The signal defaulted to the Panama towers ($20.48 per one MB). Panama was no on the Verizon data plan.

[Andy]

Verizon has a $25 per 100Mb roaming package that's claims to be compatible with the system(s) on all Celebrity ships. I am a commission salesman and keep track of my emails whilst on vacation. I want the almost instant notification of an email which is possible via data. This uses very little data if one sets up their phone right and it's connected all the time. We get two 90 minute WiFi packages with our elite status and do use it. However, I was on the Eclipse in 2/2014 and could not get my phone to connect to the on ship cellular system for data. My phone DID work for data on every island. I was able to get texts and make and receive calls whilst on the the ship. Verizon had no idea why i couldn't connect as my phone and plan were correctly set up for it. I tried many times during our 2 week cruise and asked countless employees on the ship about this to no avail.

 

My question is this: Have you been able to use a Verizon smartphone for data on a Celebrity Cruises ship since 2/2014?

 

I will be on the Eclipse watching the Super Bowl in 3 weeks! Nice!

 

Thanks!

 

Hi Handy,

 

I've been on Eclipse several times, and never had any success capturing data or emails on my Verizon phone, which *was* a Samsung Galaxy Nexus. My latest attempt was November 2014. I've recently upgraded to a Motorola Droid Turbo (still with Verizon), and highly recommend the phone ! I'm sailing on Equinox in a few weeks, so I'm curious to see if I will have better luck with my new phone.

 

My internet experience was dreadful on Eclipse in November - especially when I tried to use my laptop via the ship's wi-fi. It was the first sailing after the transatlantic, so I suspect it's much better by now.

 

Please come back after your cruise, and let us know how it works out for you. Wishing you all the best, and have a wonderful cruise !