WalkieTalkies? Hoping to gain insight for communication in port/onboard

[JustCruiseyNotCrazy]

Has anyone done this? If so what type? Proper ettiquette?

We are a family of four. We have a very mature 14yo son, 1 year old daughter. We are also taking a nanny with her own private cabin. Communication will be detrimental at certain points of the 7night carribean.

We HAVE discussed NOT using technology while onboard. I do not want anyone playing on phones for our family vacation, however we are trying to figure a way to be in touch for important/urgent situations.

Your insight is appreciated!!

(Naysayers please remain polite)

[akcruz]

Will stay out of the onboard use of walkie talkies, but do want to point out to you that in many ports the use of them is illegal. Check out your ports carefully before even considering them.

[Shmoo here]

Has anyone done this? If so what type? Proper ettiquette?

We are a family of four. We have a very mature 14yo son, 1 year old daughter. We are also taking a nanny with her own private cabin. Communication will be detrimental at certain points of the 7night carribean.

We HAVE discussed NOT using technology while onboard. I do not want anyone playing on phones for our family vacation, however we are trying to figure a way to be in touch for important/urgent situations.

Your insight is appreciated!!

(Naysayers please remain polite)

 

There's lots of input on just this subject here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2238905&highlight=walkie+talkies

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2212510&highlight=walkie+talkies

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2208354&highlight=walkie+talkies

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2158355&highlight=walkie+talkies

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2164622&highlight=walkie+talkies

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157306&highlight=walkie+talkies

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2154911&highlight=walkie+talkies

 

And many others.

 

Basically, they don't work all that well onboard, and in some ports may be illegal to use.

[spookwife]

Has anyone done this? If so what type? Proper ettiquette?

We are a family of four. We have a very mature 14yo son, 1 year old daughter. We are also taking a nanny with her own private cabin. Communication will be detrimental at certain points of the 7night carribean.

We HAVE discussed NOT using technology while onboard. I do not want anyone playing on phones for our family vacation, however we are trying to figure a way to be in touch for important/urgent situations.

Your insight is appreciated!!

(Naysayers please remain polite)

 

 

illegal in many/most ports and ineffectual on board.

 

urgent? if it is life or death you have them paged. anything else you leave messages in the cabin phone , sticky notes on the mirror or use a while board.

[chengkp75]

Has anyone done this? If so what type? Proper ettiquette?

We are a family of four. We have a very mature 14yo son, 1 year old daughter. We are also taking a nanny with her own private cabin. Communication will be detrimental at certain points of the 7night carribean.

We HAVE discussed NOT using technology while onboard. I do not want anyone playing on phones for our family vacation, however we are trying to figure a way to be in touch for important/urgent situations.

Your insight is appreciated!!

(Naysayers please remain polite)

 

You will get a gamut of responses from those who have had good luck with radios, and those who have not. Given that a ship is basically a metal box, and radio waves don't like to pass through metal, radio performance can best be described as "it may work today, but not tomorrow, and it may work from here to there, but not from here to there". Unless you want to purchase some expensive radios, coverage will be limited to a couple of decks separation, and only part way along the ship. The crew use high power, UHF radios on frequencies that are better at steel penetration, and that still require repeater antenna placed around the ship to ensure proper coverage.

 

Pre-set check in times and post-it notes are common methods of communication.

[YubaSutter]

. Communication will be detrimental at certain points of the 7night carribean.

 

Why would communication be detrimental?

[JustCruiseyNotCrazy]

Shmoo and Spookwife....thank you!!

I have been fighting for the oldfashioned post it note method.

I never thought of the paging onboard.

Yuba- we have an infant who will be 11 months at time of cruise. We are taking a nanny with her own cabin....just in case we need to be reached emergency style or of the like.

[cb at sea]

You will, I hope, be eating meals with the kids...so everyone will tell their plans...and you'll KNOW where they are! Tell them where YOU will be...and they can find you before going to the next fun thing.... I wouldn't trust non-visual communication as much as having the 14 year old "check in"...

There are phones you can use to call the cabins....no charge for room to room calls...and messaging is avail. on those phones....

It's really not as hard to "keep track" of each other as you're thinking.

Now, it you're going ashore, and leaving your baby and nanny on the ship, I would put my cell phone into "airplane" mode, so an emergency call is possible, should she need you.

[Keith1010]

I would look at all of the previous threads on this subject which have been posted by shoo. I don't think any of us can add to all that has been posted.

 

Keith

[YubaSutter]

Shmoo and Spookwife....thank you!!

I have been fighting for the oldfashioned post it note method.

I never thought of the paging onboard.

Yuba- we have an infant who will be 11 months at time of cruise. We are taking a nanny with her own cabin....just in case we need to be reached emergency style or of the like.

 

I get it now. It was the detrimental word that got me. It means harmful or dangerous.

[Ex techie]

Now, it you're going ashore, and leaving your baby and nanny on the ship, I would put my cell phone into "airplane" mode, so an emergency call is possible, should she need you.

 

Huh?

 

If you put your phone in airplane mode, it will not connect to a cell network or be able to receive calls?

 

ex techie

[SteveH2508]

Faraday cage - a metal box which blocks EM radiation. A cruise ship is a BFO collection of Faraday cages (every cabin is a metal box).

 

Reliable comms - I think not.

 

Upset fellow passengers by yelling into a non-working walkie-talkie - I think so.

[JustCruiseyNotCrazy]

Yuba**** youre right. I was meaning more along the lines of neccessary.

**thank you all for responding. I have now researched this topic and I have decided NOT to use the walkie talkies.

We are going to research other options. C Freedom has not implemented the HUB App yet.....which would be nice.

Ive cruised before, I know tracking my responsible son is not as hard as it "seems".

We were more thinking of communicating with nanny for emergency reasons.

Our snorkeling excursion will have us well away from the ship and I suppose we can be paged if we are needed for baby.

[Ex techie]

Yuba**** youre right. I was meaning more along the lines of neccessary.

**thank you all for responding. I have now researched this topic and I have decided NOT to use the walkie talkies.

We are going to research other options. C Freedom has not implemented the HUB App yet.....which would be nice.

Ive cruised before, I know tracking my responsible son is not as hard as it "seems".

We were more thinking of communicating with nanny for emergency reasons.

Our snorkeling excursion will have us well away from the ship and I suppose we can be paged if we are needed for baby.

 

If you are going ashore and leaving your baby with the nanny aboard, you should take a cell phone with you so they can call you directly from the ship.

Relying on the ship's staff to track down the tour operator, then the operator call the staff operating the tour, then the staff tracking you could take some time.

 

Aboard, yes, they could make a PA announcement in an emergency.

 

ex techie

[JustCruiseyNotCrazy]

Yesss!! Thx Ex Techie

Thats what we have decided to do. We would rather spend a little on the phone capabilities rather than walkie talkies, social media, etc.

This way, the phone service is literally priceless if ANY EMERGENCY arises ANYWHERE. as the other options,are limited,an unreliable at best.

Family safety and security is worth more than that!!