Computer and cell phone usage on ship

[beachhouse]

Is there anyway to use cell phone while at sea? And if needing to send emails and using internet do you buy internet package and use the ship's computers?

May have to work a little :( will be on Adventure of Sea

Edited January 12, 2016 by beachhouse

[UCF_Knight]

Sure it is possible.

 

Cell phone calls are charged per minute at exorbitant rates which vary per carrier.

 

Internet package can be used either on the ship's computers or via Wi-Fi using your own device..

[cruisecraze96]

You can make calls using cellular at sea and it runs about $2.50 a min. I always turn off my data and leave my phone on for emergency calls and text since on my plan incoming text are no charge no matter where I am. I also get the ships internet plan and use it for emails and then I have heard you can use Skype and FaceTime with that but haven't tried. You can also find places in port with free wifi and then check emails then.

[reallyitsmema]

Is there anyway to use cell phone while at sea? And if needing to send emails and using internet do you buy internet package and use the ship's computers?

May have to work a little :( will be on Adventure of Sea

 

You should check with your carrier, many now have cell phone packages that are very reasonable.

[reallyitsmema]

You can make calls using cellular at sea and it runs about $2.50 a min. I always turn off my data and leave my phone on for emergency calls and text since on my plan incoming text are no charge no matter where I am. I also get the ships internet plan and use it for emails and then I have heard you can use Skype and FaceTime with that but haven't tried. You can also find places in port with free wifi and then check emails then.

 

Pricing is very provider dependent. My provider only charges $1.79/min using cellular at sea and texts are 50 cents and 5 cents (send/receive).

[minn0315]

This was our experience on Navigator in December:

 

We have Verizon and we have iPhones. We bought the internet package on the ship ($20 per day for first device and $10 per day for 2nd device).

 

We then placed our phones in "airplane mode". We then turned off our cellular service. We anticipated just using the phones for internet content on the ship.

 

So we began to receive text messages on our phones over the internet on the ship out of the blue. We were completely shocked when we got the first text message from someone who thought we were still back home. We then texted back and forth with friends back on land.

 

No charges appeared on our Verizon bill for these texts.

[UCF_Knight]

Pricing is very provider dependent. My provider only charges $1.79/min using cellular at sea and texts are 50 cents and 5 cents (send/receive).

 

Right, it varies greatly. When using Cellular At Sea, T-Mobile charges $5.99 per minute for calling, 50 cents per text sent, free incoming texts, and $15 per MB of data.

 

Of course, when in port at almost any island in the Caribbean T-Mobile makes up for it with free data (usually fairly slow but gets the job done), free texts, and 20 cents per minute calling. If in Canada or Mexico it is now free calling, free texts, and free LTE data.

Edited January 12, 2016 by UCF_Knight

[brillohead]

This was our experience on Navigator in December:

 

We have Verizon and we have iPhones. We bought the internet package on the ship ($20 per day for first device and $10 per day for 2nd device).

 

We then placed our phones in "airplane mode". We then turned off our cellular service. We anticipated just using the phones for internet content on the ship.

 

So we began to receive text messages on our phones over the internet on the ship out of the blue. We were completely shocked when we got the first text message from someone who thought we were still back home. We then texted back and forth with friends back on land.

 

No charges appeared on our Verizon bill for these texts.

 

If you were using iMessage, that uses DATA(internet) rather than CELL... that's why you were getting the messages -- because you had your wifi turned on and were using the ship's internet.

 

With your phone in "airplane" mode, that cuts off your connection to Verizon's DATA and CELL service. That's why you never got a charge from Verizon -- because you never used their service.

Edited January 12, 2016 by brillohead

[cruisecraze96]

You should check with your carrier, many now have cell phone packages that are very reasonable.

 

 

Thanks, I forgot to add that it is per carrier. For me each time we hit a new roaming provider such as cellular at sea or something on the island I got a text message telling me exactly how much calling, texting, and data would be. No way would I roam on data after seeing those :)

[momo2000]

Short answer: Yes, but could get pricey.

 

Extended answer: A reasonable (in my opionion) is to purchase the wifi on ship. Use for email web surfing via your phone or laptop. Keep phone on airplane mode and turn wifi on/off seperatly. For voice, you could use the ship's service, but will be pricey, but if your business is worth it, then do it. Otherwise, just load the Skype client and put $10 on your skype package, so you can call actuall phones (not skype clients). Then when in port hit a wifi hotspot and use the skype client to call phones back home. Practice skype calling from your phone when at home before you leave. (You can try skype over the ship's wifi, but some block and some will not be good enough to produce a good call. Other folks may be able to provide feedback on using skype on ship.) Hope that helps.

[geauxgirlgeaux]

It is provider dependent. Last cruise, I used our international plan to text. While away from US, I was charged .50 for each outgoing text, and all incoming texts were free as they were charged at the domestic rate. My DD was also on a separate cruise, when she texted me using our international plan, for her the rate was .50 outgoing but I received it at no charge whether I was in St. Thomas or St. Martin - didn't matter.

I had my cell data off and received and sent them only as a text or sms message. We texted some everyday and had a 10 minute phone call and my additional charges for ATT were less than they would have been on the ship Cellular at Sea. We used wifi in port but really didn't need it. For ATT, USVI and Puerto Rico are considered domestic.

[Esahuma]

We are AT&T and Yes they do have a plan - you must call 611 then get transferred to INTERNATIONAL -

 

We purchase the $60 for 30 days calling and texting - there is also a package above that where you can get data -

 

As D+ we use the 90 minutes internet time on our computers and leave Data shut OFF when onboard hte ship

[Kissmya63]

We will be on Adventure at the end of May. Is the wifi while at sea reliable?

 

I am not cell phone/device savy at all, but I know I want to have access to the internet while on the ship. If I purchase an internet package on the ship and only use the ships wifi, then my cell phone company won't charge me for using my phone, right? If that is the case I don't see any reason to purchase an international plan with Verizon (my carrier).

[tunisbridal]

I will be on the Allure in two Weeeks!!! I purchased the cruise/international package from verizon. It is 40.00. 100 minutes/100 text sent/100 MB.

[brillohead]

We will be on Adventure at the end of May. Is the wifi while at sea reliable?

 

I am not cell phone/device savy at all, but I know I want to have access to the internet while on the ship. If I purchase an internet package on the ship and only use the ships wifi, then my cell phone company won't charge me for using my phone, right? If that is the case I don't see any reason to purchase an international plan with Verizon (my carrier).

 

You will need to make sure your phone is in "airplane mode" so that your phone doesn't access Verizon's phone/text or data plans in order to make sure that Verizon doesn't charge you for services used.

 

Put your phone in Airplane Mode, then turn on the Wifi Mode afterwards to access ship wifi. That way you're not connected to Verizon at all and they can't charge you.

[BigGuy25]

I usually don't worry about cell service when we cruise, but we're doing a 13-day repositioning on Navigator in May and figure I better have a plan. When you're using the Verizon International Plan ($40.00. 100 minutes/100 text sent/100 MB) onboard, do you also get hit with an add-on of Royal Caribbean's pricey cell fee to use your phone? Or does it bypass that a go straight to the Verizon plan? Thanks!!

[Clarea]

I usually don't worry about cell service when we cruise, but we're doing a 13-day repositioning on Navigator in May and figure I better have a plan. When you're using the Verizon International Plan ($40.00. 100 minutes/100 text sent/100 MB) onboard, do you also get hit with an add-on of Royal Caribbean's pricey cell fee to use your phone? Or does it bypass that a go straight to the Verizon plan? Thanks!!

Royal Caribbean has no cell fee. All cellular tower use onboard is billed by your cell carrier.

[Tony O]

I use Google hangouts free calls using wifi

[whitsmom]

I use Google hangouts free calls using wifi

 

Thanks for this information! This will come in handy on our August 2016 cruise. This way we can keep in touch back home if needed and we can keep up with the Grandkids that are cruising with us!

[BigGuy25]

Royal Caribbean has no cell fee. All cellular tower use onboard is billed by your cell carrier.

 

Thanks for the info! You'd think someone who has cruised as much as we have would know that ... but we didn't.

[sky0000547]

Thanks for this information! This will come in handy on our August 2016 cruise. This way we can keep in touch back home if needed and we can keep up with the Grandkids that are cruising with us!

 

 

There are many VoIP apps out there for free calls using data/wifi. As long as all the people have the same app installed then you can communicate with each other. Apart from Hangouts, there are Skype, Viber and even Whatsapp can make free calls.

[h20skibum]

I have heard you can use Skype and FaceTime with that but haven't tried. You can also find places in port with free wifi and then check emails then.

 

Skype and Facetime work okay on the ships with VOOM, but probably will not work on the ones without it. I believe all the fleet is supposed to get VOOM sometime this year.

[sarahleebones]

I use Google hangouts free calls using wifi

 

ME TOO! Calls 100% free - other than the internet package....but free once you have the wifi.